Greetings!
Welcome to your latest issue of the Interview Expert newsletter.
Every issue explores the key elements of a successful job interview and strategic job search techniques - so you can master your skills and land the job you really want!
In this issue we explore how keeping your focus on the hiring organization will keep your message clear and get you to the top of the hiring list.
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Make Your Message Resonate:
Keep Your Focus! |
When preparing for an interview, without fail, most interviewees forget to focus on the hiring organization's needs. Knowing the specific requirements of the organization is your key to making your way to the top of the hiring list. The way to do that is to turn everything about you into everything about them. If you've applied for a job, discovering the organization's needs is relatively easy. Start with the ad and/or job description and look at the laundry list of attributes, skills and experience. Then, create specific interview stories that prove your abilities in each of these areas. That's how you turn everything about you into everything about them. The real challenge, though, is to determine what's most important to the hiring organization. Let me give you an example. I'm working with a client to help him prepare for a series of upcoming interviews. Based on the job description, we identified the CARB interview stories we need to prepare. However, when I reviewed the company's recruiting video much more became clear. Yes, they were looking for people who can work independently. But, they also want to hire solid team players. Based on this information, we re-focused our efforts. We are preparing "team work" interview stories first. Before his next interview, it's critical that these are the CARB stories that become well developed, well rehearsed and well assimilated. Finding this company's overriding need for a team player was easy to spot. But, it also shows how important it is to review all employment-related company information - including the employment section of the company's website. It has a lot of clues! However, your research should go beyond an examination of recruitment material. Tapping into your network of contacts can also yield valuable information about an organization or an industry's current priorities, problems and requirements. Among your contacts, look for connections to people who are consultants and suppliers to the industry or organization. These people may give you a clearer understanding of an industry's and perhaps a company's focus. But, don't be disappointed if you come up short on specifics. Most people won't jeopardize their confidential client relationships to give you very detailed information. However, they may point you in the right direction or provide clues to help you figure out what's important to the hiring organization. A third way to determine an organization's priorities is to keep up with industry and professional journals as well as the general business press. And, talk to industry experts. They'll give you deep insight into the key current and future issues in the industry. Armed with that knowledge, you can present yourself as a professional who not only understands the challenges but also is familiar with leading edge solutions. Once you've done your research, go to the interview with a fixed focus on the hiring organization and its needs. Leave out everything - absolutely everything - that's unrelated. By keeping your message specifically targeted on the hiring organization and its needs, you'll jump to the top of their hiring list. Your message will be clear and it will resonate with them.
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