#interviewingskills Archives - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterviewing – Here’s Your #JobInterview Preparation Checklist.

June 7, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

So you applied for a job online, and just got a call from the recruiter asking if you can interview with the hiring manager. You are super excited until you hear that the interview is happening in 48 hours. 2 days. OMG!

Don’t panic; just prepare! Glassdoor has got you covered. Complete with timing and strategy, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of essential ways to gear up for your interview and knock it out of the park. Ready, set, prep!

As soon as you hang up with the recruiter:

1. Study for your interview like it’s a final exam.

Find as much information as you can on the company or organization, and commit as much of it to memory as possible.
If the job you’re interviewing for requires knowledge in a certain field, do all of the learning and brushing up you can on information that will be relevant to your interview.

2. Generate a list of potential interview questions (and their answers!) beforehand.

Base your list of questions on both what you expect them to ask and the real life experience of others
Reach out to people who worked in similar companies and positions as you are interviewing for and ask them about their interview experience
Use tools like Glassdoor’s interview question database to look up real interview questions and their answers.

36 hours before the interview:

3. Write out answers to every question you anticipate, and practice delivering them out loud.

Even if you don’t remember your responses word for word, you can fall back on certain key points and phrases.
Write your own list of questions for the interviewer, and be prepared to ask them when the time arises.
Make sure your questions are nuanced and well-researched. Never ask for any information that can be simply found online.

4. Compare your skills and experience to the job description.

For each component of the job description, brainstorm your relevant skills and experiences, and think critically about how you want to present them.
If there’s a preferred skill or experience you do not have, be able to demonstrate you’ll be competent without it.

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12-24 hours before the interview:

5. Be rested and healthy for the big day.

Before getting good night’s sleep, try to imagine yourself acing the interview.
Eat wholesome, healthy meals for the days preceding the interview.
If you are prone to anxiety, try breathing techniques or meditation the morning of the interview, and even directly before.

3-6 hours before the interview:

6. Dress for success

Keep your fashion choices subdued and classic – don’t wear clothes that will distract the interviewer.
If you’re unclear on what type of clothes to wear, don’t be afraid to reach out to your interviewer and ask.
Wear clothes you feel confident in. Don’t be afraid to invest in an “interview outfit” or two that you feel your best in.

7. Empower yourself

Practice a firm handshake, strong posture, and attentive body language in advance.
Think of a mantra you can call upon for self-confidence, like, “no matter what, I will do my best.”
Try to imagine yourself not getting the job. While it might be painful to think about, what can you see yourself having learned from the interview experience?

8. Don’t leave any unnecessary unknowns.

Plan what to bring (extra copies of your resume!) and even what transportation you are taking to the interview way in advance, so there’s no added uncertainty the day of.

During the interview:

9. Keep an interview journal

During or even after your interview is over, take a few minutes to jot down what parts you felt you aced, and where you could have shone brighter. These notes can serve as a valuable guide for your future interviews.

6-12 hours after the interview:

10. Follow up.

Extending the conversation shows that you’re passionate about the job. Don’t call every day asking if you got the job, but a simple thank you note can speak volumes about your commitment to the position.
And if you didn’t get the job? Let them know if you’re still interested, and ask what you can do to be a more attractive candidate in the future.

GlassDoor.com | November 5, 2018 | Posted by Lillian Childress

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 300K+ Reads! One Stop #JobSearch Read- How to Get a Job. Tons of Articles/Links!

May 29, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We’d like to deliver you some very good news: a job search doesn’t have to be tough, and neither does landing a new job—if you know exactly how to get a job, that is.

Some job seekers, for example, don’t realize that a handwritten thank you notesent post-interview can clinch the job deal, while others have never heard of applicant tracking systems—technology that reads resumes and chucks those that are missing job description keywords in the trash. But with this insider information, you can defy the odds and land your dream job—all while making it look oh-so-easy.

Here are 13 pieces of advice that will strengthen your job search and help you get a job that fits your life.

GUIDE OVERVIEW

How to Get a Job #1. Pay attention to your social media presence.

Recruiters and hiring managers will be looking at your resume, of course—but they also want to see complementary online content, too, such as your LinkedIn profile and online resume. In fact, one recruiter told Glassdoor she likes to see attachments, project work, videos, or blogs, too.

How to Get a Job #2. Highlight your transferable skills.

You want to show off why you’re right for a particular role. But you also want to make clear why you’re right for any role, we’ve heard recruiters say. So, when it comes to your resume and cover letter, focus on the skills and experience you have that would make you an ideal candidate anywhere. Then, in an interview, be ready to share how you’ll relay those skills in the new role.

How to Get a Job #3. Use your words.

And more specifically, use the right words. Applicant tracking systems scan resumes in search of keywords, and throw out any that don’t contain them before they have the chance to be seen by human eyes. So how can you game the tech? It’s easy. Read the job description for the job you’re applying—then see how those words stack up against similar job postings. Words that repeat across multiple listings belong on your resume—preferably at the top, as well as in context.

How to Get a Job #4. Tell a compelling story in your cover letter.

You don’t want to simply repeat what’s on your resume when you write your cover letter. Rather, you want to dig a little deeper, answering questions a potential employer might ask such as: what makes this company your go-to choice, and why is this company special to you? Answer the questions in as much detail as possible to stand out from the crowd.

How to Get a Job #5. Catch your resume mistakes.

It’s not enough to run a simple spell check on your resume. You’ll need to employ some special editing tactics—such as reading your resume backward and asking a friend to proofread for you—in order to catch every mistake on the page. There’s even editing software specifically for resumes. If you allow an error to sneak in, you are sending the employer an unintended and incorrect message that you are sloppy and don’t care about your work.

How to Get a Job #6. Prepare for an interview before you get it.

You won’t be caught off guard by an interview question if you’ve studied the common questions asked by recruiters and managers alike. Plus, knowing your responses in advance will keep you cool, calm, and collected during the interview—confidence any employer will be pleased to see.

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How to Get a Job #7. Dress for the job you want.

It’s not enough to slip out of sweatpants and put on something fancy. You have to dress for success and be comfortable in what you’re wearing. If you’re uncomfortable, you might lose some confidence in the interview. But if you look and feel good, you job savvy should easily shine through.

How to Get a Job #8. Show off your likable side.

An interview doesn’t have to be all business. In fact, applicants willing to show their personalities are received better by managers than people who remain tight-lipped during the interview. That’s because this manager could become your boss—and he or she wants to make sure you can get along well. Share your personality when answering questions and resist the urge to respond robotically.

How to Get a Job #9. Always send a thank-you note.

A recent study found that 86 percent of hiring managers said not sending a thank-you note shows lack of follow-through. So follow-up—and show off your manners—with a handwritten note on nice paper or even in an email. The point is to do it, and do it promptly; the medium doesn’t matter as much. In the note, thank your potential employer for his or her time, and be sure to share about something you learned during the interview. Why? Sharing the lesson shows you were paying attention to the employer, and you’re serious about the role.

How to Get a Job #10. Avoid getting too personal in interviews.

Turns out, some of the answers you think are appropriate to share—like your favorite childhood memory when asked question, “Tell me about yourself”—are actually a turnoff to recruiters, and in some cases, can cost you the job. So just like you’ll practice what to say in the interview, you should also research what not to say to a potential employer.

How to Get a Job #11. Don’t talk about money during an initial interview.

Bringing up any salary questions during an initial interview—especially a phone interview—is a big no-no, career experts say. Why? It’s simply not the appropriate time, because you haven’t made it far enough into the interview process. So save the money talk for a second or third interview, when it’s clear you’re taking steps toward landing the job.

How to Get a Job #12. Be proactive during the interview.

Rather than allow for the recruiter or hiring manager to ask you all of the questions, be confident and proactive during your time together. You’ve researched the company’s culture and mission on Glassdoor, and you’re looking for a job that fits your life. Therefore it’s important to dig deeper. If you ask questions about management style, professional development, performances measurements and team collaboration, you’ll show a potential employer you’re both an informed candidate and serious about the job.

How to Get a Job #13. Use social media to brand yourself.

Hopefully, you know by now that Facebook statuses that describe wild nights with friends can a turnoff to potential employers. But did you know that you can use social media to build a personal brand, making you more attractive to a hiring manager? One easy way to do just that is to expand from what’s on your resume—you can post pictures or summaries of projects you’ve worked on, include a short bio about your skills, or share articles that show you’re an expert in your industry.

How to Get a Job #14. Seal the deal by negotiating.

The final stage of getting a job is negotiating the package. While compensation often comes to mind first, remember that there are far more facets of the job that you can customize than you think. From benefits to work-from-home options, stock options to a travel stipend, there’s a lot on the table. Make a list of the things that are most important to you and that you’ll need to execute your job well. Be sure to check Know Your Worth to make sure their base salary offer is competitive with the market. Then, speak to your hiring manager and the recruiter about whether those needs can be fulfilled. These days, negotiating is an expected part of the job search process. Ask as many questions as you need and get the answers you need to make the best job decision for you.

Learn More!

Getting a job can feel like winning the lotto. However, with a few tips and tricks, getting job will have much better odds. Here are additional resources to help you on your path to finding a job that fits your life:

How to Write a Resume

How to Write A Cover Letter

The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide

How to Prepare for a Behavioral Interview

50 Most Common Interview Questions

How to Negotiate Your Salary

How to Network

GlassDoor.com | May 29, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #InterviewingSkills – Nailing It. How to be Prepared for a Job Interview.

January 15, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The interview is the “sweaty palms” part of the job-hunting process that no one enjoys (even a well-prepared candidate can be tripped up by a clever, unexpected question from a hiring manager). Most people see it as an ordeal to survive.

It’s unfortunate that more people fail to see the job interview for what it is: a great opportunity to sell yourself, to separate from the competition through diligent research and detailed preparation. What’s more, it’s the best way for a potential employer to get to know the real you. A resume can get you noticed, but it doesn’t really tell someone what kind of person you are, how you’re likely to act under pressure, or what your dreams are.

Before

Remember, you can’t be too prepared for a job interview. That doesn’t mean you should sit around stressing about it. It’s all about research and being armed with plenty of information before you show up. Most importantly, being prepared increases the likelihood that you’ll feel relaxed when seated across the desk from a company representative.

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That’s key because someone who’s nervous in an interview has a harder time thinking, responding to questions, and just being themselves. Your prep work should include researching what the company does, what someone in your role would be responsible for, knowing who key personnel within the company are, understanding the industry the company is in, and its position within the industry.

Go over the job description carefully to get a feel for the kind of person they’re looking for, and spend plenty of time on the internet searching for background information you can’t get anywhere else. You’re looking for ways to show that you’re well-informed, engaged, and conversant about what they do. Hitting the web also means spending time on the company’s social media pages and looking for feedback from former employees.

Review Your Background Material

It’s a bad look struggling to answer a question about your background because you just can’t remember. If it’s on your resume, it should be top of mind, so review your resume, cover letter, and job experience carefully so responses come across as natural, thorough, and self-assured.

Remember, a potential employer is interested in all aspects of your background to get a feel for what you’re about. As such, an angry diatribe about your ex-boyfriend may raise some eyebrows. Today, 93 percent of employers include a prospect’s social media profile in their decision, so don’t walk into an interview if your social media presence is questionable. An interviewer is as likely to ask about something on your Facebook page as he or she is to inquire about job experience or education on your resume. Take time to carefully review your social media profile; anything that could come across as inappropriate or unprofessional should be removed.

Think Through the Interview

It’s a good idea to think through the interview and do some rehearsing. Imagine sitting down and being asked to tell the interviewer about yourself. It’s surprising how often this simple question can cause people to stammer and stutter. Knowing how you’ll respond can help you prevent an unnecessarily embarrassing opening to an interview. Spend some time thinking about the “gotcha” questions, like “What is your greatest weakness?”

Being prepared for a job interview is a key part of the hiring process, and it’s as important as putting together an effective resume, so spend all the time you need learning about your prospective employer and getting ready. People have different interviewing styles, and some are more inquisitive and discerning than others, so the more you can do to prepare yourself, the more comfortable you’ll feel when the questions start flying.

FSC Career Blog| January 15, 2019 | Larry Mager @ larry@readybrain.net

#CareerAdvice – #JobInterview – How to Answer #InterviewQuestions to make #HiringManagers like You…By the Time you Reach the Interview Phase, your Prospective #Employer already Knows a Lot About you. They Know your Previous Experience. What they Don’t Know is Whether they Want to Work with You.

September 18, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

After you interview for a position, you may obsess over whether you gave the interviewer the “right” answers to the questions. But rather than worrying about what you said, you might want to spend more time thinking about how you say it.

By the time you reach the interview phase, your prospective employer already knows a lot about you. They know your previous experience. They might even have recommendations that attest to your knowledge, skills, abilities, and effectiveness. They know enough about you to think that you are a good match to the position they are filling.

What they don’t know is whether they want to work with you.

That means that a lot of what your interviewer is evaluating is whether they think you will fit into the organization and people will enjoy having you around. They are trying to envision what it will be like to have you as a part of the community.

There are several things you can do to make them think more favorably about you.

LEAN IN — LITERALLY

You want to leave an impression that you are going to be an interested, upbeat, and engaged person to work with. That means you want your interviewer to feel good about the interaction with you.

A great way to help that along is to take advantage of the natural coordination that happens when you talk with someone else. You automatically tune yourself to what a conversation partner is doing when you converse. You match how fast they are talking. You match the pitch of their voice. You mirror their gestures. You take on their level of energy.

At your interview, lean in. Literally. Lean forward. Talk with energy. Smile. Not only does this posture convey your interest to the interviewer, it will cause your interviewer to mirror your movements. That will increase your interviewer’s enthusiasm for you when the interview is over.

BE QUICK

Lots of research suggests that fast thinking makes people feel good. That is why listening to fast music is a positive experience. It is why people often enjoy the last stages of solving a problem when the ideas are flowing. And it is why people enjoy a really good conversation.

At your interview, try to keep the conversation moving along. Prepare your responses to typical interview questions so that you have vocabulary at your disposal to talk about your qualifications, interests, and goals. That way, you can respond quickly to the questions you are asked. Those fast responses will make your interviewer feel positively about you.

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BE POSITIVE

The word you want on your interviewer’s mind at the end of the conversation is “yes.” And that means that you want to make it as easy for your interviewer to be thinking about good things rather than bad ones.

The best way to do that is to focus on positive elements throughout your interview. Find reasons why you can do things rather than not do them. If you interviewer asks you about problems you have encountered, find ways to turn those problems into benefits and focus on good outcomes and what you have learned.

Research on mood and memory suggests that it is easier for people to remember information that is consistent with their current mood. If you stay focused on the positive throughout your interview, you make it easy for your interviewer to think about the positive elements of your interview than the negative ones.

Obviously, throughout your interview, you also want to actually answer the specific questions you are asked. You certainly don’t want to be seen as someone who is not paying attention or won’t answer a question. But, to the extent that you can also convey how nice it would be to have you as a colleague, you will increase the chance that the next question you are asked is “When can you start?”

FastCompany.com | 9.17.18

#CareerAdvice – #JobInterviewingQuestions – How to answer these 10 tricky questions tactfully in a job Interview …Don’t Panic–Consider these Things First Before you Answer.

August 22, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We’ve all been there—pleased that an interview was going really well until the interviewer threw out a real doozy of a question that you just don’t know how to answer. But you don’t have to panic.

We asked career coach Hallie Crawford to give us advice on how to answer the most difficult questions you’ve ever been asked. (Yes, we pulled them from real interviews.) Here’s how to answer each really well.

While it may seem silly, “this question is designed to reveal how you think your manager perceives you,” Crawford says. “Before answering, ask yourself: How do your coworkers describe you? What did your manager commend you on recently?” With the answers to these questions in mind, “don’t be afraid to get a little creative with your reply,” Crawford says. But don’t be too verbose either. “You don’t want to give the impression that your anniversary cake would be too big,” she says, “so try and keep the words short and sweet.”

2. WHO IN HISTORY WOULD YOU WANT TO GO TO DINNER WITH AND WHY?

Before you answer this one, ask yourself whom you admire, past and present. “Perhaps a writer, an actor, a scientist, or even someone from your industry,” suggests Crawford. Then consider, “What do you appreciate about their accomplishments? Why do they inspire you? Why do you feel that you would be friends? What would you want to discuss with them at dinner?” Crawford prompts you to ask yourself. “Use these elements when answering.”

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3. NAME A BRAND THAT REPRESENTS YOU AS A PERSON.

Yep, not a brand you love—but one that embodies who you are. Now that’s a doozy. But it doesn’t have to be tough, Crawford says. “Think about your top personal values,” Crawford advises. “Now think about brands that also have those values.

For example, if you value family and ethical practice, think about companies who are family-based, or create products for families who you know don’t do testing on animals, for example. Explain the values that you feel you share with the brand and why those values are important to you.”

4. PLEASE DESCRIBE AN INSTANCE WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT ALL OF THE NECESSARY INFORMATION.

You came to the interview prepared, which means you have a list of accomplishments you can work from. Using an accomplishment for this question, “Describe the situation and what information was missing and any measurable results achieved,” Crawford instructs. By using an accomplishment, you will show a hiring manager how you can persevere.

5. SELL ME ON ONE IDEA, AND THEN SELL ME ON THE OPPOSITE OF THAT IDEA.

“First of all, you want to think of an idea before you can start answering the question,” says Crawford. You may not have to come up with your own idea. “Ask the hiring manager if they have a specific idea in mind,” says Crawford. “If not, consider a recent idea that you discussed with your team or with coworkers. What was your position and why? What was the opposite position and why? Use those arguments. In this question, it is important that you sound convincing when presenting both ideas. This will provide insight into whether you are able to present ideas to your team—even if you don’t agree with the idea.”

6. IF A COWORKER HAD AN ANNOYING HABIT, AND IT HINDERED YOUR QUALITY OF WORK, HOW WOULD YOU RESOLVE IT?

This may seem like a perplexing question, but it’s “designed to get to you how you deal with others,” explains Crawford. “Draw from a real-life experience if possible. What annoyed you? How did you resolve it? Is there a more effective way to handle the situation if it would happen again? Identify the annoying habit and then outline the steps you would take to try and resolve the situation while maintaining a good relationship with your coworker.”

7. WHAT PART OF THE NEWSPAPER DO YOU READ FIRST? WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT YOU?

“This kind of question is asked to get to know you better as a person,” says Crawford. And while “at first glance, this seems a fairly easy question,” she says, it’s not. So, “before you answer, think about what genre of articles appeals to you: technology, fashion, current events,” Crawford advises. “Now determine if there is a way to link the genre that appeals to you as a professional. For example, if you are drawn to articles about technology, you could explain that your love of technology means that you enjoy learning new ways of doing things, you are open to change, and look to stay on top of current trends.”

8. THROW YOUR RESUME ASIDE AND TELL ME WHAT MAKES YOU YOU.

This is another question designed not to trip you up, Crawford says, but to get to know you better. “Keep in mind that they may have looked you up online and have your cover letter, so do your best not to just repeat something they have already read about you,” she says. “Instead, is there a background story about how you got into your industry? Can you explain your unique selling proposition—why you are unique in your industry? Or, you could explain your top three values and why they are important to you.”

9. WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR PAST OR CURRENT EMPLOYER?

At all costs, “remember that you want to avoid bashing your current or past employer and the company,” warns Crawford. “This question is designed to find out why you are looking for a new job. Instead of focusing on them, focus on you. Are you looking for more career growth than what is offered where you currently work? Or a more challenging position?”

10. TELL ME ABOUT THE WORST MANAGER YOU EVER HAD.

Before you bash your last boss, “Remember that your hiring manager has your resume and knows where you have worked, so your managers won’t be completely anonymous,” warns Crawford. “However, you might explain a type of management style that wasn’t ideal for you. And if you haven’t had a bad manager, don’t make one up. Let the hiring manager know that you honestly have gotten along with your previous managers, and focus on how you are able to work with different personality and management styles.”

FastCompany.com | August 22, 2018 | BY JILLIAN KRAMER—GLASSDOOR 5 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterview – Really Want that Job? Don’t Make these Six Mistakes….Don’t Do What these Overeager Candidates Do.

August 20, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

As in romantic relationships, hiring managers avoid an overeager suitor. You know the type–after one date or one conversation, they’re calling, texting, and wanting to see you every day in a constant attempt to convince you that they’re “the one.” Unfortunately, this only has the opposite effect. Desperation is relationship repellant, and that’s true when it comes to hiring as well.

If you want to avoid turning hiring managers off with an excessively keen attitude, make sure to fix these bad habits.

1. OVERSELLING YOUR STRENGTHS

Have you ever been to a department store where the salespeople keep trying to push the store credit card? With every “No, thanks” the salesperson gets, the more they list benefits and tell you how great the card is and why you’d be a fool to walk out without it. Interviews can go the same way. You have to sell your strengths without overselling.

The Fix: Ask strategic questions, listen, and treat the interview like a business meeting–which is what it is.

If the interviewer says, “We’re looking for someone who can expand our product market to Canada,” your response should consist of more than, “Sure, I can do that!” Go deeper. Ask about their strategic plan and the biggest issues they face as they try to accomplish the expansion.

You may not have the job yet, but offer suggestions as if you do. Tie the topic to an example from your own career, where you overcame a business expansion challenge. Give them specifics about the results you got.

By simply having a business conversation, you’re able to sell yourself without overselling. Remember, it’s not about you–it’s about the company’s needs. How can you solve their problem?

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2. TALKING TOO MUCH

When you give answers to questions you weren’t asked, or go on at length, you can ramble yourself right out of a job. Unfocused talk shows you don’t listen well and can’t answer a simple question. I get it: One topic often leads to another, and you get excited about the subject, but be careful. In addition to being rude, you can open yourself to questions you don’t want to answer.

The Fix: Trim the fat by practicing your answers ahead of time. Your interview isn’t a therapy session, and practice really does make perfect. With practice, you get your answers right and tight. Try to do a few mock interviews too, with a friend who will be honest with you when you get off track.

3. REVEALING YOUR STALKER TENDENCIES

It’s one thing to perform in-depth research on a company or interviewer, but it’s another to list all the ways you’ve stalked them online. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of Googling companies and interviewers, but you have to keep it professional. Be careful not to get into their personal life.

The Fix: Don’t focus on personal pages during your interview prep. With Google, everything comes up, but in an interview, you have to avoid initiating topics that you found on non-business-related sites like personal social media pages. If the interviewer brings up a personal topic, don’t respond with something like, “Oh, yes, I saw your Facebook post about that!” Follow their lead.

4. SHOWING UP UNANNOUNCED

“We’ll be in touch” doesn’t mean “show up to the office unannounced to drop off materials and check in.” Once the interview is over, the last thing recruiters or hiring managers want to see is a candidate returning when they weren’t invited.

The Fix: This comes back to preparation. If you have prepared properly, there should be no need for additional materials. Leave the ball in their court. In your post-interview thank-you email, say you’re available if they need additional materials or information. That’s what’s expected. Don’t follow up multiple times, especially when you haven’t heard anything back the first time.

5. TAKING A CASUAL INTERVIEW ENVIRONMENT TOO FAR

The interviewer is not your friend and shouldn’t be treated as such. The best interviewers have a way of making you relaxed and comfortable, but be careful not to get relaxed to the point where you’re talking in a manner and tone that’s unprofessional. No matter how casual the environment, or how much rapport you have with the interviewer, keep it businesslike.

The Fix: Always remember that an interview is a business meeting, and don’t do or say anything that you wouldn’t in that context. Simple, right?

6. SAYING ‘YES!’ TO EVERYTHING

It’s tempting to think that saying “Yes” to everything the interviewer says gives you an advantage, but it doesn’t. When an employer is seeking new employees, they’re looking for fresh ideas, new insights and immediate impact. They’re not looking for people to agree with everything they say or maintain the status quo.

The Fix: Remember that they want to hear your ideas, and they’re not looking for cookie-cutter answers. They decided to call you for an interview because YOU had something they were looking for. Be yourself, and give them something only you can give!

Interviewing is hard enough. Don’t give interviewers a reason to eliminate you from the process before you’ve even had a chance to showcase your skills. But if you’ve got the right qualifications and can maintain a healthy balance between interested and overeager, you’ve got a great shot at scoring the job.

FastCompany.com | August 20, 2018 | BY NIYA ALLEN-VATEL–GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : Use this 15-Minute Checklist to Prepare for a #JobInterview …In Just a Few Minutes you can Make Sure that you’ll Nail your First Impression.

July 23, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Your job interview is just days away and you’re feeling unprepared. You’ve reread the job posting about 67 times and you’re pretty clear on the role itself–but you can’t really think of much else to do to brush up.

Don’t sweat it. In fact, you may only need another 15 minutes or so in order to prep, so here’s what to do.

1. CONFIRM EVERYONE YOU’LL BE MEETING WITH

One minute. If the hiring manager or an HR officer set up your interview and didn’t explicitly tell you whom you’re going to be chatting with, don’t just assume it’s them and only them. It’s not at all uncommon for hiring managers to shuttle you off to someone else on their team who’s become available to meet you at the last minute. Firing off a quick email like this puts them on the hook to plan ahead rather than surprise you:

Hi Kamala, I’m really excited to come in on Tuesday. Just wanted to confirm that I’ll be speaking with you and Jarrod. Could you please let me know if there’s anyone else I should look forward to meeting? Thanks so much!

Hit send and move on.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEWER’S LINKEDIN AND TWITTER

Five minutes. Chances are you’re more familiar with the job description than with the roles and backgrounds of your interviewer. Once you’ve nailed down which people you’ll be talking to, it’s time to do some digging on each of them.

LinkedIn is the obvious great place to start. Skim their previous roles (including at other employers), take note of how long they’ve been with the organization, and then head way down to the bottom: If there are endorsements and recommendations, these can give you a feel for what a prospective boss might be especially good at. Any common themes in the praise their colleagues are sharing? Obviously, you’ll only find positive feedback in these sections, but that can still help you hone better questions about their management style.

Twitter is a handy guide, too: What articles is your interviewer sharing? Are their tweets opinionated and casual, or do they sound serious and formal? It’s certainly an imperfect measure, but this can still help you guess at an interviewer’s personality, interests, and values.

3. LINE UP YOUR “ABOUT ME” ANSWER

Seven minutes. Chances are your interview will open with some form of “Tell me a little about yourself” or the longer variant, “Tell me a little about yourself and what interests you about this role.” So plan your answer using a few quick bullet points in order to keep things short and concise.

As Glassdoor’s Isabel Thottam pointed out recently, it’s all about first impressions, so you’ll want to avoid sharing a lengthy backstory. “Skip your personal history and give about two to three sentences about your career path and how you ended up in this interview, applying for this job,” she explains. “You don’t need to be too detailed, there are plenty more questions coming. You just want to leave enough curiosity that the interviewer becomes excited to learn more about you throughout the interview.”

Take a few minutes to sketch out this capsule narrative and commit it (loosely, not word-for-word) to memory.

4. BRAINSTORM ONE GREAT QUESTION TO ASK

Two minutes. Get one really sharp question lined up that you can pose to the hiring manager. Sure, you can brainstorm three or five if you have time, but interviews ted to get truncated more often than they drag on longer than expected–so think about the No. 1 thing you really want to know.

Not sure what that is? Here are a few good questions you might want to pose depending on your career-stage. These are a bunch of all-around sharp questions that help you probe deeper about how performance is measured, expectations for the role, career advancement, and more, and these are a few more that can help you really dig into the company culture.

But when in doubt, just ask a question that shows off your curiosity. According to psychologist and talent expert Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, “just being curious is a marketable job skill.” It’s “the precursor to learning faster and better, and thereby adapting to change rather than succumbing to it,” he explained in a recent Fast Company column. He suggests asking qualitative questions like, Why do you see X as important?” or “How do you see Y changing in the future?”

This can help interviewers see that you’re thinking ahead and considering how the role fits into the bigger organizational picture, but it does something much more fundamental, too: Continued curiosity is a sign that you’re actually interested in the job and giving it some serious thought. At a minimum, you want to walk out of your interview having convinced them of that.

FastCompany.com | July 23, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterview – How to Practice for an #Interview in 5 Steps…Ready to Learn How to Walk into an Interview with Confidence, and Knock It Out of the Park? Follow these Five Steps.

July 18, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

What if I run into traffic on my way to the interview and get there late? What if I mess up one of my answers? What if I draw a total blank when my interviewer asks me if I have any questions for them?

If you’ve ever been up for a position you really wanted before, then questions like these have probably raced through your head in the hours — or worse, throughout the night — before your big interview.

Many people think of overwhelming anxiety as an inevitable part of the interview process. But the truth is, your nerves can be greatly eased once you learn how to properly prepare for an interview. Not only will this make you feel a whole lot better going in — odds are, with a clear head, you’ll actually do a better job.

Ready to learn how to walk into an interview with confidence, and knock it out of the park? Follow these five steps.

1. Research the Company

Recruiters and hiring managers don’t just want to know about your skills and experience — they also want to know how knowledgeable you are about the company. In fact, questions like “What is the name of our CEO?” and “Who are our competitors?” are both among the most commonly asked interview questions. But even if you don’t encounter a question like this, looking up the basics of the company is still worthwhile.

Use Glassdoor and online searches to learn about the company’s industry, products, mission, names of leaders, competitors, recent news and more. Then, you can drop these tidbits of newfound knowledge throughout your responses — e.g., when asked “Why do you want to work here?” a candidate might say, “The reason I decided to apply to this job was because of how much your mission resonates with me. I truly believe that making affordable, high-speed internet widely accessible will help bring the world closer together.” This proves a few things: a) you’re passionate about the opportunity, b) you’re a proactive self-starter with good critical thinking skills and c) you’re a good culture fit for the company.

You can also use this info to ask more informed questions of the interviewers themselves — more on that later.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Look Up Common Interview Questions

A lot of candidates stress out over not knowing what a recruiter or hiring manager is going to ask them. But in reality, you’ll get a lot of the same questions from one person to another. There are a few basic questions that you’ll almost certainly be asked — these include staples like “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want to leave your current job?” and “What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?” If you’re a data-driven job seeker, you’ll appreciate the list of the 50 Most Common Interview Questions that Glassdoor identified after sifting through tens of thousands of interview reviews.

You can also use Glassdoor’s interview reviews to find out which questions they specifically ask at the company you’re applying to, as well as which questions are common for your job title. Sure, you might be thrown an oddball interview question every now and then, but you’ll likely find that the vast majority of questions you’re asked are ones that you can identify in advance.

3. Rehearse Your Answers

Now that you have an idea of which questions you could be asked, it’s time to think about how you will respond to them. Keep in mind that in general, interviewers want responses that are specific, positive, impactful and genuine. If you want to know what kind of answers recruiters and hiring managers are looking for from specific questions, check out Glassdoor’s How to Answer the 50 Most Common Interview Questions.

Don’t just think about what your response should entail — go ahead and write it down. You probably shouldn’t write out full answers — that can result in you memorizing the responses verbatim, which can come across as too rehearsed — but making a bulleted list of key points you want to hit is a great idea. Try using the worksheet at the bottom of this blog post to sketch out your answers.

After you’ve written down the key points you want to hit in common interview questions, it’s a good idea to hold a mock interview aloud with a friend or family member. Some people might feel a little shy about doing this, but brush these feelings aside as best you can — in my experience, this is the number one way to improve your odds of succeeding in an interview. Doing a dry run will allow you to get any mistakes you might make out of the way before it counts against you, and also helps you get valuable feedback, so don’t skip this essential step.

4. Come Up With Your Own Questions

One of the questions you’ll almost always be asked by an interviewer is “Do you have any questions for me?” It might seem innocuous, but believe it or not, this is a very common area in which candidates trip up. Interviewers aren’t just asking this question to be nice — it serves as somewhat of a litmus test for whether or not you’ve done your research, are a good culture fit and demonstrate strong critical thinking skills.

Use the research you gathered in step two to help you craft intelligent, informed questions about the role and company that will give you a fuller picture of what it’s like to work there and what it takes to be successful. For example, if you learned that the company you’re applying to is launching a new mobile app, you might say “I read that your company is launching a new mobile experience soon. Can you tell me more about that, and how it relates to this position?” You can also use this opportunity to dig into anything that hasn’t been brought up yet or covered in sufficient detail, like company culture, how the company defines success and what drew your interviewer to the company.

5. Hammer Out the Logistics

Congrats — if you’ve gotten through the previous four steps, you’ve already gotten the hard part out of the way! Now, all you have to do is think through all the little logistical details of your interview. These can vary depending on what kind of interview it is — phone, video, in-person, etc. Here are a few things to keep in mind for some of the most common types of interviews:

Phone Interviews

Pick a quiet place with good service to take the call
Confirm the day and time, accounting for differences in time zone
Confirm how you’re getting in touch with the hiring manager (Are they calling you? Are you calling them? Will you call their cell, or a conference number?)
Review the job description and company information 30 minutes before the call
Breathe — try to stay relaxed and focused!

Video Interviews

Pick a quiet place with good lighting and a simple background to take the interview
Do a test run to try out the video software
Restart your computer before the interview to help avoid technical difficulties
Dress like you are going to an in-person interview

In-Person Interviews:

Research standard company attire and dress one step above that
Have directions to where you’re going
Print multiple copies of your resume
Plan on arriving 30 minutes early, but wait in your car or at a coffee shop nearby until 5 minutes before
Brush your teeth or chew some gum before walking in
Run through your cheat sheet of responses, and a list of questions to ask each interviewer

Preparing for an interview the right way does take some work on your part, but believe us — it’s worth the effort. Who knows? You might just find that interviews aren’t as scary as you thought after all. Now go out there and get ‘em!

GlassDoor.com | May 29, 2018 | Posted by Emily Moore

Your #Career : #Interviews -How to Practice for an #Interview in 5 Steps (Bonus: Great Checklists)…Ready to Learn How to Walk into an #Interview with Confidence, and Knock It Out of the Park? Follow these Five Steps

May 30, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

What if I run into traffic on my way to the interview and get there late? What if I mess up one of my answers? What if I draw a total blank when my interviewer asks me if I have any questions for them?

If you’ve ever been up for a position you really wanted before, then questions like these have probably raced through your head in the hours — or worse, throughout the night — before your big interview.

Many people think of overwhelming anxiety as an inevitable part of the interview process. But the truth is, your nerves can be greatly eased once you learn how to properly prepare for an interview. Not only will this make you feel a whole lot better going in — odds are, with a clear head, you’ll actually do a better job.

Ready to learn how to walk into an interview with confidence, and knock it out of the park? Follow these five steps.