Tag Archives: Interview

What is Your Favorite Interview Question & What Does it Reveal?

My favorite interview question is:

Tell me about your first job.
Often this reveals an entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic. Some candidates start working in their teens and have run their own businesses well into college. These are candidates that get excited about start-up opportunities.

 

You’ve accepted an offer……..now for the resignation

Although this is how we sometimes want to resign…
we shouldn’t be burning any bridges when we resign from our current roles to move on to others……Here is what I would suggest:
  1. Set up a meeting with your boss to resign.
  2. Tell him/her you have something to discuss and would appreciate being able to get all the way through it before he/she responds.
  3. Hand in a written resignation letter. Tell him/her that you are giving your notice (2 weeks is appropriate, if possible).
  4. Tell him/her that you have reached an irrevocable decision and that you would like his/her respect and support of that decision.
  5. Tell him/her that you have an incredible opportunity that will allow you to accomplish things in your career that you can not accomplish here.
  6. Tell him/her that you are not here to “hold him/her up for money” and that you are not interested in a counter offer.
  7. Ask him/her what (if anything) you should tell your co-workers.
  8. Thank him/her for the opportunity and the experience.
Good Luck on your resignation and your new career opportunity!!

You should probably wait until you get the offer before you say that…..

  1.  So what exactly is it you guys do? If you are walking into an interview and you don’t know what the company does……you don’t deserve the job. Do your research before walking into the interview.
  2. Will I have to travel and/or relocate? This is a legitimate question but wait for the interviewer to bring up the topic.  If you bring it up first it may make you sound like you are not flexible and being flexible is very important in today’s job search.
  3. Will I have to work over time? How about…”What does the typical day/week look like?”  
  4. What is your vacation policy? Really? You’re trying to get a job and the first thing on your mind is how much time you can take off? Benefits discussion starts once you get to the offer stage of the interview process…you must chill!
  5. So what does this position pay? NEVER ask this in a first interview. Wait for the interviewer to ask you about your salary requirements.  We all need to pay our bills but there is more to the job than money. If you are focused on what the position pays you may make the interviewer think that all you care about is money and will be considered at risk to leave for the next higher paying job.
  6. How long do you think this interview will take? I have to be somewhere else afterward.  Oh for  God’s sake, if I have to explain what’s wrong with this question you’re really in trouble!
  7. How long is it before I can apply for other positions internally? Again, you are making your interviewer question your intentions. Ask this after you have been hired.
  8. Do not end the interview with “No, I don’t have any questions. ” Do not show up to the interview without a list of questions to ask. Take the time and do research on the company. Don’t you want to know more about who you will be working for?

DO PURPLE SQUIRRELS & UNICORNS REALLY EXIST?

I just finished reviewing a position description for a position with a software development start-up here in Austin. The list of required skillsets for this position is 26 — and I can assure you that these are not easy-to-find requirements. The list is comprised of every hot technology buzz word under the sun. This position has been open for 4 months and now I know why….unrealistic expectations from the hiring manager. Is this position really hard to fill?

I dislike this “hard-to-fill” mindset. I know that some jobs, by their nature, are going to be a challenge, but the impossible ones just irritate me for a host of reasons.

  1. After a while, hard-to-fill jobs take on a life of their own. Very soon, no one is good enough for the job as the hiring manager breezes through resumes rejecting all. Sadly, it’s often a needle in the haystack dilemma that will come to no good for anyone involved.
  2. Hard-to-fill jobs, by their nature, often come from the most unreasonable of hiring managers. These are the managers who “know what they want and want what they want” with little regard to what is in their market.
  3. Endless time is taken as the “critical job” sits empty. Honestly, how critical can it be if no one is doing it for 4 months? Honestly, this is dismal for all concerned.

Is it really a “Hard to Fill” job: almost never. Hard-to-please hiring managers: often times, yes. Unrealistic expectations? Once again, yes. There are, in almost all cases, no hard-to-fill positions. Most positions that are open for months are that way for a reason.

  • Perhaps it is not the description of one job but actually two.
  • There is only budget for one job? Make the case to adjust the budget and split the job.
  • Cost is too high? Why are you looking at cost when you should be looking at value and ROI? Going one step further, what is the “cost” of not filling this position? Where are the pain points, and who is feeling them?

Lastly, the longer a job is open, the more scrutiny it should be under. “Hard-to-fill” jobs are a problem begging for a solution.

What “hard to fill” jobs do you have open?

Hiring Managers – Are Candidates Cocky or Confident?

How many of you are sick of interviewing really talented technical candidates that you can’t hire because they are so cocky that everyone on your team would quit if they had to work on a team with them?  Confidence is great in a candidate, being cocky is just annoying! What do you in this situation? Do you take a risk and hire the candidate because they have kick-ass tech chops or do you cut them loose?

WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?

This is one of those broad questions that can take you down the wrong road unless you have done some thinking about what to say ahead of time.

Answers that WON’T get you hired -

“Because I need a job.”

“I am a hard worker.” – LAME! Anyone can say they’re a hard worker. This does not set you apart from other candidates.

“I saw your ad and it looked like something I could do.” – Really?

Anyone can do this job, but not everyone can do it the way I can? –At this point…STOP TALKING! It’s time for you leave the interview.

You should hire me because of my commitment, I am very committed to my job – Better, but what can you do for me?

Hiring Managers want to know what you can do for them, that’s why they are asking…they really want to know.

This is a time to let the hiring manager know what you can do for them and why they should listen to what you have to offer. The more detail you give the stronger your answer will be. This is not a time to talk about what you want. It is a time to summarize your accomplishments and relate what makes you unique and therefore a viable fit for this position.

ANSWERS that will get the right attention in an interview—

“Because I have six years experience supporting customers in a very similar environment.”

“Because I have what it takes to fill the requirements of this job – solve customer problems using my excellent customer service skills.”

“Because I have the experience and expertise in the area of customer support that is required in this position.”

Think of yourself as a product and practice your sales pitch.