Interviewing

Looking Great at a Job Interview – Women

June 1, 2012 By Katherine Burik

I remember when I started working in the 1980s. Professional women wore a uniform: a skirt (knee level or longer), a suit jacket that matches the skirt, a blouse with a tie, panty hose, and dark heels. It was kind of boring and not very comfortable.

Times have changed. These days women wear all sorts of clothes. There is no real uniform. This can be good or bad.

What do you wear to an interview? The answer is: It depends!

Why is it so many of these blog articles focus on “it depends”? Probably because most things depend on the circumstances. Many rules are based on individual circumstances.

Women these days should dress according to their personal styles with the awareness that first impressions count.

Hiring managers make their first and often final decision about a candidate subconsciously in the first few seconds of meeting you. The way you dress is one of the first things a hiring manager will notice. Here are some general guidelines:

Wear business clothes every time you go to a business meeting, whether it is an interview or not. You never know where a single meeting will take you.
Show yourself at your best advantage every time you leave your house
Wear neat, clean, conservatively stylish, well-fitting clothes
SHINE YOUR SHOES
Carry a briefcase or portfolio with notes and an extra copy of your resume or two
Get a good haircut with grey covered up if it makes you feel more confident
Glasses clean and in good repair, preferably in a modern or classic style

There are certain exceptions for very creative jobs. Young people have a little more style latitude. In general though, you can’t go wrong with a conservative suit.

Here are some specific tips for women:

A skirt or pant suit with a jacket. You could wear a dress and sometimes a jacket is not necessary.
A nice blouse or sweater. Make sure it is not too low cut.
Simple jewelry like a necklace, earrings and not too many rings or jingly bracelets.
Nice conservative shoes is the norm, but you can use a little personal taste here. You can express yourself a with shoes as long as they are clean, a little distinctive, and go with your outfit.
Stockings are no longer necessary. Most women no longer wear panty hose. Use your judgment. In a more conservative office environment like a downtown law firm, I might recommend it. In a regular office environment it may be less necessary.
Manicured or neat fingernails. Don’t be excessive.
No cologne or perfume. This is important. You never know for sure if the people you will be meeting are allergic or hyper sensitive to smell so it is safest to avoid cologne.

Before you begin interviewing, double check to be sure your wardrobe does you justice. Get a second opinion if you are not sure. The important point is to dress in a way that reflects positively on what you bring to the table.

Remember, if you have had several interviews and never get an offer, you are probably doing something to undermine your story. The Interview Doctor can help!

See other articles about interviewing:

7 Ways people don’t ace the interview

What NOT to bring to an interview

What If You Are Asked About Your Hobbies in a Job Interview?

May 22, 2012 By Katherine Burik

I think it is a silly question. What does a hiring manager expect a candidate to say, “I hang out at the local pool hall”, “I sleep a lot”, “I rob banks”? I never understood why people waste their time with this question. But they do.

So how do you answer this question with a straight face? Here are some tips:

Stick with something related to the job. If I were asked this question, I might talk about an interesting leadership book I read recently.
Talk about your volunteer or charitable work. Maybe you walked or ran in a charitable fund raiser recently or are planning to in the future. Maybe you volunteer for a local organization like a job seekers group or bake cookies for church bake sales.
Take a look around the office you are sitting in and observe if there is something you talk about that would also interest the interviewer. If you see golf pictures hanging on the wall you could talk about your golf game. If there are pictures of little kids all over you could talk about how you spend lots of time with your grandchildren.
If you have an interesting hobby like golf or boating or hiking or skydiving, you have lots of natural material at hand. Pick out some aspect that is interesting and kind of generic to talk about. Something that might spark a conversation.

A couple of warnings and some advice:

Always tell the truth. Don’t make something up. It is not worth it.
Stay away from hobbies, true or not, that are not as socially acceptable until you know for sure that the interviewer won’t reach a negative conclusion about you.
Think of an answer that will spark a conversation. You want to build a relationship so the interviewer will think positively about you after you leave.

Whether it is a silly question or not, be prepared with an interesting answer that starts a conversation. Conversations lead to relationships which lead to job offers.
Enjoy this article? Check out other blogs you might find interesting:

“What not to bring to an interview”

“The Key Interview Questions”

“A Tough Interviewing Questions…”

If you are having trouble with interviews, call The Interview Doctor

at 800-914-7349 or Dan@InterviewDoc.com or Katherine@InterviewDoc.com

Five Best Questions You Should Ask in a Job Interview

May 8, 2012 By Katherine Burik

There are two ways to look at this. Sometimes the best interview questions are the ones you are prepared to answer. This gives you confidence. We spend a lot of time prepping clients to confidently answer the obvious questions.

The other side of the coin is the best questions YOU should be asking. The key to asking a good question is preparation and curiosity.
What do you want to know? Think it through in advance. Do your research. Look smart in the conversation. Here are some of the best questions to consider asking:

What are the company’s objectives and how well are they doing hitting them in the last two year? Ask this question of all the people you interview with at the company to see whether everyone in the company understands the company goals. Do they understand them in the same way? This is a reflection of company communication.If the past predicts the future, does the performance in the last two years indicate success in the future? If there have been issues in the past two years, a good follow up question would be to ask what the company is doing to change that trend.
What is it like to work here? A variation on this question is to ask how you would describe the culture here. Listen for consistency in the answers. Does it sound like the people are engaged with the mission and enjoy working there? Listen for descriptions that match your goals. You want to be happy with the people you work with and the company culture.
What are the three top goals for this job in the first 90 days? Listen for whether they have thought this through. If they can’t give a clear answer and seem unclear on the priorities, it is unlikely this will change when you start work. The answer to this question could give you insight into whether the expectations are reasonable. If the answers are inconsistent, ask for more clarification on the important issues.
What is the biggest obstacle the person in this job will face? The answer will give you clues about what it is like to work there. You are looking for some perspective about problems they might not ordinarily discuss.
Thinking of the person who held this position most recently, what made his/her performance outstanding? You want some idea of who you are following. If the person was fabulous, you can pick up tips to help your success, like how to get along, office politics, and office work ethic. If the person was awful, what can you do to avoid problems so you are successful?

Bottom line; do research in advance so you know about the company. Ask the same questions of everyone so you can validate your research. Be curious. It is your future. Be sure you are making the right choice.

Other Interview Doctor blogs you might be interested in:

“Questions to ask in an information interview”

“Six ways interviewers are terrible”

Don’t just live with bad interviews.

If you are having trouble with interviews or you have come in second more than once for a job, we can help.

Dan Toussant and Katherine Burik can put your job search back on track.
Call The Interview Doctor today! 800-914-7349
Dan@InterviewDoc.com Katherine@InterviewDoc.com

What NOT to Bring to an Interview!

April 24, 2012 By Katherine Burik

When you set up an interview, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to bring with you. By default, you should always take a clean copy of your resume and a list of at least three professional references. Depending on the job, you may need to bring other documentation but always ask the employer what they need before offering it. I’ve had candidates bring extra things to their interview that they thought would improve their chances of getting the job, but in fact they had the opposite effect. Here are a few examples:

College transcript from 1969 that reflected 1.8/4.0 GPA. Not only was the transcript from 1969 irrelevant in 2012 but it was also not strong enough academically to be shown to anyone, especially a potential employer.
Performance review from a previous position that was mediocre. I had a candidate bring a prior review that stated that the candidate’s technical skills were good but their interpersonal skills were very poor. Their manager went on to explain that the candidate was only interested in helping others if they got something in return. Most positions require interactions with others and a lot of positions require employees to work together on a team. The fact that the candidate showed me this review, suggested to me that they didn’t think these negative comments were significant issues. If they had realized how important these skills are, they wouldn’t have let a potential employer see this review.
Every reference letter that the candidate had ever been given dating back 25 years. Potential employers are interested in your most recent work experience and are therefore most interested in references from recent employers. References are very important and letters of recommendation can be very helpful in displaying your abilities to your interviewer. However, keep the recommendations limited to your last two or three positions depending on the relevance of the work you were doing to the work you are applying for.
Copy of a detailed business plan from a competing employer including client names and specific sales goals. It is sufficient to describe the work that you have done without showing specific examples of confidential information regarding a previous employer. Employers are very careful about protecting their privacy and they expect you to do the same even after your employment ends.

Remember, recruiters and hiring managers have a lot of paper on their desks as it is. Keep your documentation relevant to the job you are applying for by only bringing things that represent your most recent work experience. Good luck!

If you like this article, check out these other blogs:

“Luck or desire?”

“Stand tall to reduce stress”

The Interview Doctor can help! Call us at 800-914-7349 or Dan@InterviewDoc.com or Katherine@InterviewDoc.com

Top Seven Ways People Don’t “Ace” the Job Interview

April 13, 2012 By Katherine Burik

Not everyone who interviews for a job will be offered a position. Understanding the reasons for rejection will help improve your job interviewing skills and prepare you for the next job interview.

According to Katherine Burik, founder and owner of the Interview Doctor, employers value candidates with drive and commitment. Those who show they are determined and do not make mistakes in an interview often land jobs over more qualified applicants. These candidates impressed the employer with enthusiasm and flawless interviewing style.

The candidate must come across as upbeat, positive, energetic and friendly. Here are the top seven reasons candidates may be rejected by a potential employer.

Poor attitude or appearance. The first three to five minutes of the interview establishes the first impression. Many candidates come across as arrogant. While em ployers can afford to be self-centered, candidates cannot. Be friendly, open and interested. Make sure you are neatly and professionally dressed. In particular, wear nice, shined shoes and do not wear cologne.
Lack of career direction. Job hunters who are not clear about their career goals often cannot spot or commit to appropriate opportunities. Know what you want. No one will decide your career direction for you. Not knowing what you want wastes everyone’s time.
Lack of research. It is obvious when candidates have not learned about the job, company or industry prior to the interview. Research the company, visit their website and then talk with friends, peers and other professionals about the opportunity before the interview. The more you know, the more you separate yourself from other candidates.
Not readily knowing the answers to interviewers’ questions. Each interview is not a discrete event. If you have been interviewing you know that interviewers ask similar questions. Anticipate and rehearse answers to the most common interview questions. Think about your answers ahead of time and write down your responses. Practicing with a spouse or friend before the interview will help to frame intelligent responses, particularly to those tough questions about issues raised by your background, such as a recent termination or an employment gap.
Not having questions to ask. Asking questions shows that the interviewee is interested in the company and available job. Prepare a list of intelligent questions in advance. Incorporate what you learned from your research into your questions.
Not telling your own story. Employers hire people, not paper. Although a resume can list qualifications, it is the interview dialogue that will portray you as a committed, responsive team player. Conditioned not to brag, candidates are sometimes reluctant to describe their accomplishments. Explaining how you reached difficult or impressive goals helps employers understand your capabilities.
Not relating your skills to the employer’s needs. A list of sterling accomplishments means little if you cannot relate them to a potential employer’s requirements. Just saying, “… and I am certain I could do it for you,” can turn a past achievement into a future benefit.

To learn more tips on how to make the most out of an interview, contact The Interview Doctor at 330.453.1199.

The Interview Doctor is a team of 14 certified human resource professionals and coaches who are available to help both young and experienced professionals master the art of the interview. Using their 25+ years of experience gathered from having conducted hundreds of interviews for major companies and organizations, the Interview Doctors will work with job hunters to define their “Essential You”™, educate them on the interview process, work to hone their interviewing skills, as well as go through a practice interview to polish responses. After the interview, the Interview Doctors will also work with applicants to establish what went right or wrong, and to refine areas before the next interview.