Talking HR with Reza Ghazali
IN my last article, I wrote about how executives need to take stock
of their career. In this article, I thought I would focus on mastering
the art of the interview. I get asked for tips all the time from nervous
candidates, and here's what I tell them.
The personal qualities
that make you influential inside an organisation, such as social skills,
energy, intelligence and the ability to think on your feet, are the
same ones that will make you a skilled interviewee.
No matter
your level, proving that you have what it takes to handle a job, or
develop it into an even bigger one, is a primary goal of the interview.
In addition, getting your questions answered, such as how senior
leadership sees the role and what worked, and didn't, with the
predecessor is equally important.
Research shows that
interviewers form an impression of a candidate within the first eight
seconds of meeting him or her. The remainder of the interview is spent
confirming or turning their opinion around. When managed properly,
interviews should include three distinct parts:
1) Establishing trust and rapport with the interviewer,
2) Selling yourself while the interviewer sells the role and company culture, and
3) Wrapping up, soliciting real-time feedback, and identifying next steps.
Before
an interview, it is advisable to learn as much as possible about the
hiring organisation's business, corporate DNA, and key issues. If you
are working with an executive recruiter, the pre-interview discussion
should be taken very seriously and can provide an early reality check
about the hiring organisation. Based on your research, think about what
the company is looking for outside the published job specification and
how your skills fit.
Anticipate questions you may be asked and
practise talking about various experiences both positive and negative in
less than three minutes.
Review your own work history for
specific situations that might apply to the new role, the action you
took, and the results you delivered.
The interview will also
probe your strategic and operating skills, personal and interpersonal
skills, and what is known as your “learning agility” the ability to
apply your experiences in new ways.
Do not be surprised if a
company or recruiter asks you to complete an assessment, usually online.
Assessments enable recruiters to understand how candidates are
motivated, make decisions and lead groups. Recruiters will then look for
gaps between the results and what's on a candidates resume.
Once
the interview is over, send personalised thank you letters to everyone
you met: include any information you promised to deliver and a call to
action, perhaps clarifying when a decision might be made. Even if you
have been told you did not get the job, use a thank you letter to handle
it gracefully in case another, and even better post in the organisation
comes along for which you would be ideal.
Reza Ghazali,
managing director of Korn/Ferry International in Malaysia believes
career is nothing more than just calculative and conscious pitstops we
make throughout our life journey, so enjoy the ride!
Source: The Star Online - June 12, 2012
