Job Search Debugged (Sneak Peek)
The Interview—Mistakes, missteps and miscalculations
Objective: Avoid Embarrassment and elimination
Strategy: Communicate how your credentials map to their needs
Tactic: Focus on specific tasks and results
Just as you are a candidate like no other, interviewers are also distinctive. There are no two interviewers alike and thus, no two interviews are alike. Each interviewer has their own agenda, style and sensitivities. While you can’t possibly know or prepare for all the variations, you can be aware of things to avoid.
Errors Made
Joe V., serial entrepreneur, CEO has hired executives and technology professionals for years. His observation of one of the most annoying mistakes made. Joe says, “Oversell. Overselling their connections or how they will make my company successful and overselling their capabilities. It undermines their credibility. I am more impressed people who tell me how they will help. I know of four people who all took credit for the creation of one product.”
Joe believes another important indicator of a viable candidate is the questions they ask. “If candidates don’t ask good questions, if they don’t do their homework on my company, how can they know what we do and where they fit?”
Joe is especially annoyed at questions to which the candidate should know the answers. “Who is the competition or the customer are top of list. Don’t waste interview real estate with superficial questions and don’t ask for reassurance with, “How do I compare to other candidates?”
Rod C. built a new company from employee number one. He hired all the ‘C’ level positions and a complete engineering staff. “Not understanding my business and my company is a negative. If they don’t understand my business, how can they know they want to work for me or that they can contribute? I need people who can do their research.”
Jackie T., CEO. “If I am serious about filling a position, I conduct all the initial interviews myself. I don’t want to waste my team’s time. Using my network, I like to surface all the candidates at one time to make the process efficient. I don’t’ like to make a decision on one at a time. If they are good, I pass the candidate to their potential peers and direct reports. We all go through a white Board presentation of the candidates’ strengths and weakness. I sometimes ask external people or clients to meet with them or the Board or even a potential investor.”
Barbara T., VP, Industrial Relations. “I can put up with a lot but I hate it when people who should know better come in to interview and they are chewing gum or not dressed right. But the one thing that I won’t tolerate is ‘boss bashing.’ When I ask questions about previous employment and hear, ‘My boss was a jerk,’ I cut the interview short.”
Frank C., Executive VP, Marketing. “When I interview someone for a senior position, I want to know they met me half way; that they know something about my company. If they don’t know the basics like our market, how we are positioned against the competition and the customer base, I lose interest in the candidate immediately.”
David G., Founder of what has become a major biotech company. “What I look for? What do people think about their current and previous employers? Do they have small company experience so every executive has been battle trained and didn’t get shell shocked when the bombs went off? I look for personal honesty. Do they distort? Do they give a balanced view of who they are? Are they willing to discuss themselves in an open way? I like to see people out from under stress, away from the office, in nature…go for walks. Most communication is nonverbal. I take manufacturing tours and watch reactions, listen to questions. I standardize the tour so every candidate gets the same thing and I can do a clear comparison. I also like to get to know the spouse, and if there isn’t one, I like to learn why. In a successful hiring relationship, the interview is the greening of a long term relationship. I expect trust and openness. I like an intensive courtship.”
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Did you work alone?
A common deal killer is talking only about yourself. An experienced executive or technology professional is expected to manage teams who were successful in executing strategy and tactics. Discussing the team’s accomplishments shows you are able to communicate and motivate. This is most important for technology professionals who depend on their ability to motivate and manage processes and people to release products on time, on budget.
Steve came up through the management chain via sales. His sales teams pioneered new territories with new products and sometimes, new distribution channels. In a conversation with a prospective employer for a CEO spot, Steve forgot who did the street fighting. He claimed, “I landed the biggest OEM contract and I negotiated terms neither company had done before.” On closer inspection, it was revealed his people were responsible for all but the final negotiation. Steve’s credibility was damaged. The interviewer was forced to ask, “What role did you play?” each time Steve gave an example. It was difficult to assess his leadership skills when he constantly took credit for his team’s work. Or was it?
But what did YOU do?
Murray loved his team. He hired all of them over the years and the loyalty was mutual. They accomplished a lot with a little, a characteristic any employer celebrates. Their success was highly visible in the business community. In discussions and interviews, Murray started every sentence with, “We…” and waxed ecstatic about the team’s accomplishments. Murray’s own accomplishments, his ability to hire, lead and establish loyalty, his management style, his strategic genius, his creativity, were all shrouded in what the team did. The interviewer was given not even a glimpse of Murray’s real value. Murray was proud of being a team player, but he conveyed almost nothing about himself as a leader.
Murray could have responded, “We brought a new product to market every nine months. I worked with the product marketing staff to illuminate the strategy and we created the road map to accomplish what needed to be done with mileposts that were always met. Every person knew his/her role and the impact it had on the release date because I conducted pre-and post-mortems. I created a project management system that encouraged innovation with checks and balances at every stage. I implemented cross training, so even when the flu season hit, the team never missed a beat. How does your company get products to market?”
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Sell, don’t tell
“I’m offended and a bit suspicious when someone who barely knows my company, especially a candidate, offers a solution to something we have been working on for months.” Wayne S., CEO.
It’s a temptation, a trap. During an interview you are asked your opinion on challenges facing the employer. You want to make a good impression and show your experience is a good fit and you would make a good addition to the team. It is easy to assume they want you to offer a solution. They don’t.
Employers have no doubt worked on a solution to the problems and explored many possibilities. The company has the details; they know what they tried, what worked, what did not, the history of the problem and understand Board or customer expectations and the corporate culture. You don’t.
To offer a solution is ill advised and presumptuous. It is also an insult to believe that someone who has thought about the problem for less than five minutes can solve a problem they have worked on for months. Even if you have seen the problem before and feel you know the answer, tread lightly lest you be taken off the list of candidates by relating a solution.
Nancy is an experienced Human Resources professional who interviewed for a spot as Vice President in an established company. Her fifteen year’s experience gives her every right to feel confident, self assured and ready to take on most challenges.
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By the third round of interviews, she was certain the job was hers. When told the company was recovering from a series of layoffs that affected both morale and productivity, she responded, “What you need to do is …, and then you have to…” and expounded for a full ten minutes on a solution she had used successfully in another company. Nancy was pleased and felt she nailed the interview because she had the right answer. She finished her instructions to them with “You should start by…”
Imagine Nancy’s surprise when she received the call telling her the company made an offer to another candidate. When we reviewed her interview she was confused about where she went wrong. She was convinced her solution was exactly what they needed and she was the right person to implement it.
Nancy ran aground because during the interview it appeared she assumed what worked in another company would work for the prospective employer. Every employer believes their company is unique, their problems more so. Alarms go off when an employer sees a stock solution to their highly specific problems; that you assume what worked before will work again. In reality, employers are more interested in observing how you solve problems than hearing a solution from your bag of tricks.
Nancy’s style also sailed her into the rocks. When she told them what they ‘needed’ to do, what they ‘should’ do and what they ‘must’ do, they rightly heard her telling them what to do. Few employers enjoy being told what to do by someone who barely knows their company. They don’t much like it when someone who does know the company communicates that way. It is a peek at management style.
Experience shows people who tell others what to do rather than managers who ‘sell’ their ideas tend to have higher turnover and more employee problems.
What could Nancy have done differently to get her ideas across without losing her place in line? Here are a few ideas on how to sell people on your experience without telling them what to do.
- Ask what has been tried to date and the results.
- Ask why it did or did not work.
- Ask how this problem affects the bottom line, other departments and product.
- Alternatively, list what you would need to know before you could have a comprehensive solution.
- Ask what outcome they would like to see and discuss in detail.
- Tell them who you’d talk to, what data you would use and what problem history you would need in order to propose a solution.
- Tell them about another experience where you solved a similar problem and acknowledge the situations are no doubt different.
- Tell them what resources you used, the solution and the results of the solution. Make certain the employer understands you know you don’t have enough detail to say this will be an appropriate solution for them.
- Instead of ‘tell’ words, use ‘ask’ words.
- What would happen if…
- It’s been my experience that…
- Have you considered…
- What have you tried so far?
- What do you think would work?
- What resources are available?
- Who do you know who has solved this problem?
- What part of their solution applies? Does not apply?
- What is your first priority in deriving a solution?
- What do you consider as metrics to gauge that success?
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She should have known better
Nancy made the mistake of thinking she would get the job based on what she knows and how smart she is. In reality, people are hired to solve a variety of problems, not just the current one. Learning how you solve problems, work within a corporate environment and your style are the real targets for the interview.
People hire people they like. And people don’t like being told what to do, no matter how smart the person is. In the end, the employer believed Nancy is smart and knowledgeable, but didn’t see her fitting into their company; they didn’t want someone telling people what to do. They wanted someone who would engage to find solutions, to lead, not dictate.
It is your choice, do you want to convey how smart you are with sage advice or do you want to get a job offer? People are more inclined to participate in the solution if they are involved in deriving it. When you demonstrate you sell your ideas rather than tell people what to do, you are more likely to get to the next step. When you interview, people need to see you operate with the whole company in mind and can sell your ideas. Your objective is to get the job, not solve their problem during an interview.
Playing hard to get is being hard to want
Make yourself easy to hire. It is pure myth that making yourself seem unattainable increases your desirability. Companies hire people who want to work for them.
Jamie M. hired several technology executives for his IT department at a large Internet retailer. His instructions were very specific: “We only hire people who really get it. They have to believe that all that hard work is worth it because we are doing something that has never been done before.” He said, “The whole team, really the whole company, drinks the cool- aid.”
One candidate whom he sought knew his skills were in demand. The candidate was making a good salary in California, lived in a gated community and wanted to be courted. It was not without extreme effort that he was convinced to take a day off work to talk to Jamie in person. Jamie did not heed outside advice that he and his team should engage in a serious courtship dance that included all members. He refused because he wanted to hire someone who wanted to work at the company.
He was more than willing to assert the company’s attractiveness as an employer. He was more than willing to tempt the candidate with the technical challenges, sphere of influence and quality of the team. He was not willing to make concessions in the standard hiring or relocation policies. Nor did he capitulate to entreaties to wine and dine the candidate.
I have rarely spent time in a company where morale was so high. People uniformly spent 70-80 hours a week working and not complaining. They did it because they wanted to. That was the kind of person Jamie wanted to hire and why he refused to court.
Jamie knew a way to maintain the high morale was to use the hiring process to screen for attitude. If a candidate acted like a prima Dona during the hiring phase, Jamie believed he risked hiring a high maintenance individual. He ultimately passed on the candidate because he demanded twice the salary allotted for the spot and would not compromise by offsetting some of his requirements in a hiring bonus or long term benefits.
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Make it easy to hire you
In nineteen years bringing on new employees, Ruth D., Human Resources Director, noted the harder it is to bring someone on board, the more likely they were to be the wrong person for the job. Ruth says, “We look for people who want the job. We want people who see what we are doing as one of the fastest growing organizations in high tech and want to be part of it. We especially look at how they see themselves contributing to our growth.”
More than once, Ruth passed on an executive because, in her view, “He is making it too hard.” Ruth has said, “If it takes too long, it isn’t going to happen.” She walks away from hiring people who need more than a week to decide on an offer unless there is a compelling reason. She disregards candidates’ attempts to manipulate her by telling her they are being courted elsewhere. Ruth says, “Our process works. There is no reason for me to change it because the candidate’s timing isn’t right or worse, if they are putting pressure on me. If I ask their time frame, that is enough. I don’t respond well to candidates who try to play me against other offers or companies. If I extend an offer it is because we have decided the individual is a good fit and no pressure about competition changes that.”
Worthy of note, her organization has some of the lowest turn-over in the industry. Hiring right saves the company time and money. And they defy the statistic that says 40% of executives leave their positions after 18 months.
Lose the thread
Krishna interviewed with a company that was clearly serious about him and he wanted the job. He was frustrated because the interviews did not focus on his deep technology background. He wanted to turn the focus from his management style and successes with collaboration back to the problems his teams solved. He missed the important clue; the company asked so many questions about his management style because they needed a strong manager, not a strong technologist.
Too general
“I interviewed Pat and there was no way I could get her to drill down to specifics. She gave me broad when I needed deep so I never learned what she could really do for my client.” Cory T., When Pat gave philosophy answers about why one does certain things or what resources they would use, she missed the opportunity to tell a ‘story’ about her own experience that related to the topic. This is especially likely to happen with candidates with a lot of consulting experience; they feel they must educate the person asking the question rather than establish their own experience by way of a success and outcome.
Why are you here?
A mistake candidates make is to neglect to ask for the job. Eric R., Board Member says, “Convey the message that you are passionate about what the company is doing and that you can do to make the company more successful. ‘I really want to work for your company’ goes a long way.”
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Random mistakes to avoid because they can be deal killers
Under pressure, some people talk too much. Sound bites are more effective than a lot of back story.
Too much theory, not enough examples.
Others, interrupt. There is nothing more annoying to an interviewer than being interrupted. Practice waiting ten seconds before responding.
Going off topic is a mistake. If you need help with this, repeat the question as part of your answer.
Neglect to send a thank you note to all those with whom you interviewed is a missed marketing opportunity.
Nagging is bad communication. Asking how you did, how you stack up with the competition or when they will make a decision are sure fire ways to get to the bottom of the list.
Too much follow up beyond the thank you note and one ping.
Not preparing your references by updating them on your most recent accomplishments.
Using AT&T cell for phone service. This isn’t a joke. Today I lost connection three times with two AT&T users. Schedule important calls for times when you can use your land line.
Failure to create a compelling LinkedIn profile. It is critical and not an option.
Over reliance on digital communications. Get out there and meet the folks, use the phone and enjoy a meal with your connections.
Those who treat the ancillary staff of prospective employers tend to get high marks. The receptionist and administrative support staffs are often asked how they were treated. Be mindful of how you treat everyone.
Complaining removes you from consideration for many people. Sure job search is tough, but your feelings about it have no place in your job search.
Always ask for the job when you leave
A proper close is a must. Each person you talk to in an interview must know you want the job and why.
“I like what I see at XJS and feel I can hit the ground running implementing new Agile software development strategies. I hope you feel the same.”
“The marketing needs of Cobra are exactly the challenges I welcome. I would like to work with you to make Cobra a household name.”
“Expanding sales outreach is what I do best. I would like to work with the team at Muntz and leverage my connections on your behalf.”
“xxxx is of interest to me because I have a track record bringing new products to market and bringing SaaS to xxxx, as I did with xxxx, will make that process faster. I want to lead the team that accomplishes that.”
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Themocracy