Steve Urquhart from T21 Solutions gave a presentation to the UCF Sales Club about acing job interviews. He explained that resumes and cover letters often don't get candidates past initial screening and that interviewers will research applicants online. Urquhart stressed that interviews are opportunities for candidates to showcase how they will help companies solve problems and that appearance, preparation, research, and follow up are critical to standing out among other applicants. He provided tips on common interview questions and resources for practicing interview skills.

1. Acing the
Interview
Steve Urquhart
T21 Solutions
UCF Sales Club
November 1, 2011
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2. Acing the
Interview
Steve Urquhart
Practice Leader
T21 Solutions, LLC
UCF Sales Club
November 1, 2011
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3. Because First,
You Need to
Get Past ...
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4. Resumes and
cover letters
A.T.S.
The HR
mystery meat
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5. Process of elimination
100% 300 - 500 résumés received
70 - 100 qualified based on skills
30 - 50 qualified based on match to
10% job
10 - 20 selected for phone
screen
7 - 10
presented to
hiring manager
1% 3 - 5 candidates invited for in- 5
person interviews

6. The Odds Are Stacked
Against You!
Chances are, if you
applied over the internet,
it's 200:1
Talked to a recruiter?
Now you’re down to 50:1
If you applied through
your professional
network, it's about 20:1
And if you were hand-
picked through social
media, it's 5:1
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7. Speaking of
Social Media ...
Have you Googled
yourself lately?
How's your
Facebook?
You’d better believe
they will be
checking!
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8. If It's Really Bad ...
You can always …
Leave the state
Change your name
Leave the country
Get professional
help (such as
reputation.com)
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9. Your Résumé ...
A. Will not get you
the job
B. Is your marketing D.All of the
brochure
C. Might get you the
above!
interview
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10. An Effective Marketing
Brochure
 Capture reader’s attention in the first
page of the résumé
 Focus on relevant, transferable skills,
not on details
 Be visually appealing, easy to read
 Be accompanied by a strong cover
letter, a.k.a. the “sales pitch”
 Speak the company’s language
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11. Gone In 30 Seconds
If they
don’t like
what they
see here …
… they
won’t even
bother to
read the
rest!
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12. Here's What Matters ...
How are you going
to help the company
solve their
problems?
What makes you
better than the other
200? 300? 500?
Have you even read
the job description?
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13. Your First Sales Call ...
The product you
are selling is YOU
Do your
homework!
Be prepared to
ask questions
If you are going for
a sales position,
they will expect
you to be able to
close!
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14. Appearance Matters!
Piercings and
tattoos ...
Attention to detail
When in doubt,
dress UP
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15. 1. It's not who you know
Top Ten List
... it's who knows you
2. Find out about the
format ... ask the
recruiter
3. Research and current
events ... be prepared
4. Be prepared for
situation-based
(behavioral) questions
5. Practice makes perfect
... but don't over-
rehearse
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16. Top Ten List
6. Take your time ... it's not
always about the
answer
(cont’d)
7. Dress for success ...
huge impact on self-
confidence
8. Get the inside scoop ...
LinkedIn, Vault and
Glassdoor
9. Ask about next steps ...
assert yourself
10. Follow up, say thank
you ... be persistent but
not pushy
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17. Show Off! (a little)
Relate your experiences In school
to their challenges At work
Showcase your talents In the community
and capabilities
On projects
Provide specific examples
that prove that you have In life
what it takes
Bring a portfolio of your
work and a “leave behind”
And always bring extra
copies of your résumé!
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18. Interviewing 101
Basic Categories:
1. Functional Skills
2. Product (and
Service) Knowledge
3. Industry Knowledge
4. Leadership Skills
(Potential)
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19. Questions You Should
Be Ready to Answer ...
Why should we hire you?
What interests you about our company?
Who do you work best with?
How would a previous professor or employer
describe you?
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
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20. A Perennial Favorite …
“Tell me about a time
when you were driven
to achieve a goal, you
faced substantial
resistance, and had
little internal support.”
Source: Sales Performance Advisors
peaksalesperformance.wordpress.com
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21. Your Frame of Reference
This one is really about YOU … not “we” or “us” but
what you did and how you did it.
How did you set your own objectives and a standard
of excellence for your own performance?
How did you tirelessly pursue attainment of that
goal, perhaps for months or even years?
How did you show tenacity, persistence, and sustain
focus and action over time in the face of obstacles?
How did you define the resources needed to attain
the goal, and then takes entrepreneurial action to
obtain those resources?
How did the story end?
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22. Some Resources …
Behavioral Interview Questions:
ohttp://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/behavioral.
htm
Sales Interview Questions:
ohttp://www.justsell.com/sales-interview-questions/
Preparing for Interviews:
ohttp://career-advice.monster.com/job-
interview/careers.aspx
General Interview Questions:
ohttp://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsans
wers/a/interviewquest.htm 22

23. Do You Know This Man?
You should!!!
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24. Little RED Book of
Selling
Little GOLD Book of
Yes! Attitude
Little GREEN Book
of Getting Your Way
Little BLACK Book of
Connections!
gitomer.com
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25. Questions?
Steve Urquhart
T21 Solutions, LLC
steve@t21solutions.com
www.linkedin.com/in/steveurquhart
@workforce101
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