Great Answers, Great Questions for Your Job Interview

254 Pages·2014·6.04 MB·English

by  Jay A. Block

Copyright © 2014 by Jay A. Block and Michael Betrus. All rights reserved.
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ISBN: 978-0-07183775-0
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Contents
Introduction
Part 1. Before the Interview
1. Researching the Company
2. Identifying Company Culture
3. Social Media and the Job Search
4. Securing the Interview
5. Behind the Scenes: Into the Interviewer’s Mind
6. What Employers Are Looking For
7. The Organizational Message Chart
8. Interview Preparation—Role Plays and Video
9. Image Is Everything in Interviewing
Part 2. During the Interview
10. The Five Steps of an Interview
11. The Telephone Interview
12. The Videoconference Interview
13. Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions
14. Great Answers to Interview Questions for Students
15. Great Answers to Special Challenge Questions
16. Great Questions to Ask Screeners and Recruiters
17. Great Questions to Ask Hiring Managers
18. Legal Issues
19. Win with a Business Plan
Part 3. After the Interview
20. Salary Negotiation
21. Great Answers to Salary-Related Questions
22. The Hiring Proposal
23. Preparing References for the Interview
Acknowledgments
Index
Michael is dedicating this book to his son Michael, and Jay is dedicating this
book to his son Ryco. We would also like to dedicate this to all our readers!
There are so many terrific opportunities for everyone—here’s hoping this helps
you capture yours!
Introduction
by Michael Betrus
SEVERAL YEARS AGO I was interviewing for a position as a regional director with
a Fortune 50 telecommunications company. It was a big interview, representing
the biggest job I’d had up to that time. The position had greater responsibility
and higher compensation than any position I’d ever held. In short, this was a
cherry opportunity and a terrific promotion.
Two days before the interview, preparation for the meeting was getting me
very excited. I was traveling and was not able to prep as much as I normally
would. On a plane from Baltimore to Tampa, I thought of the hiring I had done
in the past. Then I put myself in the hiring vice president’s mindset and began
thinking about what would be important to her.
Put Yourself in the Hiring Manager’s Mindset
What skills or accomplishments would be most important to this vice president?
If I were in her shoes, what would be important to me in making a hiring
decision? What would she ask me?
List It Out
Here is what I did. I anticipated several questions I thought she would ask and
listed an answer to each one with a spin on what might be important to her. This
is what the finished product looked like.
Strengths
Good writing and communication skills (I know this is vague, but it is always
important, especially if you can back it, such as by being published or hosting
seminars or training sessions.) Ability to focus and see through the clutter
(along with a concise example to validate this).
Motivating a team to achieve success (again accompanied by a concise
example).
Effectively working across multiple disciplines in a large organization.
Sense of urgency with deadlines, with examples to back it up.
Weaknesses
Have a fairly direct personality (a good weakness because it may be
interpreted as a strength by some).
Have a difficult time working with those less passionate than I am (again, a
weakness that is forgivable).
Could sharpen Excel skills for better business analysis (something easily
done).
Most Important Attributes to Me in a Job
Being accountable and having the ability to affect the direction of the
organization.
Being able to win, to succeed.
Creating an environment where employees can grow and enjoy their work.
Developing a new business out of nothing, from staffing, training,
development, and execution of a new business plan.
Having passion and a sense of urgency to accomplish, a trait nearly
impossible to teach.
Personnel Problem Solved
Sharing office space with a sister business unit that was not “friendly.”
Morale issues arose, and I worked to bring harmony between the business
units by: Including both units in off-site team-building meetings.
Offering extra money for sales referrals and for assisting in special projects.
Skills to Develop
Acquire more technical knowledge.
How You Set Priorities
It begins and ends with the charter set by my management.
I use a priority model, such as rating problems and issues, as follows:
Urgent and important.
Important but not urgent.
Urgent but not important.
Not important and not urgent.
Challenging Work Situation
Purchasing local advertising for 30 percent less than corporate marketing
could by buying off a local rate card and consulting a local agency.
Navigating through the internal and political waters to accomplish this was
quite challenging.
When Did You Make a Quick Decision?
Hiring a sales manager during a first interview for a start-up operation.
When Did You Make the Wrong Decision?
Had a panel interview a potential sales candidate. I was leaning against hiring
the candidate, but the consensus was to hire him. We did, and he did not
work out. (The key here is to avoid citing a wrong decision that will scare the
hiring manager away.)
How Would You Develop a New Business Plan?
Begin with a sales objective—the written outcome of what you hope to
achieve.
Analyze the market, competition, customer segments, the niche we fill, the
distribution strategy, compensation, and supporting procedures. Break the
business down into as small competencies as possible and work on those
foundations.
Develop metrics from which to measure success and determine opportunities
for improvement.
How Do You Improve Low Morale?
Recognize that morale is often a reflection of leadership.