Talk Is Cheap 2010

Talk is Cheap Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

This presentation is divided into 3 main parts: Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 Things to do before the interview Interview Objectives, and Things to do after the interview

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Check out interview related websites: http:// www.jobinterviewquestions.org / http://career- advice.monster.com / Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW http://www.jobinterviewquestions.org/ Includes advice for inexperienced interviews. Find out what It’s like from the other side of the desk. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW http://career- advice.monster.com / Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW You’ve heard about learning about the company. Why? It’s information you can use to make a greater impression on the interviewer. Learning about the company lets you know what’s important to the interviewer so you can tell him what he wants to hear. It can set you head and shoulders above your competition. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW CAUTION In today’s market, there is no excuse for not knowing something about the company. EVERYONE has internet access. If not at home, then at school, or a library. Whether or not you want to spend that hour doing the research depends on how important that job is to you. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Places to find employer information: Employers' Web Sites Michigan Electronic Library: MeL.org News Sources See what general-interest and business publications and Web sites are writing about the employer and its industry. Search national publications for news on major corporations; use hometown newspapers to learn about small businesses and how big businesses interact with their local communities. Links to biz journalism sites: http://newslink.org http://refdesk.com/paper.html http://www.bizjournals.com Trade Journals Industry Directories Google Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Directions Make a dry run to the interview site, on a weekday preferably at the same time of day as your interview. This will let you know how long it takes to get there. On the day of your interview, be sure to leave early enough to find a parking space freshen up, and review your information before entering the building. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

Clothing is the first piece of evidence in support of your case to be the best candidate. The interviewer will see your clothing before he gets close enough to see your bright eyes and winning smile. THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 CLOTHING

All clothes should be neatly pressed Clean, polished, conservative shoes Clean and well-groomed hairstyle Clean, trimmed fingernails Avoid cologne and perfume Empty pockets – no noisy coins No gum or candy THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 Men and Women

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW Things to bring: Several copies of your resume A list of all information needed to complete a job application (i.e. past employment and educational history) A list of your references that you can hand to the interviewer if asked A pad of paper for taking notes Directions to the interview site Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

GOALS OF THE INTERVIEW: There are three main objectives in the interview that you want to accomplish: Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 Demonstrate your competence Learn as much about the job as possible Be certain about the next step

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE You must DEMONSTRATE your competence. Talking about it is not enough. Every interviewee says “ Hire me , I’M the best one for the job.” Which is why: Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE You must DEMONSTRATE your competence. Talking about it is not enough. Every interviewee says “ Hire me , I’M the best one for the job.” Which is why: “ Talk is cheap!!!” Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Remember: Jobs are created and people are hired for one reason only: THE COMPANY HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED! They will hire you if you show them that YOU are the SOLUTION to that problem. The question is: Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Remember: Jobs are created and people are hired for one reason only: THE COMPANY HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED! They will hire you if you show them that YOU are the SOLUTION to that problem. The question is: Can you prove it? Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE The most effective way to prove you are the solution to the employer’s problems is to tell stories that demonstrate how you’ve solved similar problems in the past. Those stories represent real life examples of how you used skills that make you valuable to employers. They are the proof of your competence. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Most employer problems fall into one of four categories: $ MAKE/SAVE MONEY If you’re in sales, tell how you exceeded quota If you’re in purchasing, tell how you negotiated lower costs from vendors P SOLVE PROBLEMS tell how you made something that was holding things up go away R TAKE RESPONSIBILITY make him happy by telling how you freed up time or resources F FIT Are you friendly? Are you likeable? NO ONE will hire a suspected problem child Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

Make sure your stories follow the CAR format: C – Tell them the CONDITION you found. What was the world like before you came along? A – What ACTION did you take? What did you do to make the world a better place? R – What was the RESULT ? How much better was the world after you touched it? OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Try to come up with 3 stories for every strength you claim to have. If you call yourself a leader: Tell about 3 instances where you took the lead and made things happen. If you claim to be a problem solver: Make sure you can demonstrate 3 times you observed a problem and took the initiative to solve it. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

These stories represent real life examples of how you used skills that make you valuable to employers. Your stories are the proof of your competence. OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

EXERCISE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Don’t worry about humility. Humility is NOT about thinking less of yourself . Humility is about thinking of yourself less . So make sure you think of the employer and how you can help him – not yourself. Solve his problem and you’ve got the job. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

And now for the preachy part: Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Practice telling your stories Practice using your stories to answer common interview questions. Put questions on flash cards and have your family and friends quiz you. Practice them in out of order. Stay on point at all times. Don’t get sloppy. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

By the way, while you’re practicing, make sure you know what’s on your resume. Some crazy interviewers have actually been known to ask questions about it! Don’t get caught with your pants down!!! OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 CAUTION #2

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Know your information cold. While you may be reluctant to rehearse or give a canned speech, the better you know your information, the more of your brain is left free to deal with the situation at hand. This is not the time to multitask. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Any good actor will tell you, the more rehearsed your speech is, the less rehearsed it sounds . Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #1: YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 Your success stories are the basis of your 30 second commercial. It’s a statement about you and your competencies. Use it to open your interview session. Tailor it to fit the position. Knowing your information frees you up to listen. So practice!

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE An interview is a two-way street. You are interviewing them, as much as they are interviewing you. You’re going to be making an important career decision so you need to effectively GIVE and RECEIVE information. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

If you haven’t seen it yet, ask if you can see the job description. The more you know about the job, the better you can tailor your answers. The sooner you get the job description – the better. “ How did this position become available?” If the company is growing, that’s good news. If the last person couldn’t get along with the manager, that may be a red flag. “ Will I be reporting to you or to some else?” If someone else; ask if you can meet your future manager. Treat the introduction like a mini interview. Once you’ve won him over, you now have a powerful ally. OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK

Notice the header says: SOME questions to ask. It’s not an exhaustive list. You can use questions to show that you’ve done your homework. Anything you’re curious about that came up during your research is a chance to engage the interviewer. The questions you ask keep the conversation going and show the interviewer your interest and intelligence – you have to be listening to ask good questions. OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010 SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE CAUTION #3 The first one to mention money loses. So don’t ask about it. Also try not to answer questions about salary expectations. It’s a bad idea to talk about the price until they know they’re talking to a Cadillac and not a Cavalier. However, the first person who has to know you’re a Cadillac is you. You must believe in the value you bring to the table. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2009

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE CAUTION #3 If asked about salary expectations BEFORE a job offer is made – deflect, deflect, deflect. A Cadillac should say something like: “ I’m not really concerned about salary right now. What I am concerned about is how good a good fit there is here and how much value I can bring to this organization.” Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2009

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE CAUTION #3 If the first volley doesn’t work, then try: “ Well, I believe that the actual salary is not as important as the entire benefit package. I imagine we’ll talk about all those things once a decision is made.” Then stop talking and let them move on. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE CAUTION #3 If they still won’t relent, then say: “ Wow, I know that’s an important question, but I actually haven’t settled on a magic number yet. But since you brought it up, what kind of range did you have in mind?” Put the ball back in their court. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #2: LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT THE JOB AS POSSIBLE CAUTION #3 If you feel you must answer the salary question don’t give a single figure give a $5,000 to $10,000 yearly range, or a $2.00 to $5.00 hourly range Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #3: WHEN YOU LEAVE, BE CERTAIN ABOUT THE NEXT STEP Never leave the follow-up in the interviewer’s hands. Be proactive. Say: "I'm interested in this position. When is a good time to call to check on the status of your decision?” Don’t ask CAN you call. Ask WHEN to call. This is an old sales tactic. Salespeople NEVER let a prospect say “I’ll get back to you.” Be proactive. Then CALL when you said you would. This shows your interest as well as your integrity. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #3: WHEN YOU LEAVE, BE CERTAIN ABOUT THE NEXT STEP Don’t leave without a business card or something else with the interviewer’s Correctly spelled name Phone number Email address Mailing address Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

OBJECTIVE #3: WHEN YOU LEAVE, BE CERTAIN ABOUT THE NEXT STEP Find out their preferred method of communication: Phone? Email? Snail mail? Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2009

AFTER THE INTERVIEW As soon as possible, write down everything that happened during the interview – – this is critical because you’ll forget most of it. A job interview is an emotionally charged event. It can easily become a blur if you don’t do an immediate brain dump Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

AFTER THE INTERVIEW Write a thank-you letter, reminding the interviewer of Your qualities Memorable things you did or talked about during the interview (i.e. meeting staff, touring the building, discussion of common interests) You can also use the thank you letter to briefly bring up skills and experiences that were not discussed during the interview Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

AFTER THE INTERVIEW Try to email your thank-you letter immediately after the interview. Do not wait more than 24 hours. Send a hard copy letter or professional thank you card at the same time. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

BELIEVE IN YOU! … knowledge breeds confidence; confidence breeds enthusiasm; and enthusiasm is an important key to being and doing more with your life. Zig Ziglar Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

BELIEVE IN YOU! Just by educating yourself on job search skills, you will know more about how to conduct a successful job search than most of your competition. The key is application. Stick with it. Apply it . It will work. Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

BELIEVE IN YOU! Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal. 6:9 NLT Talk is Cheap, Gail M. Neal 2010

Talk Is Cheap 2010

More Related Content

What's hot

Similar to Talk Is Cheap 2010

Recently uploaded

Talk Is Cheap 2010

Editor's Notes