ShareThisBy ARTHUR KIMBALL
Friday, October 27, 2006
A great resume won't get you a great job. A great resume will get you an interview. It takes a great interview to land that great job.
This is what Lisa Ferns, a career adviser at the University of Rhode Island Office of Career Services, tells the students she advises and why she tells them to make sure they are prepared for their interviews. Failure to understand the right way to approach a formal interview with a large corporate employer, she explained, can often keep an otherwise qualified candidate from getting the job he or she deserves.
"An interview is the chance to show you are the right personality fit for a job," Ferns said. "It gives you a chance to tell them how your skills and abilities match a job description."
Over the course of a year, Ferns advises hundreds of students not only on how to land interviews for highly selective positions, but also on how to put their best foot forward during the interview process. Here is what she tells them.
Interviews usually consist of an employer trying to answer three general questions about an applicant: Why is the candidate interested in the field? Why is he or she interested in the particular position and organization? What relevant skills and experience does the applicant have that would make that person successful if given the job?
As Ferns tells her advisees, it's an applicant's job to answer these questions during an interview, whether the interviewer asks them directly or uses a more indirect approach. Good answers to these questions, she said, can give an employer an understanding not only of why you want to work for him but also why he wants to hire you.
The best way to prepare to answer these questions is to do research about the company. "You should be able to tell an interviewer who the major stakeholders in a company are, know if they have any new, very large accounts or any other recent news developments that concern the company," Ferns said. "The more informed you are, the better able you should be to answer questions about the company."
Knowing what's going on in a company will better prepare you to tell an interviewer why you want to work there, how it will help you advance toward your career goals and how your skills can help the company meet its goals. The best way to learn more about a company is to read up on company news, browse the company Web site and talk to anyone you know involved in the industry.
"The two big dos are doing your company research and (knowing) how to articulate your skills and abilities," Ferns said. "Being able to do those two things will help set you apart and show the interviewer that you really want the job."
Having done the research should also help you articulate why your skills fit the job description. If you know how the company does business, you will be able to draw parallels between what you have done in the past and what the company currently does.
Ferns tells her advisees that just being well-informed and knowing how your experience fits is not enough. You have to be able to deliver that message clearly. One way to practice for an interview, Ferns said, is to talk in concise blocks about your experience, your skills and why you want to work for the company. By knowing the points you want to make beforehand and having a general framework for how to deliver those points, you are more likely to say the right thing when the time comes.
"If you tend to ramble," Ferns explained, "practice answering questions in six sentences or less."
The end of an interview is a great time to present an employer with a short summary of why you are the person for the job. Preparing two or three sentences concerning why you are a good fit is a great way to leave a lasting impression after your interview.
Other things to remember include dressing properly, arriving on time and making sure you send a thank-you note after the interview. While these points might seem minor, they often can make the difference between a successful candidate and a runner-up.
In almost every case, going for an interview means dressing conservatively. If you have to scout out the location to make sure you arrive on time, do it. It's better to get there early than on time, and much better on time than late.
Thank-you notes can be sent via e-mail or regular mail, just as long as you send them. A few sentences thanking your interviewer for taking the time to speak with you and reiterating your interest in the company will help the interviewer remember you.
One big don't, according to Ferns, is talking about compensation, hours or benefits until you are offered the job or unless the employer brings it up. While these topics are important, a formal interview is an opportunity to show the employer you are right for the job _ to sell yourself. If the employer picks you, he or she will then have an opportunity to sell the company.
Finally, remember there are some things that are off-limits for employers to ask you. Questions about your sexual orientation, your family, your religious or cultural beliefs are generally not appropriate. While small talk about your personal life might be a good way to break the ice, a formal interview should focus on a candidate's qualifications and goals.
