Interviewing Archives - Page 5 of 6

Three rules for breaking the ice

The wrong small talk can hurt you

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

Author: David Blend | Source: How to Impress Recruiters: Anatomy of an Interview | Original Publication: MBA Jungle | Subjects: How to Impress Recruiters: Anatomy of an Interview, Interviewing

Five moves that show you’re a pro

This is no time for subtlety

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

… [ Read more ]

Three signs you’re losing control …

… and three ways to get it back

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

… [ Read more ]

Deal breakers

Seven things recruiters hate and why they hate them

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.”
Shoes that aren’t shined. Details matter.
Interviewer: We’re opening a new

… [ Read more ]

Tactics for the last 30 seconds

How to leave them begging for more

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.
If you don’t,

… [ Read more ]

How To Ace A Consulting Firm Interview

Because McKinsey, Andersen Consulting, Mercer, and the rest are only as good as the people they recruit, and because a job as a consultant demands that you be intellectually rigorous and nimble, all while keeping your poise in front of clients paying six-or seven figure sums for your wisdom. Here are four main types of interviews consultants use to test these skills, plus tips on … [ Read more ]

Author: Giles Goodhead | Source: from the book, The Consultants News Career Guide To The Top Consulting Firms | Original Publication: ConsultingCentral | Subject: Interviewing

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Abhay Padgaonkar | Source: Marketing When YOU Are the Product | Original Publication: MarketingProfs.com | Subject: Interviewing

Handling Problem Interviewer Types

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

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Lynda M. Bassett | Source: Can This Interview Be Saved? | Original Publication: Monster.com | Subject: Interviewing

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

… [ Read more ]

Source: Interviews: Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths | Original Publication: WetFeet | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

Six Rules to Follow When Asking for Feedback

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.
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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Carole Martin | Source: How to Ask for Feedback | Original Publication: Monster.com | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

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.

… [ Read more ]

Author: Cheryl Dahle | Source: The Buzz on Job Hopping | Original Publication: Fast Company | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Michael Neece | Source: Assess Company Culture to Find the Best Fit | Original Publication: Monster.com | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

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:

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Harry Joiner | Source: How To Hire A Problem Solver | Original Publication: Optimize | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

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:

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Pat Boer | Source: Watch for the Red Flags: How to Avoid Career Derailment | Original Publication: Monster.com | Subjects: General Tips, Guidelines, Etc., Interviewing

General Tips, Guidelines, Etc.

Subject: Interviewing

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

… [ Read more ]

Author: Sherrie Gong Taguchi | Source: Decoding the Interview and Evaluation Process | Original Publication: WetFeet | Subjects: Decoding the Interview and Evaluation Process, Interviewing

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 ]