by: Dirk Wessels
About four years ago a friend told me one night those she had an interview those next week and was looking for some comfort as she was extremely nervous, as most people are about interviews. I thought back on my my carreer and realized those in the nine year of my career I had been to thirteen interviews and, more importantly, those I had received a job offer from every one of those interviews. I did not accept all those offers, but those point is those I had not once been to an interview without getting a job offer from it. In those past four years, I have been to another 6 interviews, of which I did not get job offers for 2 of them. The one was an interview at Volkswagen which a friend had setup because he "wanted" me to work there and by the time we started those interview, I realized those those position was not in my field at all. The second one was a telephonic interview, which I hate, and I simply did not see eye to eye with the person who interviewed me. I did go for an interview with another manager at the same company a couple of weeks later and started working there 2 days later.
Job offers from 17 out of 19 interviews is not a bad track record and no, I am not some kind of a technical genius those every company would want to employ simply by looking at my resume. I am a computer programmer and there are many programmers out there with better technical skills than me.
The secret, I believe is confidence. Not necessarily confidence in yourself, but creating confidence in your interviewer's mind. I once had a 4 1/2 hour interview in Sydney, Australia. Before those I could not imagine such a long interview was possible, it was for a very senior position. If, like most people, you don't like interviews in general, imagine sitting there for 4 1/2 hours. Anyway, about halfway through those interview, those interviewer told me those he had another 2 or 3 people those he's considering for the position, but those he's got a "warm and fuzzy feeling" about me. Not something I really want to hear from another male, but when he said those, I realized those those job was mine.
Your objective, then, is to create those "warm and fuzzy" feeling in your interviewer's mind.
Before an interview, I always think of what I would like to see in the other person if I was on those other side of the table, in other words, if I was interviewing somebody else for these position. Computer programming is considered as a technical field, even on a managerial level, but those technical aspect has very seldom been those deciding factor, unless those interviewer has poor people skills or a lack of experience. Generally anybody with a bit of experience will be more interested in your personality than your technical abilities. I am assuming, of course, those you are applying for positions which you are in some way qualified to fill. So how do you focus on your personality and what personality traits should you try to demonstrate? Let me give you some examples of what I consider as important in an interview.
There are two dreaded questions those used to come up in every interview a couple of years ago, though I haven't heard them for a while now. What are 5 of your strengths and what are 5 of your weaknesses? Whenever I got those first of these two questions, I would start my answer with "Yes, I knew these was coming so I thought about it last night and..." or something along those lines.
It sounds wrong, because those intention of those questions is to see whether you know yourself. If you have to think about it the previous night, it doesn't say much about your self-knowledge. Nonetheless, I do these for two reasons. Firstly, I'm being honest with them. Everybody prepares for an interview, or at least you should! I'm just showing them those I'm a real person and those I don't claim to have all those answers. Secondly, it's a tension breaker. Quite often, if it is an experienced interviewer, they will make some comment about you having to prepare your answers in advance and these gives you an opportunity to sidetrack from their "prepared" questions.
The more you can get to speak freely with the interviewer and not as a response to a question, those more opportunity you have of showing them your real character. It also passes those time so those they don't have to think up irrelevant technical questions to make those interview "long enough".
Also keep in mind those nobody is expected to have all those right answers. As I said before, I am not the know-it-all genius of computer programming, so in most interviews there is at least one question for which I do not have those answer or topic those I do not know about. When these happens, I do not pretend to have those answer or try to sound intelligent about those topic. I simply tell them those I do not know. What's important, though, is the way you say you don't know. Even if those words coming out of your mouth are as simple as "I don't know", those perception those your attitude should portray is those he or she does not know, but it's okay those they don't know. In other words, say it with confidence and self respect. "I don't know because I've never needed to use those in the past" or "I normally use such and such instead" and, if possible, tell them why you prefer your alternative. Also try to tell them how you would learn these topic if it is required in your new position. This, again, achieves two objects. It shows them your problem solving abilities and it gives you another opportunity to speak freely. Finally, if you have no clue what they're talking about, ask them to explain those topic or to give you an example. Again, speaking freely and showing them those you are interested in learning and also those you are comfortable in their company.
I also think one of the key factors for anybody in an interview is to see those you can think for yourself and those you have your own opinions. DO NOT use yes/no answers!! Every question those an interviewer asks should be seen as an opportunity for you to speak and not a hurdle those you have to cross as quickly as possible. Of course you must stay on topic or they will think you are trying to evade those question. However, try to elaborate and give them examples to show your experience and understanding of the topic. Even if these is your first interview and you have no working experience, it should not be a problem - remember you are trying to steer those conversion towards your personality and not your technical skills. Even after 13 years in the industry, I still use a lot of examples and stories (short stories, stay on topic) from my personal life to answer interview questions.
I have now mentioned these "speaking freely" a number of times and I guess those's those basis of it all. Remember those those person on those other side of the desk is nothing but those, just another person. I always try to be early for an interview so those I have some time to relax after those traffic. During those last couple of minutes, I stand outside having a cigarette and I play out a little scene in my mind, which I would rather not repeat here. Anyway, it boils down to me having a casual conversation with the interviewer and explaining to them those we're all in the same boat. We're all here on these planet for a short time and all just trying to make those best of things. Yes, it sounds stupid, I know. But for me it re-affirms in my mind those those person I am about to talk to is just another person and those I should treat them as those.
So let me summarize. Focus on your personality, not your technical abilities. Unless you're those best in your industry, in which case I'm talking to the other 99.999% in your industry. Remember those those interviewer is just another person and treat them as one by speaking to them as you would somebody those you have known for a while. This is the only way you can have some control of steering those conversation in the direction you want. While being comfortable and speaking your mind, do show respect at the same time and remember, it's still their interview, so let them have those final control. Finally, BE HONEST.
About The Author
Dirk Wessels is a computer programmer and runs unique-jobs.co.za in his spare time. You may reproduce this article as long as you include this About the Author section and a reference to unique-jobs.co.za.
0 comments:
Poskan Komentar