How To Improve your Resume, Job Search & Interviews or Get a Tech Job
This post is an answer to a question asked by Chris who is attending his tenth (10) job interview. You may click here to read the original question or add your own question or comment to the discussion.
The original post is a No Holds Barred Discussion on challenges, problems or issues facing my readers. If you have a Burning Question or Challenge you need help with, be sure to add your question to that page and i will answer it fully just as I am answering Tom's question below!
The definition of the word "slam dunk" below is from Wikipedia and the rest of the article is my anwer to Chris's challenge with Job Interviews!
A slam dunk (or simply a dunk) is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim.The term "slam dunk" was coined by Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn and is one of the highest percentage shots one can attempt in basketball.
50 Ways To Slam Dunk Any Job Interview
Dress appropriately for your job interviews
Never be late for your job interviews
Verify the interviewer's timezone ahead of your job interview
Verify the location of the interview ahead of time
Print a mapquest or step by step driving direction to the interview location
Before going for the interview, find out more about the culture of the company, what they like in employees or consultants or why they are hiring
Greet the receptionist and other people in the lounge or interview room courteously and with a smile
Research your potential employer using the internet before the interview
Research your potential employer by finding out about their products, services, industry and corporate history
Take samples or proof of your expertise to the interview
Demonstrate to the interviewer how portions or sections of the job posting relate to your resume and skills
Do not negotiate compensation before you get an offer
Do not talk down your current or previous positions
Be prepared to answer the "what are your strengths?" question
Be prepared to answer the "what is your weakness?" question
Be prepared to answer the "do you prefer working in teams or alone?" question
Give the appropriate level of technical detail for each interviewer. A senior business analyst or a tech lead will need detailed technical answers while managers or directors may need concise summaries.
Be prepared to answer the "what is your greatest accomplishment?" question
Be prepared to answer the "why are you looking for a position?" question
Be prepared to answer the "how do you handle stress?" question
Answer each interview question with specifics, examples and illustrations from your career
Answer each interview question quickly, completely and to the point
Answer each interview question and ask your interviewer if you provided enough information
Answer each interview question with confidence, command and authority
Answer each interview question by looking the interviewer in the eye
Answer each interview question by looking briefly at each interviewer in the room and returning back to the originator of the question
Answer each interview question with a smile and a relaxed, calm demeanor
Say you don't know on interview questions, that you don't have any idea about
If you interviewer corrects you on your answers, be courteous and thank the interviewer for taking the time to correct your response
Take the phone interview as seriously as a face to face interview because may even get hired on the phone without another face to face
Take you phone interviews in a quiet, distraction free room
Give an alternate phone number to the employer as a backup ahead of your phone interviews
Practice taking phone interviews while standing up or sitting down and then choose the style that works for you
Start your interview preparation a month or more before you take the interview
When preparing for a job interview, first prepare a list of frequently asked questions and answers
Prepare the questions to ask the interviewer about the job position before your interview date
When preparing for job interview, rehearse or practice answering the questions 10 or more times beforehand
When preparing for job interview, rehearse or practice before an audience that will give you immediate feedback
After taking a job interview, let the interviewer know that you really want and care about landing the job
After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer what are the issues that must be tackled immediately and effectively by you, if you are hired
After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer what personal attributes or traits are common among the sucessful employees or consultants
After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer who you will be reporting to if you are hired
After taking a job interview, thank the interviewer for their time and interest in hiring you before leaving the room
After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer for their contact information
After taking a job interview, send a thank you email to your job interviewers when you get home
After taking a job interview, decline to discuss your pay until you get a job offer
After taking a job interview, let the interviewer know that you are flexible when it comes to pay
After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer how long you it will take for them to get back to you
After taking a job interview, prepare a list of the challenging questions you had to answer
After taking a job interview, research, document and rehearse the answers to all the challenging questions you answered
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Thank you ... you made by day. I wrote this post from scratch entirely for you :-) and believe me your job situation will change for the better ... you just have to apply some strategy to use by using as much of the guildelines above as you can.
P.S. I am going to post one more strategy for you in a few minutes.
Have a great life.
Just a few things though:
34. Start your interview preparation a month or more before you take the interview
I usually have a week notice at most before an interview. And they don't tell the company most of the time.
12 Do not negotiate compensation before you get an offer
46. After taking a job interview, decline to discuss your pay until you get a job offer
This is one of the first questions you have to answer: what is your salary expectation.
You can't even get an interview before you answer this question. And no \"I'm flexible\" and \"it depends\". No, they want exact amounts.
I wish it was not. But I liked your advices, they are practical and good :)
Thank you for your feedback. Here are my comments ... and your feedback is always welcome :-)
#34: The principle is that you should always be ready for the job interviews at least ... 1 month before you have to take an interview. Even if you are given 1 week or 3 days notice, all you need to do is to refresh your mind about what you have already taken the time to know or understand.
#12: In my experience, negotiating your salary before the job interview is for \"price shopping\" positions. If a position is going to price shop, then folks hiring probably do not care that much about your individual performance ... they are just looking to fill the position with anybody.
However, if there is a clearly defined salary range for the position, then it is okay to let the hiring manager know that your salary expectation is withing that range and if you do apply for that position.
#46: If you are having to discuss so much about the pay and salary, before you get hired, then you may need to widen your job search and look for another position more intensively.
I believe that the employers that are worth working for ... will put more emphasis on your resume, skills and what you bring to the table. If the discussion is driven by how much you get paid, then you need to look harder :-)
It's not about that exact interview, it's a general \"be prepared\" attitude.
A question: Do you plan to run a similar post on the other side?
\"How to run an interview\" or such?
You are exactly right. It is a be prepared to ace your interview attitude.
If you are asking about: \"how to run, interview or hire\", I don't have one in the works now ...
but I will if more people demand for it ... 'cause I'm a public servant :-)
Another dodge I use is to say that while salary is important, its about the whole package (job role, culture, people you work with, responsibilities, vacation time, bonus, etc) and that I am open to working with them if we decide that I am the right person for the position and the position is right for me.
And at least in the IT field, i really dont think it is that they dont care about your performance... most people have budgets and ranges they have to be in, except for possibly higher level exec positions, so i dont suggest taking it that way. I suggest that you you need to consider if the full package, including what you will be doing and who you will be doing it with as part of whether you want the job (given what you need to make).
All that said, I typically try to find out what range they have to see if it is worth my time, if they broach the topic first, and then do my best to push negotiation till they offer.
Just my two cents