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We at ThompsonRose offer the
following interview guide and resumé tips to assist you in your
search for the ideal job and employer.
Resumé Tips
1. Prepare a chronological resumé.
2. Use bullet points whenever possible.
3. Describe what you did 90% of the time, not
10% of the time.
4. Describe significant accomplishments with each
position held.
5. Include your specific computer, software, and
conversion experience.
6. One page is good, but two pages are also fine.
Someone with over ten years of experience often should have a two-page
resumé.
7. Resumé paper should be of a high quality and
neutral color.
8. Leave out all personal information…i.e.,
marital status, children, your age, etc.
9. Exceptions include professional organizations
and career-related volunteer organizations.
10. Have many people proofread it to ensure correct
grammar and spelling.
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General Interviewing
Tips
You should realize that, despite the different
tactics used, all employers are searching for the same answers in
interviews. They seek to confirm that an applicant has the required
knowledge, skill, attitude, and personality to contribute and fit
into the company culture.
- Be prepared with answers to the traditional
interview questions.
- Aim for clarity and honesty.
- Concentrate on the employers needs, not
yours.
- Emphasize how you can help the company
achieve its goals.
- Describe your past responsibilities and
achievements.
- Explain how the skills you bring will
benefit the company.
- Don't downplay your accomplishments or
attribute them to luck.
- Be specific in your answers. Ask for
clarification if you aren't sure what information they are seeking.
- Take responsibility on communicating
your strengths. Don't rely on the interviewer to pull it out of
you.
- Once you have determined what you think
the employer will be looking for, write out examples of situations
that showed your skills in those areas.
- Before leaving the interview, express
your strong interest in the position and ask how he/she feels
about your qualifications for the position.
- Be sure to schedule the next step appointment
if appropriate before leaving.
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Behavioral
Interviewing
Behavioral interviewing is based on the theory
that past behavior is a strong prediction of future behavior. The
interviewer asks specific questions seeking information about candidate's
skills, character, and performance based on examples of past behavior.
By using these answers, the interviewer can rate the candidate based
on past actions, not "gut feelings" or "intuition". The key in behavioral
interviewing is to "paint a picture" of the reasons and thinking
about the decision or behavior without bringing in unessential details.
Examples of behavioral interviewing questions:
- Describe a time when you have improved
procedures in your company. Be specific.
- Tell me about a high stress situation
when you needed to keep a positive attitude…. What happened?
- Give me examples of how you turned an
unprofitable branch and/or area into a profitable one.
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Interview Do's
- Be friendly and respectful to everyone,
receptionists are often vocal about their opinions.
- Deliver a firm handshake.
- Make eye contact throughout the interview.
- Dress conservatively.
- Be specific in your answers… avoid
rambling or getting off on a tangent.
- Send thank you notes to everyone you've
interviewed with.
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Interview Don'ts
- Comment on sensitive subjects.
- Cross your arms in front of you.
- Use negative body language.
- Wear excessive or flashy jewelry.
- Chew gum
- Talk too much
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Asking The Questions
You Need Answered
You've spent some time up to now considering how
to respond to an interviewer's questions. That is certainly one
part of the process of selling your product - providing information
about yourself.
Now it's time to look at the other part of the
process - having the interviewer provide information to you so you
can better assess the future success of your product in that environment.
In other words, you have some questions of your own to ask.
Below are a number of questions for you to consider
asking at an interview in order to determine your continuing interest
in the company and the extent to which the position might fulfill
your needs.
For each interview you go on, you will want to
add questions to this list based on the particular job, the company
or the interviewer. Your in-depth research will also guide you in
developing new questions.
- Why is this position available?
- Why did the person who held this position
most recently leave?
- What do you think are the most important
overall goals for this position?
- What are the priority objectives in this
position for the next six months?
- How will success be measured?
- What kind of support does this position
(or department) receive from top management?
- How would you describe the level of freedom
this position has in order to determine work objectives, setting
deadlines and measuring success?
- What are some of the challenges this
position will face in the future?
- What are some of the challenges this
company will face in the next year or two?
- What important changes do you predict
for the company in the near future?
- How would you describe the climate of
this company today?
- What growth opportunities will there
be for me here?
- As a manager (supervisor), what characteristics
are most important in your successful employees?
- How would you describe yourself as a
manager?
- What do you find to be special and unique
about your company?
- How do you feel about my skills and experience
in relation to your job requirement?
- What is the next step in the interview
process? Can we set up the next appointment today?
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Responding To Some Of The Most
Frequently Asked Questions
It is worth your time to review these questions
now and consider how you would respond.
- What are your long-range and short-range
career goals?
- How do you plan to achieve your career
goals?
- What would you like to accomplish in
your career?
- What do you enjoy most about your career?
- What do you like least about your career?
- What do you expect to be earning in five
years?
- What do you consider to be your greatest
strengths?
- What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
- How would a friend who knows you well,
describe you?
- How would your last manager describe
you as an employee?
- How would your co-workers describe you?
- How would your subordinates describe
you?
- What motivates you to put forth your
greatest effort?
- Why do you think you would be an asset
to our company?
- Why do you want to work for this company?
- In what ways do you think you can make
a contribution to our company?
- Why are you seeking a change from your
current position?
- How do you measure success for yourself?
- How well do you work under pressure?
- How do you manage your stress?
- What do you consider to be your greatest
achievements?
- What would the ideal job be for you?
- What three things are most important
to you in your job?
- What major work problems have you encountered
and how did you deal with it?
- What criteria are you using to evaluate
the company for which you hope to work?
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Research The
Company
- Size of the company, both number of employees
and revenue/sales volume.
- Public or privately held.
- History, including how long they have
been in business, sister and/or parent company names.
- Major competitors.
- Staffing industry trends in general,
and in their particular niche.
- Job descriptions; understand the skills
and experience required for the position.
- Understand the organizational chart of
the company.
- Understand the current status of branch
and/or area.
- Personal history of interviewers.
- Have 10 well thought out questions that
would help further your understanding of the company. Sources
for company information include:
- Company's Web Site
- Company's Brochure/Literature and Annual
Report
- Business Library
- Periodical Files
- Dunn and Bradstreet Report
- Specific Industry Association web sites
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