We wrote last time about the need to use your nervous energy before a job interview in preparation, studying the company and yourself (view that post here).  In this second part, we’ll focus more on tips for the interview itself.

During the Interview

Listen for hints – The questions and comments from the interviewer will likely give you clues about their preferred traits. Without resorting to flattery, target your answers and questions to these highlighted areas. You may want to have a way to take notes during the interview to help.

Give examples – After giving a stellar answer to an interviewer’s question, there is nothing quite so powerful as giving a past example of how you followed your own advice/value/prioritization/approach. Be sure and have several examples in mind so you can easily pick the best few.

Ask questions – When I hired in the past, the most impressive candidates were those who asked intelligent, open-ended questions about my organization. This showed an interest as well as preparation. It also showed someone who was willing to think (a great addition to any team). I was never attracted to a passive interviewee who simply waited for the interview time to expire.

Ask for a tour of your potential work area if appropriate – This is a simple request but can yield several positive things. First, you get more first-hand, personal education about the company. Second, you can ask more questions to build trust with someone already employed by the company. Third, you show a genuine interest in the organization and how it runs. Fourth, you will pick up valuable culture clues to either encourage your job quest with the company or alternatively scare you away.

At the end of the interview, ask a clean-up question – Here are two examples to get you started.

• “Do you have any other questions about my background?”
• “Do you have any concerns about my background that I could address now?”

Say “thank you” – It amazes me how little this two-word phrase is heard. Use good manners before, during and after the interview. Assume EVERYBODY you meet in or near the company setting has a say in the hiring decision and treat them accordingly. It is impossible to always predict pockets of informal power.

There you have it, 6 tips to utilize during the job interview.  Would you have any others to add?  Please take a minute and share your thoughts in the comments below.

This post was written by Michael Friesen, a coach at 360JobInterview.com. He is the author of Expected End: What Culture Is, Why It Matters and How to Improve It. He is leadership coach and a former CFO and Budget Director for the U.S. government. You can schedule an interview with Michael on his 360JobInterview.com coach page.

Photo iStockPhoto © James Tutor

Interviewing with any company can be intimidating but preparation will help chase away some of the butterflies. Remember it is unusual for a company to hire a candidate who fits the job description 100%. View the position advertisement as a dream sheet. You should have a majority of the traits but just because you’re missing a few parts of the experience does not necessarily knock you out of contention.

Without trying to be too traditional, here are some interview thoughts gleaned from hands-on experience.

Before the Interview

Learn all you can about the company – This is much easier in our era of mega-search engines. Look for names, facts, figures, news, anything, etc.

• What are the recent big news items?
• What are the company’s major services or products?
• What are their guarantees?
• What are the approximate revenues?
• What are the customer service trends?
• Who are the big names?
• How do competitor companies look at your interviewing company?
• If you know somebody at the company, quiz them about the organization.
• If appropriate, see if you can make an appointment with someone at the company for your educational purposes (be careful with this one).

Play stump the dummy – Nothing personal … but prepare a list of the toughest questions you can create based on your intimate knowledge of your own profile. The idea is to train hard to make the actual interview seem easier. Be as tough as you can on yourself during the preparation and you will find yourself more confident at the real event. Here are a few starter questions and you can think of more.

• What is your core message related to the position?
• What are your top 3-5 strengths?
• What are your weaknesses? How do you manage around or offset them?
• What will be the most difficult areas of the new job for you?
• Why are you unique?
• How would you interview yourself if you wanted to paint the most complete picture?
• How will you make up any shortfalls in your experience as it relates to the ideal job description?
• What will you do if you are not selected for the position?
• Do you like the company enough to apply for more positions?
• How will you respond if salary comes up early?

In a future post, we’ll talk more about how to maximize your time during the interview.  To summarize, focus any nervous energy you have on preparation. Write it, say it, and think it (or any combination thereof). This will help with the actual interview and keep anxiety in check. Remember too that a little nervousness will help you be sharper in the interview as well. All the best!

And if you have any thoughts or ideas, take a minute and share your best ideas or experiences in the comments below.

This post was written by Michael Friesen, a coach at 360JobInterview.com.  He is the author of Expected End: What Culture Is, Why It Matters and How to Improve It.  He is a leadership coach and a former CFO and Budget Director for the U.S. government.  You can schedule an interview with Michael on his 360JobInterview.com coach page.

Photo iStockPhoto © Ken Kan

“Great hiring isn’t an instant process, and many companies would benefit from developing more-structured internship programs, in which success and proof of a good fit are measured over time,” says Mary Ellen Slayter in her recent article entitled Bring Strategic Rigor to Your Internship Program.

In the current economy, companies can afford to take more time with, and put more effort into, the hiring process. In fact, smart companies should be doing exactly that. When the labor market is slow, more talent is available and companies should tighten up hiring procedures, improve job descriptions, and focus on hiring quality people instead of hiring a resume. Internships are a great way to take a look at job candidates and determine – in real time – if they have the skills and attitude to flourish in the company.

Over the last several posts, I have tried to make it clear that finding a good job is about much more than polishing up your resume and checking out a few websites. Candidates have to work diligently at improving their value to employers. They have to find ways to increase the ways in which they can contribute to the success of an organization. In a nutshell, you simply cannot rest on your laurels; you have to be improving, growing, and constantly learning.

Need more proof? Read this excerpt from Slayter’s article:

Scare B-list candidates away upfront. General, fluffy job listings create more work for your HR team in the long run than a sharply focused one would. First, too many random candidates respond. Second, HR must then sift through a mountain of lackluster or insincere applicants. Third, these are short-term applicants that need any job they can get, as opposed to A-list candidates interested in a long-term career path with you. There’s a much better way: Sit down with key managers to carefully draft the most challenging, rigorous, mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive job description write-ups as possible –– with zero fluff. Include a roster of advanced role requirements and high cover letter expectations that invite only the keenest and most accomplished to apply. In short, scare the heck out of flaky applicants. Shotgun-blast resume slingers and well-dressed slackers won’t bother applying.

At first glance, this might be pretty intimidating. As you look at your situation and your resume, you might worry that you have little chance to secure that “perfect job.” My suggestion is to change your perspective: to move out of the realm of “resume slinger” or “well-dressed slacker,” you have to make every single job interview a learning experience. Failure to get an offer is not FAILURE – it’s an opportunity to learn where you need to improve. If you don’t get the job, you need to get as much information as you can that will help you in the next opportunity.

Always thank your interviewer and ask if you might ask a couple of questions regarding your interview. Most HR professionals will give you the opportunity, so make the best of it:

“I want to learn from this experience, so…”

“If you were in my shoes, what one thing would you work on to improve my ability to get hired?”

“What is the weakest part of my resume?”

“As an HR professional, what advice would you give me regarding my interview with you?”

At the same time, if you are serious about working for a particular company, you should consider an internship. They may or may not pay, but you could gain valuable experience inside an organization and potentially work yourself into a nice opportunity. If you don’t get an offer, and you’re fairly certain you were a final candidate, don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer if an internship is an option.

Years ago, Robert Schuller wrote a book entitled “Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do.” Here is what Amazon says about the book:

Dr. Schuller shows you how to build a positive self-image, no matter what your problem. Whether it’s unemployment, poor health, loneliness, fear or anything else that blocks your success, you can turn your negative into a positive. No matter how tough times get, you have the potential to achieve the best of life.

I’m wondering if that particular book is enjoying a revival? I suspect there are more than just a few who are currently struggling with unemployment and success issues, and times are plenty tough. A more current equivalent of Schuller’s best-seller is Larry Winget’s 2005 book, “Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life: A Kick-Butt Approach to a Better Life.” If Shuller’s group-hug-style of envisioning a more successful future isn’t your cup of tea, maybe Winget (like Curly) can help you discover that “one thing” that will revive your success drive:

…this book will make you uncomfortable. Winget won’t let you escape to the excuses that we all find so comforting. The only place you are allowed to go to place the blame for everything that has ever happened to you is to the mirror. The last place most of us want to go.

You probably won’t agree with all Larry Winget says in this one-of-a-kind book. You may not like the concepts and ideas he believes will change your life. Winget doesn’t care. His ideas aren’t for everyone and he readily admits that.

Or maybe he could just kick the crap out of you. Whatever.

Two different thought processes, but one common idea – don’t allow circumstances to keep you from achieving what you capable of. No question, job hunting can damage your psyche and erode your self-confidence. The key is to stay focused and network like crazy. Talk to the local Chamber of Commerce to find out about job opportunities; attend Rotary or Civitan meetings and talk business with people; get active and join volunteer organizations; visit college campuses in your area to look for new connections and additional training opportunities; visit every recruiter you can find. You get the idea.

Among everything else, keep things in perspective – and try to keep your sense of humor. Like Schuller said, tough times never last.

Text

Is it just me, or do most people have little sense of what is going on in the world beyond American Idol or Survivor or The Real Housewives of (Fill in Your Favorite)? The average “man (or woman) on the street” doesn’t seem to know much of anything beyond sports and reality television.

Yes, I know, that is a sweeping generalization and completely unfair. Actually, most people are well-educated (read this), well-read, and quite knowledgeable about current affairs.

Not.

The “average” adult in the United States reads at a 9th grade level, and, as referenced in this MSNBC article, adult math skills have gone into hiding:

According to the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy, U.S. adults are terrible at solving real-world math problems, like calculating tips or comparing prices in grocery stores. Some dismal results:

Only 42 percent were able to pick out two items on a menu, add them, and calculate a tip.

Only 1 in 5 could reliably calculate mortgage interest.

1 in 5 could not calculate weekly salary when told an hourly pay rate.

Only 13 percent were deemed “proficient.” Worse yet, only 1 in 10 women, 1 in 25 Hispanics and 1 in 50 African Americans made the grade.

More good news: according to the President’s National Mathematics Advisory Panel, “half of 17 year olds couldn’t do enough math to work in an auto plant.”

Hey, I’m not some kind of intellectual snob, nor do I value a person more or less because they don’t know who the Vice President is or can’t find Montpelier, VT on a map (for those of you keeping score at home, that would be the capital of Vermont). No, the problem is that employers are typically looking for employees who can think, solve problems, and develop ideas. If job seekers don’t do anything to develop those skills, they risk being permanently relegated to second-tier status as a job candidate.

The idea in job search is to give yourself the very best opportunity to land a good job. Every single advantage, no matter how small, helps. One certain way to elevate yourself above many competitive job seekers is to demonstrate your ability to think and solve problems. Sadly, many job seekers don’t read well, can’t write business correspondence, and can’t do basic math calculations.

The solution? Extend your interests. Read a newspaper regularly. Pick up Math for Dummies. Complete a Sudoku puzzle once in a while (a little practice at solving problems).

Sound silly?

So does this: “We have filled that position.”

As if looking for employment didn’t pose enough of a challenge, here is an entirely new problem for those seeking employment – the effective use of social media. No, no, no…not how to use it for networking or job search, but how not to use it. It seems many job candidates torpedo their chances with some employers because of the inappropriate things they post on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

Is that fair to job candidates? Apparently so, according to this article:

Four years ago, Stacy Snyder, then a 25-year-old teacher in training at Conestoga Valley High School in Lancaster, Pa., posted a photo on her MySpace page that showed her at a party wearing a pirate hat and drinking from a plastic cup, with the caption “Drunken Pirate.” After discovering the page, her supervisor at the high school told her the photo was “unprofessional,” and the dean of Millersville University School of Education, where Snyder was enrolled, said she was promoting drinking in virtual view of her under-age students. As a result, days before Snyder’s scheduled graduation, the university denied her a teaching degree. Snyder sued, arguing that the university had violated her First Amendment rights by penalizing her for her (perfectly legal) after-hours behavior. But in 2008, a federal district judge rejected the claim, saying that because Snyder was a public employee whose photo didn’t relate to matters of public concern, her “Drunken Pirate” post was not protected speech.

Since Facebook and other sites are public domain sites, it looks like they are fair game for assessing your common sense and discretion. So, next time you get in one of those “drunken pirate” moods, you might want to hold off on posting the pics. I’m just sayin’…

This article further points out that 75 percent of recruiters and HR professionals scrutinize online sites for information about job candidates, and 70 percent of those individuals have actually rejected a candidate based on information obtained from these sites. As companies seek to acquire the best talent they can find, they have been given the golden opportunity to not only assess that talent, but to assess the character of that talent as well.

Formerly, employers were limited to a credit check, a background check, and all those stellar references you put on your resume. Now, however, you have willingly opened up your entire world for them to examine – which, by the way, can be a good thing just as much as a potential risk. After all, your Facebook page could just as easily reveal a solid citizen as much as it could reveal a scalawag.

With recruiters and HR professionals on the prowl, consider this “Word to the Wise:” You might want to check out your Facebook page and analyze it from an employer’s point-of-view. Does your online persona reveal someone that might be considered a huge hiring risk?

A person who knows how to get things done is in possession of a highly marketable skill. The ability to complete complex tasks or projects is a skill that most every employer can, and will, use. The devil, as they say, is in the details. Because the real skill is not just the ability to “get things done,” but the ability to get things done right.

As in, completely. All the “I’s” dotted; all the “T’s” crossed. Soup to nuts – done. Correctly. According to specifications.

If “gitt’n ‘er done” is not among your strong suits, don’t despair – help is a simple “To-Do” list away. That’s right, the proverbial task list. Amazing how those little buggers work. Well, if you do them right (not like the one shown that I found here).

Legendary sales trainer Zig Ziglar tells a story about what he calls the “Day Before Vacation” attitude. He illustrates how much people can actually get done the day before they leave for vacation. Why? Because they have tons of stuff to accomplish and only a single day to get it all finished. The solution? Plan and Prioritize. Put it on a list. Lay out the most efficient way to get it all done.

First, the Post Office. Then, the bank. Drop the dogs at the kennel. Pick up the dry cleaning. You get the idea. The result is that someone who is mostly average at getting things done turns into Larry the Cable Guy on steroids. Git ‘r Done!!

To-Do lists can be fantastic tools. They can also create the illusion that you are actually doing something when you’re not (see picture above). I’ve know people who spend most of their time making lists, rearranging lists, collating lists – essentially, managing the lists. That, of course, is not so good. However, creating a prioritized To-Do list that outlines the critical details that must be addressed and completed can dramatically impact your daily performance.

Using a task list while you look for a job is a great place to practice (if you fail, you only have to explain it to your significant other). Start the week with a Priority List – things I must accomplish this week regardless of the obstacles I may encounter. Think through the details and include them on the list so you don’t overlook anything important. Then, each day, review your Priority List and add any additional items that you need to do that day. Just as you would on the day before your vacation, put them into a logical sequence that will make them easy to accomplish. Anything you don’t complete today goes on tomorrow’s list. Finally, keep all of your notes in a small notebook and you will not only keep a record of everything, but you’ll ensure that nothing slips through the cracks that you should have completed.

In your job search, be specific with your task list. Don’t put something general like “Look for job” on your list. Write down the details of the things you must do. 1) Complete resume revisions. 2) Make the following phone calls (list the people and their numbers – in order of priority). 3) See these companies (list by name and prioritize by geography to make them easy to get to). 4) Send follow-up notes to these people (list specifically).

Ultimately, you can get very good at using a To-Do List, and the side benefit is that it can become a huge asset for you in the workplace.

In the 21st century, finding gainful employment means mastering the fine art of networking. Clearly, social networking tools are a part of that landscape, but the most important networking skills are still those face-to-face interpersonal skills that many people are completely uncomfortable with.

Starting a conversation with a complete stranger – at a so-call “networking” event or at other chance meeting times – can be an intimidating exercise. Even people who are outgoing and comfortable with meeting new people can drive right into the ditch if they are too aggressive or lack social awareness.

There is, in fact, a precarious balance between “I am looking for the right opportunity” and “I desperately need a job.” For whatever reason, desperation just doesn’t play well with others. Strategic career planning, on the other hand, is eminently professional (“No, I haven’t found the position that fits my career plan”). The difference – in networking – is how you approach the task of meeting people and discussing your situation.

First, in any networking opportunity, you must be come prepared. You should have carefully rehearsed your answers to the following questions:

What do you do? (“I’m unemployed” or,”I’m between jobs” probably doesn’t leave the impression your looking for.)

What happened? (“My boss was an idiot” or “They just didn’t understand me” rarely results in a referral to a job opportunity.)

What are you looking for? (“Anything I can find” or “Something to pay the bills” sounds more like commodity than valuable resource.

Second, you should present yourself in a way that communicates success. Look the part. Dress appropriately. Shine your shoes. Have a nice pen in your notebook or jacket. Professional dress and conduct leads people to believe that you would be professional in the workplace.

Third, you need to be way more interested in finding out about other people than you are in telling others about you. Networking is a lot easier when you are focused on listening rather than talking. Eventually, the other person will ask about you (see the questions above) and you will get the opportunity to see if there is a connection for you. The interesting thing is that the better the listener you are, the more apt the other person is to listen and consider what you have to say.

Don’t know how? Don’t know what to ask? Use POGO – a technique from world famous motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar:

P – First, ask about the person. What does he do? Where does he work? Where did he go to school? Does he have any kids? Those kinds of questions.

O – Second, ask about the organization. How long has he worked there? What does he like about the company? Who does the company do business with? These are questions about the company he works for.

G – Third, ask about the company’s goals. How is his company, or department, doing? Are they reaching their goals? How is the economy affecting their progress?

O – Finally, ask about the obstacles the company has encountered. What has been your company’s biggest challenge? How have you worked around it? What do you see coming in the future that might be a challenge to reaching your goals?

You certainly don’t have to ask these exact questions, nor do you have to hit all four areas in any conversation. However, using this simple acronym – POGO – will prompt you to ask useful questions that lead to a productive dialogue. By the way, you will find out a lot about that company, as well as the industry they work in, and that is always valuable knowledge to have for future conversations!

Question: Whatever happened to basic communication skills?

Seriously, it seems that employees who can actually write a legible sentence or communicate an entire thought in basic English have become an endangered species. I mean, speaking of “minority,” where is the legislation to make this a protected class of citizens?

Hey, I’m just sayin’…

Ya feel me?

No, I’m not advocating some sort of political position here, I am simply making an observation. Even a casual review of corporate email correspondence is enough to make an English teacher beg for mercy. This very common problem creates two significant problems for companies and their employees. First, there is a natural tendency (particularly with older Americans) to equate literacy with competence. If someone doesn’t know how to write or speak well, that individual is likely to be perceived as incompetent at some level (usually in proportion to how egregious the mistakes are). You can throw rocks at me if you want to, but it is what it is. Look at the way former VP Dan Quayle was crucified for spelling potato with an extra “e” at the end of the word. Potatoe? Really?

Or maybe a few “Bush-isms” will help you understand the tendency of people to equate communication skills with competency [English gaffes originating with former president George W. Bush]:

“They misunderestimated me.” [No doubt.]

“Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?” [True statement. This question is rarely asked.]

The challenge of poorly written business correspondence is that the company is often perceived in a negative light as a result of those mistakes. For instance, if a salesperson sends a letter or email message to a potential client regarding a large, complex sale – and that correspondence is poorly written – the prospect may decide to look elsewhere based on perception alone.

The second problem is that the vast majority of issues within a company are created by ineffective communication, and poor writing skills only make this problem worse. Performance reviews. Email correspondence. Policy memos. You don’t have to look far to see the problem….as in, “What is THAT supposed to mean??”

So what does all of this have to do with the average job hunter? It means that you may potentially have a competitive advantage right at your fingertips – or, you might be starting off your job search with two strikes against you. How would someone rate your skills at creating effective business correspondence? Do you write acceptably well? Do you know how to write a memo? A letter? An email message?

There is plenty of help available online. If you need it, don’t delay.

It seems us Americans ain’t talkin’ too good, don’t write worth a lick and are worser with e-mails. Our grammar, punctuation and spelling are/is abysmal. And corporate America is saying, STOP.

When Texas communications company Valor discovered its workers, including managers, weren’t communicating, it enrolled them in remedial business writing class.

Jeff Herrington thinks computers are partly to blame for dumbing down English.

“People who are used to using BlackBerries [and] instant messaging are transferring that way of writing into all forms of writing,” he says.

A recent survey found Fortune 500 companies spending more than $3 billion a year retraining employees in basic English.

Even writers have trouble writing.

Sacramento Bee columnist Don Morrison sees the enemy every time he looks in the mirror. Morrison is a client of Roger Peterson, who was among the first to notice Americans butchering their language.

“How about this expression, ‘for all intents and purposes.’ What does that mean?” asks Peterson. “[Or] ‘at this point in time.’ What does that mean? How is it better than saying ‘now?’ ‘That was an awfully nice dinner you just served me.’ Well, was it a nice dinner or was it an awful dinner? Make up your mind. We simply, now, must salvage American English.”

“Unbelievable” is one of today’s “in” words. But is it overused or used incorrectly? Unbelievable means I didn’t believe a word I just said. Anxious — “the president is anxious to meet the prime minister” — means he doesn’t want to meet him at all. And irregardless — look it up in the dictionary. You won’t find it because it’s not a word. Unbelievable.

[From a column by Roger O'Neil. NBC News Correspondent.]

“What are your strengths?”

How many times have you heard that question in an interview? There are few things that are more predictable in an employment interview than questions about your strengths and weaknesses, so I’m sure you’ve spent considerable time examining your answer to these questions….right?

OK, I know you have, but you would be surprised at how many candidates “wing it” when it comes to answering these (and other) common questions. Think about this for just a minute: if you consistently answer the same questions the same way, and have not yet been hired, should you rethink your answers….? (I’m just sayin’.)

Savvy interviewers ask these questions for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, they want to see how you respond. Do you spit out a standard answer that shows little or no thought? Are you confident or shy? Do you stumble over your response? Are you contemplative? Are you genuine or putting on a show? Consider that how you answer is often just as important as what you say.

Second, a good interviewer doesn’t stop with the initial question, but continues to explore your answers with additional questions that probe a little deeper. This allows the interviewer to discover how genuine your answers are, and how you deal with the stress of being pushed a bit. If you chose to regurgitate one of the canned responses available in those interview self-help books, the follow-up questions could pose a bit of a problem.

The best way to deal with the standard “What are your strengths?” question is to find out the true answer. My suggestion is to get a DiSC® profile (available online for $25 to $30) and read carefully through the analysis of your behavioral style. This assessment will provide a number of clues to the work environment you prefer, and will highlight your potential strengths and weaknesses. This exercise will allow you to answer the question and provide objective confirmation.

A second online test that I highly recommend you complete is the Clifton StrengthsFinder®. You can buy the book and take the online assessment for about $14. This assessment will provide tremendous insight into your workplace strengths and give you additional ideas about what occupations or positions will best capitalize on those strengths. This information will not only provide excellent material for answering the “strengths” question, but it will also help you understand exactly what jobs fit you best.

Avoid the trap of preparing for interviews by studying the “pat” answers to interview questions. Instead, spend that time learning about yourself and improving the skills you need to get the job you’re looking for.