Six tips for the first two minutes

Because nothing matters more than a first impression

  1. Everyone knows not to be late to an interview. But recruiters say arriving early is just as bad–in fact, showing up even 10 minutes ahead of time may irritate them. Why? You will interrupt whatever they’re doing (“Ms. Jenkins, your next appointment is here”), which can sow a seed of resentment. It also sends a message:

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Three rules for breaking the ice

The wrong small talk can hurt you

  1. Family photos can be great conversation starters–if you choose your comments wisely. (You: “Your mother has a great smile.” Him: “That’s my wife.”) “Making assumptions about the people in the pictures is dangerous,” says Debra Fine, founder of the Fine Art of SmallTalk, a Denver firm that teaches conversation skills to executives at companies like IBM and

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Five moves that show you’re a pro

This is no time for subtlety

  1. Have an agenda. “One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking the goal is simply to answer the questions that are asked,” says J. Daniel Plants, a VP of mergers and acquisitions at J.P. Morgan Chase. “Sure, you have to answer their questions, but the best candidates know how to steer the conversation where they want it

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Three signs you’re losing control …

… and three ways to get it back

  1. If a recruiter asks more than once whether you have any questions, chances are she’s already formed an opinion about you and is trying to wrap it up. “Ask for a glass of water,” says Jackie Johnson, manager of MBA recruiting for the investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Dramatic? Perhaps. “But it’ll help you collect

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Deal breakers

Seven things recruiters hate and why they hate them

  1. Taking notes during an interview is fine, but keep your pen holstered unless absolutely necessary. Excessive scribbling indicates an inability to think on your feet. “When I hire somebody, I’m looking for them to be able to represent me at meetings,” says Wasserman, “not take dictation.”
  2. Shoes that aren’t shined. Details matter.
  3. Interviewer: We’re opening a new

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Tactics for the last 30 seconds

How to leave them begging for more

  1. When the interviewer utters these five words, “Do you have any questions?” (and he will), don’t make one up on the spot just to ask something. Prepare two good questions about the position or the firm–the answers to which cannot be found on the Web site. A great final question leaves a great final impression.
  2. If you don’t,

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SOAR Model – Demonstrating Competency

  • Situation: The situation (briefly) provides the context for the specific accomplishment you want to talk about. This allows the other party to find out the basic facts about the situation you dealt with and establish an overall context for what you are talking about. A mistake people often make is that they forget they need only set the scene and not

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Handling Problem Interviewer Types

Here are three different problem interviewer types you may encounter and how to handle them.

  1. The Harried Interviewer
    Problem: This kind of hiring manager is late, completely unprepared, forgets your resume and maybe even spaces out that today is the interview.

    Solution: “Give the person time to

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Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths

  • “Do you find it difficult to work with some people?”
    Indicate that you get along well with people and work hard to understand other points of view. You can name one or two traits that disturb you, but make sure they’re not overly broad, and give preference to those that a manager would also find hard to

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Six Rules to Follow When Asking for Feedback

  1. Be sure to relay your disappointment in not getting the offer and say that you would be interested in interviewing if anything opens up. Emphasize that this company is still your top choice.
  2. Politely ask if there is any feedback that would help you improve your chances in your next interview. Was there anything in particular that could

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How to Explain Job Hopping

  • I followed the best and the brightest.  Companies want people who bring varied experience to the table. For that reason alone, job hopping makes you more marketable.
  • I followed the money.  No one will argue with a move that gave you a salary boost – – as long as money isn’t the only reason why you left.

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Asking About Company Culture

Digging up facts about company culture doesn’t have to be an altogether clandestine effort. You can simply ask questions about organizational culture. Here are a few to consider:

  • What three words or phrases would you use to describe the company or department culture?
  • How does the company (team) handle conflict or differing opinions?
  • How does

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7-Step Problem-Solving Framework

You can demonstrate the strength of your problem-solving ability by walking an interviewer through the following seven-step framework while describing how you solved a real-life problem in a previous job. When discussing that scenario, you should demonstrate the ability to: 

  1. Define the problem: Have the candidate identify what went wrong by including both a cause and an effect in the definition of

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5 Areas You Should be Sure to Address in an Interview

Here are the five areas you should be sure to address in an interview:

  1. Job Description
    It is very important to ask for a written job description. The job description defines the parameters of the job. Without a written job description, there are no boundaries, and the job can be a set up for failure. If you

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A Few Reminders

  • Preparation.  Know the company, your resume, and what key themes you want to convey about yourself.
  • Practice.  Conduct mock interviews, meet with industry colleagues, videotape your rehearsal and get feedback.
  • Mind your interviewing etiquette.  Be on time, and bring a resume even if the recruiter is supposed to have one. Don’t bring in large drinks

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Hear it through the grapevine

Do rely on your cohorts for information. If possible, find out who else interviewed with the organization so that you can keep each other in the loop as to when you’ve heard back from the recruiter(s). In general, communication at a given school should take place around the same time. Some companies will invite candidates back in waves, or in sequence (a company has a … [ Read more ]

Don’t take lack of communication from the organization as a bad sign

Some firms will get back to candidates the same night or within a few days. Others will need a few weeks or will stretch things out for more than a month. This doesn’t mean the firm is disinterested, disorganized, or planning to reject you. Keep your spirits up and your ego in check.

There could be many reasons why the company is taking longer … [ Read more ]

The Evaluation Process

Long story short, the recruiters who have interviewed candidates will need to compare notes, combine their feedback, and discuss who they think should be invited back for further interviews. Typically, the head of recruiting, or someone in HR, or the school team captain will facilitate some sort of process—formal or informal—of collecting all of the feedback on the candidates and making decisions on who to … [ Read more ]

Make the most of where you are in the interview schedule.

Some people go into an interview feeling hamstrung by the order of their interview. Many people think it’s better to interview towards the end of a group of candidates. Certainly, there are pros and cons for whatever position you draw, but the important takeaway is that you don’t always control the time you interview. If you are one of the first, try to make a … [ Read more ]