The Art of the Interview

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