Interviews- Let your story get you the job

The nuts and bolts

Most standard interviews generally begin in one of two scenario
Your potential supervisor will start things off by asking you que
tions, or your potential supervisor will describe the job and then a
you questions. Scenario two is the most advantageous because yo
are given information before any questions are asked. This will gi
you plenty of time to decide which success story you’ll use to illu
trate one of your skills, strengths, or accomplishments. As you w
remember from Chapter 4, each of your success stories should
built around one of the Ten Success Factors that most employe
look for in job candidates:
• Accomplishments/Getting Results
• Taking Initiative
112 great interview
• Communication Skills
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork and Team Leadership
• Project Management
• Decision Making
• Strategic Thinking
• Innovative Thinking
• Handling Pressure

Telling success stories well is the most effective way to illustrate
your accomplishments because it puts each one into a credible—and
memorable—context. Long before you go to your first interview you
will have written and rehearsed many success stories for each success
factor listed above and you will be ready to weave them skillfully into
your answers.

MOST INTERVIEWS HAVE FIVE STAGES:
1. Introductions. No matter who you are meeting, whether
it’s someone from Human Resources or the person who
might eventually be your boss, remember to shake hands,
smile, and introduce yourself: “Hello, my name is Maria
Sangenaro and I’m very pleased to meet you.” Try to
remember each interviewer’s name by repeating it, writing
it down, or asking for a business card.
2. Small talk. Casual conversation at the beginning of an
interview puts everyone at ease and makes the transition
to the next stage of the interview seem more natural and
pleasant. A quick comment on the beautiful weather, the
ease of your commute to the interview, or a positive
observation about the office building are possible ice-
breakers.
3. Exchanging Information. After you’ve introduced yourself
and exchanged pleasantries, you will be expected to
answer questions about your background and experience.
This is when you will tell success stories in order to con-
vey a strong sense of who you are and what you are capa-
ble of accomplishing. Don’t forget to ask questions about
the company and position.
4. Summarizing. There is a natural point in every interview
where there are no more questions to ask. Summarize what
you’ve heard about the responsibilities of the position.
Clarify any information that was unclear.
5. Closing the Interview. Leave on a positive note: Make a final statement about your interest in the job and the
company. Find out what happens next. How will you know
if a decision has been made? Before leaving make sure
your interviewer has a copy of your resume and references,
and ask for her card. Thank her for her time, smile, and
shake her hand.

Question: How would you describe yourself?
Answer: I’m a self-motivated person who is very goal-oriented. In
my junior year of college, I knew that I wanted an internship at a
consulting firm. One of my friends who was a senior told me that
a certain firm really valued her experience as president of the
campus geology club. Since I was a business and accounting
major, I ran for treasurer of my school department. I gained valuable experience in keeping financial records, and also got to
head our first fund-raiser. What a great experience and, as you
can see from my resume, I did get to work for that consulting
firm.
This success story doesn’t take more than a minute to tell, but
ok at how much it says about your financial savvy, innovative
inking, and ability to:
• Lead others
• Make decisions
• Set and meet important goals
• Self-motivate
• Solve problems
• Communicate well

Question: How do you handle pressure?
Answer: My internship at TLS Advertising involved a lot of pres-
sure. I was working for an account executive who was responsi-
ble for the firm’s cosmetics clients. We had strict deadlines and
were often juggling more than one project at a time. One of my
jobs was to help my boss prepare for client pitches and sales calls.
In the process of creating all the overheads and ancillary materi-
als she needed, I worked with the art department. I had to figure
out how to make our project their top priority when they had so
many competing demands. The art department depended on
timely, clear communication, and I did my best to accommodate
them. I set up time and action calendars and would talk to them
hourly when necessary. In fact, I kept in such close contact with
that department, that they came to rely on my trafficking skills,
which they asked me to demonstrate to the other departments so
that their workflow could be managed more efficiently.
The narrator of this success story managed to weave in at least
four success factors—each one a highly desirable, marketable skill
such as:
• Handling Pressure
• Taking Initiative
• Team Work
• Problem Solving

Question: Would you say you’re a team player?
Answer: I’ve been very involved in sports at college. I played on the
baseball and basketball teams, and participated in a number of
intramural sports. Last year, our basketball team won the region-
al championships. We had to compete against eleven other teams.
The competition was grueling. We had excellent coaching, but
what really won the day for us was our ability to pull together as
a team. We discovered that we each had individual strengths and
could learn a lot from each other. For me, that meant learning to
pass more often, instead of always taking a shot.

Of course, this story does point out more than the speaker’s abili-
ty to work on a team. For example, it gives you a sense of her per-
sonal tenacity and her ability to handle pressure well and learn from
her mistakes. The possibilities for good storytelling are endless. The
trick is to know your experiences, skills, and personal qualities so
well that you can adapt them to almost any question or questioning
style.

GOOD STORYTELLERS VS. BAD STORYTELLERS
Emily and Shira are both interviewing at an insurance company. The
interviewer asks, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
Emily: I’m a great worker. I’m punctual, efficient, upbeat, and diligent.
These skills make me a perfect candidate for this job. I’ve never
missed a deadline. I never received a word of negative feedback at
my old job. My only real weakness is that I’m such a perfectionist.
Shira: My greatest strength is persistence. In my old job, I was on
the audit team of a major cosmetics company. The team leader
always gave me the fact-finding missions that had stumped
everyone else. However, I sometimes try to take on too many pro-
jects at once, and it’s difficult for me to admit that I can’t han-
dle my workload. I had to learn that there are times when the
best thing to do is delegate tasks to other people.

In this example, Emily is only giving flat assertion with no proof
of claim. Shira, on the other hand, describes her strengths. She read-
ily admits her faults, but also shows how she tries to overcome them.

Questions to ask about the company:
• Does the company promote a certain philosophy?
• What is the corporate vision or mission?
• Does the company promote people from within?
• What is it like to work in the company?
• What do employees like about working for the company?
What don’t they like?
• Who are the people who have been the most successful in
the company? What were—or are—their personality traits
and characteristics? What do they have in common?
• Does the company have plans for expansion?
• Where is the most growth in the company?
• What is the company’s position regarding the industry in
general?
• What is the firm’s competition?
• What are some of the most important projects the company
is involved in at the moment?
• Are there any new products or services?

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T ASK
Depending on the company, you will have a short meeting with a
human resources officer either before or after your interview. In any
case, she should be able to answer all your questions about:
• Salary
• Benefits
• Vacations
Although your interviewer may tell you about some of the company’s
benefits, she may not know or remember all the specifics about
taxes, health insurance, dental plans, profit sharing, retirement com-
pensation, unemployment compensation, sick days, family leave, or
vacations. If she is unable to give you information you need, ask for
another contact in the company. Wait to discuss salary with your
interviewer until she mentions it first. Human resources will give you
all the details if your interviewer does not.

i hope this helps as it has helped me