|
 |
 |
|
Interviewing: Your Minute In The Spotlight
Originally By Amy Lindgren
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Researching the Company
To do well in the interview, you must understand the company and its goals. Is this
a place that prides itself on customer service? Or is "never late with a project" their motto?
Perhaps it's a "mom and pop" store getting ready for expansion.
The more you know, the better you answers will be during the interview. See for yourself
in the following example.
Interviewer:
"I see from your resume that you've changed
jobs a lot. You must really like variety."
1st job applicant:
"Oh I really do. I get bored easily
and I like to keep learning. I'm looking forward to learning on this job too."
2nd Job applicant:
"Actually, it's not variety, so much
as challenge that I'm looking for. I really prefer to stay in one company and grow with them.
That's why I'm so interested in this job. Your new product line is going to create a lot of challenge
and keep me busy. I already have some ideas to share with you."
Which answer is better?
The first job applicant sounded pretty good, but not really special. That's because
she answered without having any research to guide her. She assumed from the question that the
interviewer admired her varied background.
The second job applicant did much better because she knew from her research that
this company values loyalty in its employees. In fact, she had read in a local newspaper article
that the president liked "growing his own" talented workers. That's why she played down her background
and stressed her desire to stay with one company. She made a strong finish by saying she already
had ideas for the position.
To conduct good research, you need time and curiosity. A public library and the Internet
are also helpful.
When you have learned everything you can, go ahead and call the company. Ask the
person who answers what the company does. Then ask for literature, such as brochures, catalogs or
annual reports. You can explain that you're preparing for a job interview if you like. Or you can
say that you are just interested in learning more about the company. If the receptionist doesn't have
time to answer your questions, ask to be transferred to someone in sales or public relations. These
departments are created to talk to the public, so they'll be able to spare a few minutes.
If the company is a store, you may want to stop by and research by being a "customer".
Identifying Your Weaknesses
When you know more about the company, you will also know more about the job you are
applying for and the skills you need to do the job.
For example, if this company prides itself on how many people they serve a day, you
know it will be very fast-paced. Are you a person who handles pressure well and works quickly?
If not, you've discovered a weakness, at least in relation to this job.
Once you know your weaknesses, you need to decide what you're going to do about them.
Then prepare yourself to discuss you weaknesses in the interview. What do you think of these two
answers?
Interviewer:
"You probably know that we have a very fast
paced workplace. It would be quite different from your last job - how would you handle that?"
1st Job Applicant:
"I think I'd do ok. I'm pretty good at
adjusting to new things. I'm eager to try, anyway."
2nd Job Applicant:
"I've given that some though. This
job really is different from my last job, so I decided to try something like it to see how I
would do. Last month I volunteered at the charity shop downtown, greeting customers, ringing up
orders and answering questions. We served about 200 people that day with just four staff workers.
I discovered that I'm pretty good at adjusting to new situations and thinking on my feet. I'm
really looking forward to using those skills here."
The second applicant handled that well, didn't he? The interviewer knows he did his
homework, and that he can probably handle the job. The first applicant was certainly willing to
try, but he just wasn't as prepared to defend his weaknesses.
Now, you try it. Write down your weaknesses, especially related to your job goal. When
you have finished, use a separate piece of paper to begin preparing your answers to the questions
that might come up about these weaknesses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
