Your Interview Secret Weapon
Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past? "Where did you work before that? Where did you grow up? Where did you move to after that? How many brothers do you have?" You get the idea. Your brain is in escape mode and your mouth is simply buying time until you can leave. Many people find themselves in the same situation at interviews and spend all their time talking about the past, trying to defend their resume. This a really bad sign and if you find it happening to you then you're probably not going to get the job. But there is a devastatingly simple way you can turn the interview around. What if you asked this question instead: "You want to hire someone to make something *happen* - so what is it you want to have happen from this job?" Asking an employer what outcome or what they want to happen from this job completely turns the interview around and an interviewer or employer will start to tell you what they want... Now you can give them examples from your PAST (your resume) that demonstrate you can deliver the outcomes the employer is looking for. Now instead of talking about your past, you can now talk about your potential. Now instead of giving the usual staid examples of how you handled a bad situation with a customer, you can talk about the job itself, and the challenges these guys are trying to overcome. You can then take them by the hand and reassure them that not only is your past not your potential but you'll show them how your talents, skills and experience can deliver all they're looking for and MORE. Not bad, eh? There's one caveat on this approach though. When you ask the "what do you want to have happen" question of the interviewer, they may not know the answer! This can be especially true of HR people who spend their days thinking up hard interview questions and have NO idea that the people they hire are the fuel for their company's growth and innovation. If you were to ask the manager of a hotel restaurant what they want to happen when they hire a waiter you'll get a totally different response than if you ask the same question to the HR manager of the hotel. Nonetheless, asking "What do you want to have happen if you hire me for this job?" gives you a fantastic opportunity to talk about the job and the challenges they're facing. Hopefully the person you will be working for will be in the interview as well, but if it's just the HR people then ask the question and explore their answers. More than likely there will be a second interview in which case you'll most probably be interviewed by your potential manager. Make sure you ask them what THEY want to have happen and explore the answer with them. So, before you head off to your next interview, make sure you print a piece of paper with the question "What do you want to make happen" printed on it and space to make notes underneath. (Yes! You are allowed to take notes in with you and to ask questions! Hard to believe I know!) This simple thing will turn you into a candidate that stands apart and commands respect. Hi - I'm a marketing junkie who gets off on helping job seekers find their talent at my site http://www.job-secrets-revealed.com. I'm also a paraglider pilot to which people suggest I have a death wish but to me it's more of a life wish.
Related News
Irene Krechowiecka answers your employment questions - guardian.co.uk
Bye-bye to career employment for Baby Boomer men - Examiner.com
Economic Downturn Has Many Reconsidering Retirement Plans - RedOrbit
Launch of Choice – MTA Tourism Career Awareness Programme - Malta Independent Online
Career questions? FFSC can assist you with your goals - Navy Compass
Overt sex bias is losing ground - Buffalo News
Overt sex bias is losing groundBuffalo News, United States -6 hours agoChild care remains a big issue for women, with surveys showing women still feel that they are the primary caregivers and that this can hurt their careers. ... |
Manufacturers face lack of new workers - Green Bay Press Gazette
Manufacturers face lack of new workersGreen Bay Press Gazette, WI -7 hours agoWe manufacturers have to get people, and especially young people, to realize that careers in manufacturing are good for their future and that many of the ... |
Additional resources - Kansas.com
Additional resourcesKansas.com, KS -4 hours ago...Careers for Teens (http://www.quintcareers.com/teen-jobs.html): This site has job and career advice for teens, including part-time and summer employment. |
The big letdown - The Gazette (Montreal)
The big letdownThe Gazette (Montreal), Canada -Oct 4, 2008About a year ago, the career coaches at Youth Employment Services Montreal began noticing an increase in the number of depressed and anxious job seekers ... |
Workers bust employment stereotypes - NEWS.com.au
Workers bust employment stereotypesNEWS.com.au, Australia -17 hours agoWhile garbage truck drivers continue to earn more than childcare workers there's no financial incentive for men to switch to careers into female dominated ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stay At Home Moms No Longer Struggling To Make Ends Meet
It is hard to be a stay at home mom. You deal with a lot of pressures that most people would not understand. Aside from the cooking, cleaning and kids, you also have the feeling of inadequacy, if you are anything like me. I Love being able to stay at home with the children and I no longer mind the household chores, but I still feel like I am not holding my own. Im sure it's the independent me that strives to do it all. I want to do all that and still make my own money.
How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Business
If you are thinking about starting your own house cleaning business, begin by evaluating your present circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but how you reply will affect what you do.
Traveling for An Interview? 10 Tips to Get You From Here to There
You've just been granted an on-site interview in another town. Hurray!
Whats Stopping You from Getting Your Next, Good Job?
This question comes up often when I'm working with someone to help them move forward in finding their next job.
Out Recruit The Competition
We hear from our clients that they "hope the candidate takes the job." Hiring a candidate shouldn't be a guessing game. After you interview a candidate thoroughly, and spend a great deal of time and money getting them through the process, you should not have to worry about "landing them."
Career Planning for Gifted Adults
"James is so restless and energetic. I wonder if he's hyperactive."
Rethink Your Career Transition
Are you going nowhere in your career? If you've decided it's time to change your career completely, here's a new way of changing!
Job or Career
At this present time I have a job. It pays some of my bills, and again I have a job. I don't think of my job as a career because I don't have a passion for it. I dread going to work at times, so I know this isn't a career for me. I'm working at a clinic at the present time, and it's a stressful job, and not really my cup of tea.
Sample Resume Objectives: Read, Dont Copy
The resume objective statement is typically something that trips people up.
How People Really Explore New Careers: What Does A Real Career Search Look Like?
The traditional model of career choice suggests a linear pattern. Get to know yourself. Learn your kills and talents. Explore careers that seem to best utilize your talents and skills. Today, both research and experience suggest that real career change doesn't happen this way.
Resume Writing Tips
Make sure that your resume is up to date with your latest
job experience and educational accomplishments.
Have a friend or relative evaluate your resume to see if it
is clear, consistent, and fairly represents your skills and
experience.
When and How to Say I Just Cant Do It!
We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't do something or are feeling overwhelmed in our job. Bosses don't want to hear that, right? Well, it depends.
In many situations, your boss is so busy that he/she doesn't keep track of how much work you're doing. When your boss gives you a new project, he's not thinking about all the other projects you're already working on.
And here's the kicker -- unless you speak up and tell your boss that you can't handle the workload he's giving you, he'll assume everything is fine.
This can have bad consequences for you AND your boss. You know what will happen. Eventually things will start falling through the cracks or you'll rush through tasks and start making mistakes.
You can only do so much in a day, and deadlines will be missed. While you're stressing out, work that your boss needs you to do is NOT being done.
When this happens, your boss will not appreciate your excuse: "But I had too much to do, I was overloaded with work!" Saying that AFTER the fact will be much worse than telling your boss up front -- before mistakes occur or deadlines are missed -- that you're having trouble with your workload.
It is your responsibility to tell your boss when you are overwhelmed, and there's nothing wrong with doing this.
Of course, you don't want to tell your boss, "I can't do that; I'm too busy." But you can say, "I'll be happy to take that on, but I need your help with prioritizing the other projects you've already given me. Which jobs can I put on hold or delegate to someone else while I work on this new one?"
That's way better than keeping your mouth shut, trying to do too much, and failing miserably.
In a Rut? Ready for a Career Change?
Are you unhappy at work? Tired and lacking energy and drive? Don't worry, you are not alone! Studies in the US show that up to 70 percent of the workforce is unhappy with their job at any given time.
We all feel dissatisfied and frustrated with our jobs at times. So, how do you know when the feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration means it is time for a career change?
There are a few key signs which point towards a need for change:
Surviving in Corporate Amercia: Part 1 - Email
There is a saying that goes, "The best offense is a great defense". Nowhere is that applied better in the corporate world than in the intelligent use of email. In this age of technology, E-mail is a multi-purpose tool that can be adapted into each user's organizational patterns. Firstly, we will get the basic do's and don'ts out of the way.
Managing The Boss Is Essential To Career Success
Your boss is the gatekeeper of your career. Unless you are able to
manage a positive relationship with him at each step in your career you
will fall short of your potential.
Ten Great Careers For Single Parents
The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you're a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible. This article describes ten careers you can train for that will give you the money to support your child and the time to be there for them.
Seminars: Why Are They Popular, and What Advantages/Disadvantages Are There to Attending One?
Seminars dealing with "special topics" have actually been around for decades, and are an older form of marketing and information exchanges, that have seen quite a resurgence of interest in the past ten years.
Cover Letter Magic: 4 Ways To ASK For The Job Interview - And Get It!
Just how important it is to ASK for the job interview clearly and directly in your cover letter?
Job Dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction is a driving force behind individuals seeking employment elsewhere. When evaluating your employment it is important to distinguish between the work you do and your workplace.
How To Prepare For A Telephone Interview
It is important to prepare thoroughly for your telephone interview.
|
