With the Epic-Pandemic lasting almost as long as the last time the Bears won the Super Bowl, chances are you, or someone you know is looking for a job. Here are a few tips from my workshop “Treat The Job Interview Like A Professional Sales Call” that may help you land your next awesome assignment.
Use the PAPCE sales technique: Preparation, Approach, Presentation, Close, and Evaluation.
To get to those elusive interviews, you must avoid the ‘B Pile.’ When searching for candidates, many Hiring Managers have two piles of resumes, ‘A’ and ‘B,’ where ‘A’ candidates get called for an interview and ‘B’ resumes are filed in the recycle bin.
There is no boilerplate resume or cover letter for every opportunity you believe is a perfect match to your skill set. Read the job description carefully and customize your qualifications and skills to each opportunity.
When you land the job interview, your presentation is you. You are the CMO: The Chief Me Officer. Nobody knows you better than you. You are selling you. Be confident but do not over-promote yourself. Be prepared for tough questions including:
Who was your worst boss? Weaknesses? What did you not like about your last job? Describe a mistake you made. Why should we hire you? What change would you make to our website?
Answer each question with short replies and always put a positive spin as a final thought. Stop talking and wait for the next question.
Always end the interview with this question, “Is there anything you heard today that would keep this process from moving forward that I can address right now?” Their response will determine your next questions including, “I know I can help you improve results, when can I start?”
Follow up in one week. The Hiring Manager gave you their business card. Call them. Email them. Send a fax. Follow up to say you want the job, why you want the job and to prove you deserve the job.
Stay safe, stay strong and Good Luck!
