Research

It is important to remember that the interview process begins long before your actual meeting wit the interviewer.  For every potential employer you are interviewing with, it is always extremely important that you gather as much data as possible prior to your interview. This information will be helpful to you in answering the question:

"Why do you want to work here?"

A mediocre answer would be: "...because your organization has a good reputation and you value your employees." An outstanding answer would be:

"...because in the last three years you have introduced four new product lines which exceeded sales expectations and because the organization has initiated strong steps to ensure total quality and service to the customer particularly in the area of order fulfillment which parallels my experience directly. I feel strongly about my ability to contribute significantly in the goals of the organization."

Additionally, your research may uncover areas of concern that you may need to address after you have received an offer. Your knowledge of the company will set you apart from other candidates and give you and edge.

Here are some ways to gather some information:

• Google (what do we not use Google for?)
• Hoovers
• LinkedIn and your Network
• Glassdoor
• Public companies - You should be able to find Annual Report, 10k, and Proxy Statements online
• You can also contact the company and request information on their products and services.  In some cases you can identify and contact their customers or vendors.

Body Language

As the major percentage of your credibility in communication (55%), your body language can convey a stronger message than your words. Proper body language is critical in business situations. Your entrance, handshake, and eye contact all make an impression.

A confident entrance is a good start to any business situation. When entering someone's office, check your posture, hold your head up, make eye contact and smile.

Always initiate the handshake, as it will make you appear more in control. Handshakes are often an indicator of a person's frame of mind, so practice your own handshake and be conscious of the return handshake you receive. Handshakes have traditionally been a western tradition but it is recognized throughout most of the world and a strong and firm handshake conveys confidence, control, and assertiveness. If this is not part of your culture or up-bringing, consider these facts and if you have a weak handshake, consider some hand strengthening exercises and practice! 

Maintain eye contact. It is important in our culture to look at the person to whom you are speaking approximately 80% of the time. Americans place a high value on eye contact and generally interpret it as a gesture of trust and confidence. During an interview, make eye contact when you are talking - particularly when making an important point as well as when you are listening. Nodding is another gesture of support and agreement. It is a good compliment to make eye contact.

Before your interview, practice your body language with someone you know and with whom you feel comfortable. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and determine what you can do to improve. You may need to brush up on these points for your job search, but they will be tools you need throughout your career.

Above all, remember that your positive attitude is key and that positive non-verbal behavior naturally results from that kind of attitude. Your verbal and non-verbal communication will be congruent and your message received as you intend it.

Negative Tell-Tale Body Language

Candidate's Body Language Typical Interpretation

Avoiding eye contact  Evasive, indifferent, insecure passive, nervous

Scratching your head Bewildered

Biting your lip Nervous, fearful, anxious

Tapping your feet Nervous

Folding arms Angry, disagreeing, defensive, disapproving

Raising eyebrows Disbelieving, surprised

Narrowing eyes Resentful, angry

Flaring nostrils Frustrated

Wringing hands Anxious, nervous

Shifting in seat Restless, bored, apprehensive

Presenting a Professional Image

In your job campaign you are marketing your skills, abilities, and interests. It is also crucial that you make your physical appearance an important part of your marketing strategy. Your appearance is the first thing a prospective employer will notice about you, regardless of your talents.

Research shows us that approximately 55% of what we believe about each other is based on our observation and interpretation of non-verbal signals. People who are well dressed and well groomed are often better liked than their counterparts who are not concerned about their appearance. They may also be considered more intelligent, successful, and competent, and earn more money. We have all been guilty of judging a book by its cover, but it is often that critical first impression that makes the difference. 

In a job interview, appearance is important. Human Resource directors and Hiring Managers admit that they use visual cues to narrow down their group of applicants. Job interviewing studies show that when the decision not to hire an applicant is made very early in the interview, it is made primarily on the basis of unsuitable appearance.

During your job campaign, you should look professional at all times. You never know whom you may meet and where. Looking professional does not mean you have to look like everyone else. It is critical, however, to dress for your audience. Every style sends a message, and that message should be addressing the industry you are targeting, as well as reflecting your personal taste. For example, there is a great difference between how an investment banker should dress for an interview and how a software engineer might.

Anyone can develop a professional image. Here are some ideas on interview dress for both men and women, based on research about what interviewers expect from candidates.

For Men

The basic rule is very simple: find out as much as you can about the style of the people or company who will be interviewing you, so that you can fit in with it or at least not clash with it. This makes sense in more ways than one, since it can give you a small clue as to how you might fit in if you do wind up working with them. If you are interviewing for a job in an industry you know, then you already have an extra advantage on your side. But if in doubt, or if venturing into unknown territory, consider the following well tried guidelines:

• For most industries, opt for conservatively tailored, well-made suit. Quality is the key - the suit should be made of wool or a good wool blend that fit you perfectly.
• Shirt color preferences are white and light blue. Pink or pin-striped shirts are generally not good selections for a first interview, although in more casual or fashion conscious industries, they would be acceptable choices. A man's tie is the most important part of his outfit. It is his only chance to add contrast and his own sense of style. A good silk tie can totally upgrade a man's suit, so it is well worth the investment. Ideally, your tie should contrast with your suit. Avoid wearing a solid tie with a solid color suit.
• Accessories are an important part of your total look. Shoes and belts should be good quality leather and should match in color. Black, cordovan, or brown are the best color choices.  Either laced shoes or slip-ons are appropriate.  Socks should be worn high enough so that your legs don't show when you sit or cross them. Interviewers react negatively to flashy buckles and ornaments on shoes, so these should be kept as simple as possible. Follow the same rule with belts. Briefcases and portfolios should be leather.
• Jewelry should be kept simple, and limited to either a wedding or signet ring. Although tie clips and cufflinks may be appropriate after you have the job, they are sometimes found to be inappropriate, as are pocket handkerchiefs. Watches should also be simple - just a dial face and leather band. Heavy watches with a lot of functions should be left at home.
• Your grooming must be impeccable. There is no question that the clean-shaven look is safest for a businessman. It makes most men look younger, cleaner, and more efficient. In addition, many people have negative reactions to mustaches and full beards. There are always exceptions, of course. A neat, well-trimmed mustache may make a man look more mature and in control. A full beard still falls into the high-risk area in corporate America. In more creative professions, such as college teaching, architecture, psychology, and advertising, beards are acceptable.
• Your hairstyle should be kept neat and up-to-date. A good stylist is key to giving you a cut that is easy to care for as well as flattering to your facial features.
• Finally, avoid after-shave and male colognes, sorry that bottle of Axe won't work either! Fragrance and whether to wear it at all is an intensely personal choice, and you should not risk imposing yours on a complete stranger you are trying to impress.

For Women

This is a multipart series on Interview Strategies.  Many of us, no matter how much practice we have, need a refresher on interviews.  Like many things in life, it's quite simple if you know what you're doing.  

My Objectives are to teach you the following-

• To identify the types and purposes of different kinds of interviews
• To anticipate questions asked in interviews and practice your responses
• To identify non-verbal behavior that helps or hinders effective communication 
• To identify questions you should ask in an interview 
• What to do after the interview 

Interviewing as a Sales Process

One of the best ways to think of an interview is to see it as an opportunity to "sell" the prospective employer on the benefits you can bring to the organization. Good selling is NOT forcing something on another.

Good, consultative selling is:

• the process of uncovering and clarifying needs,
• communicating and demonstrating how you can satisfy those needs, and 
• making it easy for the prospect to make a buying decision.

Consider interviewing in the same way. In order to do this, you must be able to see yourself as a product.

All products, including you as a candidate for a job, have features. They are the defining characteristics that make them what they are - engine size, table height, kind of weed, experience, education, horsepower, and other factors. While these features may be interesting, what is more important is that the salesperson knows what the customer needs to solve the problems at hand. Features can then be turned into benefits. The heart of any successful interview, therefore, is asking appropriate questions to discover what kind of problems the "buyer," who has the open position is having, and what the implications of those problems are. Then you begin to "sell" the benefits of your employment.  

In a job search, the "features" are your skills, knowledge and experience. They may qualify the product (you) but they won't make the sale (get the job offer). The "benefits" are your accomplishments, the results you have been able to produce (productivity, profitability), and the solutions you can provide. All are keyed to the interviewer's needs as you have been able to elicit them during the interview.

Take the time to write on a piece of paper:

• What are three of your "features"?
• What does each feature do for a prospective employer?

The Three Purposes of an Interview

Interviewers are looking to answer three questions during the interview process:

CAN you do the job?

WILL you do the job?

Do you FIT in?

In interviews where "CAN you do the job?" is important you will be asked questions about:

• Your skills
• Knowledge
• Experience and accomplishments
• Learning potential
• Handling the physical aspects of the job

In interviews where "WILL you do the job"? is important you will be asked questions about:

• Your interest in the position, company, industry
• Your work ethic
• Your energy level
• Outside influences that may affect your willingness or availability

In interviews where "Do you FIT in?" the interviewer will try to assess:

• Likeability
• Chemistry
• Communication
• Values
• Style of work and management
• General interests
• Dress and appearance

A strong sense of a solid "FIT" for you within an organization develops more readily when you concentrate your focus on the needs and challenges of the position and company. You orchestrate this focus by asking individual insightful questions, which speak to needs/challenges. Some examples of this type of question are as follows:

• What are the major challenges this position presents over the next six months?  The next five years?
• Six months from now, how will you know you have hired the right person?
• How do the goals of this position fit into the overall mission of the organization?
• What kinds of things are going very well in the department/function right now?
• What kinds of things need to be changed?
• What is the highest priority for the individual in this position?
• What are the major responsibilities of this position?
• Tell me about some of the people this position interacts with on a frequent basis?

Once you uncover the needs/challenges for the position, you can tailor your responses and comments during the interview to illustrate your ability to solve the company's specific problems and to achieve the results required for success in the position.

It is important to note that it is never a good idea to ask questions about compensation and benefits during the interview process.  You can respond if questioned on these issues; however, it is much more effective to ask questions regarding benefits, etc. after you have an offer.

The Sequence of Interviews

There are seven broad categories of interviews you may encounter during your interview process. Sometimes a person is hired after only one interview; others may return to a company multiple times, even for five or more interviews. Here is what you might expect:

1. Screening - Conducted by the phone or in person, with the company's HR department or the Hiring Manager. Some kinds of phone screening require you to respond to basic questions. Most will want to find out if you have the minimum qualifications for the job (CAN), and may touch on WILL and FIT issues.

Your objective: To survive it and continue with the interview process.

2. Qualifying - Primarily concentrates on WILL types of questions, although FIT and CAN are in second and third priority.

3. Technical - This usually occurs after basic Qualifying questions are satisfied. These questions are to determine your knowledge base and depth (CAN).

4. Approval - The focus is on WILL and FIT concerns. Once you get to this point in the interview process, you know that they're very interested in you.

5. Fit - They've now determined that you Qualify for the job on a Technical level and there's an overall consensus (Approval) that they are interested in you. They bring in peers or potential employees that will report to you. Questions center around FIT issues at this point.  

6. Psychological or Personality Evaluation Tests - I don't hear about this too much anymore, in fact, I believe it's being conducted after offer and acceptance and being used as a management tool or insight on how to best manage and motivate you.

7. Blessing - This is usually done by the CEO or President of the company. This is an opportunity for this person to meet you and give his or her approval.  

Types of Interview Formats

One interviewer and you. The most common format.

A series of interviews where you move from person to person. A number of interviewers offer a number of different impressions.

Most often when interviewed by peers.  Your job is to:

• When responding, look at the person who asked the question.
• If someone is hostile or rude to you, treat him or her with special respect. Ask questions to prompt him or her to interact with you.
• If with peers, be prepared to take control if no one else does. If the interviewer is with a panel of superiors, don't take control even if needed.

A rare situation designed to supposedly "see how you react under stress and think on your feet." Interviewers may act sarcastic, angry, confrontational and challenging.  Your job is to:

• Stay calm, breathe deeply and slowly, and maintain eye contact.
• Recognize the artificially created scenario for what it is, without taking it personally.
• Stay on the positive side of issues presented, without getting angry or hostile.

Questions are about real or hypothetical situations, and you are asked how you would react or deal with them.

Questions focus on specific examples of your past performance as indicators of your future performance. Interviewer may take many notes. The "Challenge-Action-Result" response format is perfect for these kinds of questions. This is one of the best interview strategies for getting quality information for a hiring decision. Much more on this technique below.

This is an interview where you only have your verbal and vocal communications to rely on.

• Relax, take a few deep breaths and proceed.
• If you are surprised by a call at an inopportune time or at a location with no privacy, try to reschedule the conversation at the interviewer's convenience.
• No eating, drinking, smoking, or gum chewing while talking. Make sure there is no background noise.
• Speak with appropriate enthusiasm and energy. Stand up straight or walk while you talk. Your voice will sound much more positive if you smile. You will feel better too.
• Let the interviewer guide the agenda.
• This is a great opportunity to take notes.

Interviewer maintains tight control of the interview and has specific questions to ask. This is done to maintain a high degree of consistency in the content and format of each interviewer when there may be many people conducting interviews with many candidates.

These may range from a "go with the flow" style of an inexperienced or unorganized interviewer. The interviewer will ask broad and general questions. This is not an effective method, but used more often than I will admit (:

Behavioral Interviews

This method is so widely used and effective that I created an expanded description to explain in greater depth.

Behavioral based interviewing is an assessment technique that focuses on what candidates have done in the past, not on what they say they might do in the future. Big difference. This allows hiring managers to assess applicants/candidates more fairly and objectively that other methods. The premise is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

Before a behavioral interview, hiring managers and human resources professionals identify specific competencies needed to succeed in the position. Those include technical skills and performance skills. From these competencies, the interviewers develop a list of questions, which are designed to elicit descriptions of skills candidates have used in the past. Each candidate is asked the same questions, in order to ensure uniformity. This process allows candidates to be judged on what they've done, not on their personalities.

To succeed in a behavioral interview, you must be able to relate stories that link your experiences and skills to the potential position and employer. Begin by learning as much as you can about the company. Pay close attention to the organization's core values, since some questions will likely relate to them. Next, focus on the job and ask key competencies the employer wants. Also, ask the hiring manger which abilities will be assessed in the interview. The next step is to tap your memory for detailed stories involving work and other critical experiences that you can use when answering questions about job competencies or the company's values.

The STAR approach is helpful in developing framework for this.  First, think about a Situation or Task that you faced. Next, describe the Action that you took. Conclude your story by describing the Result you achieved. If possible, make it quantifiable.

Behavior-Based Questions

Behavior based questions require specific examples concerning what YOU have done in the past.

• Describe a time when you...
• Give an example of a time in which you...
• Tell me about a time when you...
• Give me an example of a specific occasion...
• Describe a situation in which you...
• Describe the most significant...
• What did you do in your last job in order to be...
• Describe the most...

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've seen the emergence of Location Technology. It's all around us, from our cellular phones, portable GPS, car based GPS, Apps, Games, and so on. What you may not realize is, Location Technology has been around for a long time.  

Here's a fun look at the History of Location Technology

I love to read books but no matter how much I read, I'm always amazed at how much our ancestor's were able to accomplish.  

Smoke Signals

Back... back in time, everyone from the American Indians to the Ancient Chinese used Smoke Signals to locate home and communicate signals to remote groups or individuals.

Celestial Navigation

I'm not a mathematician but I'm confident that many reading this can run circles around me when it comes to math. For centuries our ancestors used the stars and mathematics to determine coordinates based on the position or location of the stars and sun. I know I would've been lost for sure! In the mid 18th Century, clockmaker John Harrison invented a chronometer which allowed sailors to determine longitude by accurately tracking the time change between home and their current location

Homing Pigeons 

Certain types of Rock Pigeons were bred to be able to find their homes from extremely long distances. These were used for courier services and navigation for thousands of years.

Magnetic Compass

By using a magnet to point to the earths poles, this invention allowed navigators to finally determine their heading, in addition to latitude and eventually longitude.

Radio Triangulation

By measuring the strengths of radio signals, ships, aircraft, and military ground troops began to be able to estimate their coordinates from very long distances.  

Satellite GPS

There's a group of around 30 satellites that orbits the earth and is used to triangulate the position of the receiver. Nearby satellites send timestamped messages, and the receiver calculates the distance of each satellite based on the speed of the incoming messages compared to the time they were sent. The size of these receivers have shrank considerably since the 1960's when this technology was first deployed.

Automotive GPS Navigation

While many GPS receivers were used for military purposes since the 1960's, the automotive GPS nave unit became the first dedicated GPS device to gain traction among consumers. Initially mapless and slow, these devices now include very detailed maps with turn-by-turn directions and connectivity to additional services like real time traffic.

GPS Enabled SmartPhones 

Every smartphone on the market, be it the Blackberry, Android, iPhone, Windows, etc. have changed the apps industry by allowing third party software applications to take advantage of user location.

Today we have the ever evolving world of Location Based Applications, Gaming, and Social Networks. These apps are everywhere and most developers now have some location functionality to their product. The past 2-3 years, consumers have shifted from candy bar, texting focused phones, to full featured smartphones. These phones have taken over and are in the hands of millions of consumers. We've only touched the tip of the iceberg. The next decade will be an exciting time in technology and mobile electronics.