Interviews that Land the Offer Shira Harrington Founder & President Purposeful Hire, Inc

Purpose of an Interview More than just landing an offer…it’s about the MATCH! Focus on mutual benefit Don’t interview “for the practice”

Connecting with the Recruiter List contact information everywhere (cover letter, resume, signature block, LinkedIn) Respond with interest (or lack of interest) ASAP Reschedule with caution

Being Prepared: READ THE JOB POSTING Highlight key words Match requirements and duties to your resume Develop questions on every aspect of the job What requirements do you fulfill extremely well? Where are you deficient? Is there anything about the job that strikes you as odd or inconsistent?

Being Prepared: RESEARCH THE ORGANIZATION Mission and current corporate initiatives Position within organizational chart Reporting relationships Bios on website, Linked In, Google Read the strategic plan, if posted

Being Prepared: GOING DEEPER NONPROFIT -- Guidestar.com (review 990s) FOR PROFIT -- Hoover’s or other research tool Develop appropriate questions (Wait to ask financial questions until at least 2nd level interview) Use contacts on Linked In to inquire about organization and/or supervisor

The Phone Interview Use a landline (when possible) No noise in the background (dogs, kids) Have the website open Dress professionally Stand up SMILE!

When You Arrive 10 minutes early = ON TIME; On time = LATE The interview starts before you walk into building Be friendly to the receptionist Shut off cell phone Polite refuse beverages Fill out or submit application…with a smile

Your Personal Presence Dress code – Nothing to distract – Clothes that fit – Conservative suit is safest Refrain from perfume/cologne Show your enthusiasm, eye contact, open body posture SMILE!

Icebreakers Find something kind or amusing to comment Mention any personal connections Ask the recruiter about themselves Comment on the website / company reputation

Group Interviews Be as confident as you would be on the job Ask questions of each participant Make eye contact with each person when answering questions

Answering Basic Questions Personal (eg. Age, family status, etc.) Travel / Overtime Compensation “Tell me about yourself.” Weaknesses

Preparing to Answer: COMPETENCIES AND PASSIONS What do you most WANT to do? – In what areas am I both highly skilled AND highly motivated? Public Relations…Legislative Advocacy… Project Management… Operations… Fundraising…Strategic Visioning… Consensus Building…Policy Analysis… Board relations… Staff Development…Public Speaking…etc.

Preparing to Answer: CHOOSING THE RIGHT EXAMPLES Demonstrate skills for the position you are APPLYING FOR! Relate your answer to what you know about the position Use it as a jumping off point for discussion

Behavioral Interview Questions Explores your past behavior Allows the interviewer to probe into your answer Hard to fudge your response! Interviewer wants a story with detail (but not too much)

Sample Behavioral Questions “Describe a time or a situation when you…” …were faced with a stressful situation …used good judgment in solving a problem …showed initiative to increase revenues …motivated others (team or direct reports) …effectively handled a difficult customer …tried to accomplished something and failed

Preparing to Answer: CULTURAL COMPETENCIES How well do you “play in the sandbox?” Typical organizational competencies: – Critical Thinking – Independence vs. Team Orientation – Mentoring / Delegating – Crisis Management – Customer Service – Self-motivation – Willingness to Learn

Behavioral Interviews: Use S-A-R Situation – Action – Result Situation (S): Revenues were decreasing for my division last year. Several loyal clients did not renew their contracts. Action (A): While some thought this was owed to the economy, I believed this might be due to the clients’ lack of perceived value in our product offerings. I designed a new promotional packet to go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits of our products with those of our competitors. I also set-up a special training session for the account executives to discuss competitive selling strategies. Result (R): We ‘won back’ 15 former clients and were able to up-sell additional products beyond what they originally purchased. We increased our overall revenue by 20 percent over the same period the prior year.

Prepare a Homework Assignment Prepare a portfolio of documents (budgets, programs, brochures, writing samples or awards) Addendum to your resume (detailing specific skills and accomplishments related to the job) Prepare a deliverable (onboarding document) – A 30, 60 or 90-day action plan – A formal proposal outlining a project or program

Asking the EMPLOYER Questions Showcase your interest AND curiosity Ask about: – Long-term goals of company / department – Short-term objectives during 1 st year – Corporate / departmental culture – Challenges in role – Resources (financial, staff, technology) – Management style

Closing the Interview If you want the job, say so! Ask about next steps in the decision making process Can you meet with future co-workers Supplementary documentation (if appropriate: financials, pubs, reports) Thank You note (within 24 hours)

EXERCISE 1. Choose your greatest competency and create a S-A-R story to demonstrate it 2. Choose a related behavioral interview question “Describe a time when…” Get into groups of two: Each person alternates between interviewer/interviewee. Give honest feedback.

Questions? Shira Harrington Founder & President Purposeful Hire, Inc