| Job interviews are notoriously stressful, and in each | | | | say is "Of your team, have you ever hired someone |
| one there are going to be a couple of difficult | | | | with no experience in this industry?" They are probably |
| questions for you to handle. The key to being | | | | going to say, "Oh, yeah.....I remember so-and-so, he |
| successful in your job interview is being prepared for | | | | was great." Then you can say, "I can be that person |
| the most difficult interview questions so that you can | | | | for you. I can transfer my particular skills to this industry |
| answer them smoothly and with confidence. | | | | and be a great worker for you." |
| "Tell me about yourself." | | | | In both cases, you're helping them to remember |
| Some candidates see this as an open invitation to talk | | | | instances where someone with no experience in this |
| about everything that's happened to them since birth. | | | | area was successful. |
| That's just not right. What the hiring manager wants to | | | | Writing Exercise: |
| know is "what have you done that will help me see | | | | Sit down and evaluate your top 25 achievements |
| you in this job." These are the things that will make a | | | | throughout your career. Granted, once you get past |
| difference in your candidacy. So, you might start with | | | | the first 4 or 5, they might not be that exciting, but |
| your education. Hit the high points: your promotions, key | | | | consider them anyway. Write them down on a list on |
| opinion leaders you were able to sway, the numbers | | | | one side of a piece of paper. On the other side, write |
| that you achieved, the awards you received, etc. But | | | | down what you had to do to make that happen. You |
| you must be succinct. It shouldn't drone on and on... the | | | | have to jog your memory about those things, because |
| entire message should be: "I can achieve, I can do, I've | | | | you will get asked about those in interviews: "What |
| done it before, I can do it for you." Make sure you are | | | | has been your greatest success?" or "What has been |
| using a targeted message that's going to get you what | | | | your greatest failure?" or "Tell me about when you |
| you want: this job. | | | | were able to organize people to achieve an |
| "You don't have the experience we're looking for....so | | | | objective?" |
| why should we hire you?" | | | | What will happen is that if you've done this exercise |
| This question gets asked often when candidates are | | | | correctly, you'll be able to remember what you've done |
| trying to transition into a new area. It might be good to | | | | and be able to give specific examples and steps for |
| remind your interviewer of something: "At some point | | | | that. |
| you weren't in this area, yet someone hired you and | | | | Why is that important? Well, lots of people can say, |
| you've obviously been very successful. Would you hire | | | | "I'm a great salesperson," but when they are asked for |
| you again?" With this question, you're putting them in | | | | specific examples to back that up, they can't articulate |
| your shoes. You've got them nodding their heads and it | | | | that well--either because they have no example, or |
| gives you a psychological edge. | | | | because they just haven't thought about it to that |
| You can also remind your interviewer of a time when | | | | extent. But the explanation is what's going to be |
| they might have hired someone else with no | | | | impressive to the hiring manager and get you the job. |
| experience in this particular industry. What you would | | | | |