Blog - IT Intellect, Inc.

An interview question to be ready for

August 4, 2014 by Christine

An interview question to be ready for

One of my favourite questions to ask a candidate is: Where does your main skill/expertise lie? You’d be amazed how many candidates waffle through the answer without actually saying anything. The perception is that they don’t have a focus. They are generalists. That may or may not be true, but that’s the impression the interviewer is left with.

Be prepared for the question. Remember I’m asking for information relevant to the job you are applying for. Please don’t tell me how good you are at kayaking or knitting. I need to know where your business expertise lies.

And expect me to dig deeper once you have explained why you are expert at a particular subject. I’m going to ask what you have done recently to support the answer.

This is just one more step in preparing yourself to interview for the job you really want. Watch this space for other tips and see my previous blogs.

Good questions to ask an interviewer

July 25, 2014 by Christine

Good questions to ask an interviewer

It’s always a good idea to ask questions during an interview. It shows interest in the position and gets the interviewer talking rather than just asking questions. I don’t mean questions about the company – that would only indicate that you hadn’t done any research on them beforehand. But it’s definitely OK to ask questions about subjects relevant to the position you are interviewing for. Leave the questions to the end in case the interview has already covered any of the subjects. Some good questions are:

1.) What exactly would my day to day responsibilities be?

I realize that you may have received a job description, but job descriptions can be out of date and they are static documents that may not reflect the dynamic nature of the role, or the balance of emphasis of each duty. The role is the fundamental reason that you are joining the business so it is fine to seek clarification to ensure it meets your expectations.

2.) Can you describe a typical week or month in the job?

While the job description can tell you what your duties may be, it does not really give you a live impression of the role. Asking this question will give you a more realistic impression of the role, so you can really understand how you feel about the position.

3.) What are the key challenges/objectives for the job holder over the next three months?

This is in part a trick question. You are trying to get the interviewer to reveal if there are any genuine crises lurking within the role, e.g. are you joining a sinking ship? At the same time, by using positive terminology like challenges (as opposed to issues), you are showing the interviewer that you are motivated, you are someone who likes to achieve and that you want to support the manager/business in achieving their objectives. Its a star question.

4.) When did you join the business?

This is another trick question. If the manager has joined recently e.g. within the past six months, then it is likely that the department may be a little unsettled and going through some change. Not a problem, but something to be aware of. As a positive, it’s a gentle relaxer question as most of us like to talk about ourselves. During this process they may open up more and you can learn useful things about the company.

5.) Is this a new role? If yes, ask them to explain why it was created? If no, ask them how the role became available?

You are trying to understand if there is anything bad, wrong or problematic with the role which caused the employee to resign or to be fired. If the employee was promoted or simply moved on to better things then all is good. However, if the employee was fired or resigned (in an aggravated way), it could indicate that there is something wrong with the role itself, which could mean you could end up in a similar position to the previous role incumbent.

6.) What are the training and development opportunities?

The employer’s website may make some reference to this, but many do not. Training and Development is crucial to you doing your job well and to helping you meet your career objectives, so its good to know your employer’s position on this. Also, this will show that you are ambitious and thinking ahead.

7.) Is there anything in my application that may prevent you from offering me the job? Would you like me to clarify anything?

In sales terms, you are effectively trying to close the deal. You are now showing the interviewer that you are positive about the role and that you are open to feedback about any deficiencies you may have. If you do get a useful answer from the interviewer, it gives you the chance to address these issues immediately, and if you are able to address those concerns, you move one step closer to getting the job.

8.) What is the next step in the process?

This is a simple but important question as by inquiring and showing curiosity about the future process, you let the employer know that you are genuinely interested in the role.

9.) May I have your business card?

Ask each interviewer for a business card and then you will be able to send them a thank you note.

Interview tips

July 24, 2014 by Christine

INTERVIEW TIPS

Over the years we’ve been able to establish the main causes for both unsuccessful and successful interviews – it might be worth your while to read the hints below and make sure you are prepared for your phone or face to face meeting.

PHONE INTERVIEW

BEFOREHAND

If you are going to be using a cell phone, make sure the battery is fully charged and you are in a good reception area. If using a land line make sure you will be alone during the call, with no children/animals/TV in the background to detract from the conversation.

ON THE CALL

Make sure you speak clearly and not too quickly. The single most common reason for rejection at this stage is when the interviewer cannot hear or understand what you are saying.

Remember the telephone magnifies sound so the interviewer will hear if you are performing other tasks while speaking to them – such as typing on your computer, etc.

Answer the questions directly and to the point. Don’t just give yes or no answers, but on the other hand don’t ramble or get side tracked. If you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to put it another way.

Be prepared. Know something about the company who is going to interview you – look at their website beforehand and have the job requirement in front of you while you speak. At this stage it’s appropriate to ask questions about the job content, etc.

FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW (in person)

BEFOREHAND

Before going to the interview, always go to the company’s website and read up about who they are, what they do, and what their most recent successes have been. Companies like to think that you are interested in them as an organization.

ON THE DAY

Be punctual and dress professionally. A suit is preferable. If not a suit, please wear a sport coat and slacks – or similar dress for female candidates. Set yourself apart from other candidates attending the interview day. Have a firm handshake and look the interviewer/s in the eye.

Probably the single biggest reason for rejections is poor communication. When asked a question try not to give a short yes or no answer. Expand on your experience and roles in prior engagements, and speak slowly and clearly. The interviewer is not a mind-reader and sometimes your resume doesn’t cover everything they want to know. Make sure that your depth of experience and knowledge comes out at the interview.

Passion for the position – this is very important. Show energy and enthusiasm (passion) for the position. Our clients do not want to hire candidates that aren’t enthusiastic about the position they are being interviewed for.

Make sure the client knows that you are looking for a career opportunity with their company. Although salary discussions are important, it’s even more important that the client believes you are more interested in your career path with them.

Please have multiple copies of your resume with you just in case it hasn’t been shared with those people doing the interview.

FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW (via video/Skype)

A new trend to cut down the costs of in-person interviews is to conduct a final interview by means of video/Skype. Although this may seem to be a less formal type of interview, in fact you should prepare in exactly the same way as if you were meeting the hiring manager in person.

Make sure you are logged into Skype in plenty of time

Dress and groom as though you were going to a meeting at the client site.

Remember to thoroughly research the company beforehand.

Ensure that your surroundings are clean and tidy.

Make certain that you will be alone in the room for the entire interview with nobody coming in to cause an interruption.

Remember that when you are on screen, so are your surroundings. You want everything to be professional.

Speak clearly and face the screen.