Never Let ‘em See You Sweat:
Preparing for the Interview
by
Laura Gassner Otting,
President, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
(This article is reprinted with the
permission of
www.ExecSearches.com,
for whom it was originally
written.)
You’ve heard the old expression: You never get a second
chance to make a first impression. But what you haven’t
heard is that most interviewers will size you up within the
first ten minutes of an interview. If you don’t impress him
or her immediately, you risk spending the balance of your
interview with a person who is smiling politely but mentally
reviewing their grocery list.
Beat the draw of “milk, cereal, eggs, bread…” by being
meticulously prepared for each phase of the interview. Wow
them at the handshake and keep them engaged until “this way
to your new office.”
Phase One: Clean Up Your Act
An
interview is a perfect chance to show off someone who looks
better than you do on a typical Monday morning. Besides, the
red-eyed, disheveled look went out with the last millennium
anyway. Wear a clean suit with a pressed blouse or shirt.
Don’t bring stale smoke or (does it even need to be said?)
alcohol breath into an interview.
Bring extra copies of your resume, business cards, a
pad and pens. You never know when the one-on-one interview
will turn into an unannounced group hug or an office tour.
Don’t wear excessive jewelry, make-up or cologne; this isn’t
a date.
Get there early, or have the courtesy to call if you
will be running late. At best, an interviewer can move some
other appointments to accommodate you. At worst, she or he
will seethe through whatever time is left in the scheduled
interview. A firm, and please, dry handshake is always
accepted.
Above all, be friendly to the secretary when making an
appointment. Candidates who abuse my secretary never get a
second interview, no matter how qualified they are for a
position. If I can’t trust you to be nice to my staff, can I
really trust you to be nice to your own?
Phase Two: Above All Know Thyself, the Organization and
their Needs
If you don’t already know this, slowly step away from the
interviewer’s office and put your hands where I can see
them. You aren’t ready.
Think through how you wish to portray each job you have
held, both the positives and the negatives. Rehearse your
transitions between jobs. You will be asked about all of
this, and while you shouldn’t grumble about a previous
employer, fudging through an obviously tough situation will
make you look dishonest.
Research the organization and its senior management,
where they have been and where they wish to go. Before an
interview, ask to see annual reports, strategic plans, or
other material that will shed more light on the
organization. Having a thorough understanding of the
organization will help you better assess, and therefore
better communicate, how they will benefit by bringing you on
staff.
Phase Three: Tag, You’re It!
At
some point in the interview, usually about three quarters of
the way through, you will be asked if you have any
questions. If you say no, you will have lost a unique
opportunity to learn about the organization, not to mention
have yourself labeled as having no intellectual curiosity or
enthusiasm about the position or the organization.
Bring along good questions, albeit not too many. You
will be judged both on your intellectual savvy, as well as
your etiquette. Focus your questions on the future of the
organization rather than the organizational chart or the
salary range. Asking nit-picky questions will only make the
interviewer think you are a small thinker; there will be
time for the details later… when you are reviewing an offer.
Be Prepared! A Pre-Interview Checklist:
-
An interview cheat
sheet with achievements and explanations
organized by job and function.
- An appointment book
to schedule a follow-up interview on the spot.
- A working watch to
ensure early arrival.
- A folder with five
extra resumes, business cards and a note pad.
- Tissues or a
handkerchief.
- A portfolio of your
creative work or strategic plans.
- Breath mints.
- A list of
references with current contact information and
a brief explanation of their relationship to
you.
- A sense of humor
about yourself.
- Last but not least,
turn off your cell phone or beeper.
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