When I finally scored my first phone interview, I realized that I had not engaged in an actual, formal interview in 20 years. Of course, I remembered the standard format and questions (Why do you want this position? What will you bring to the table? How does your prior experience apply to this position? ). But in doing some research, I also learned there are people out there asking some very wacky questions such as: “If you were a zoo animal, what animal would you be?” What???
The fact is, you don’t know what type of hiring manager you will be speaking with so you need to be prepared for all types of questions. The questions can be mundane (walk me through your resume) or, they can be phrased to dig a little deeper. During my initial phone interviews, everyone was professional. However, there are hiring managers out there who live in an old mind-set and believe they have all the power. These are the people who sit back and essentially say, “Show me what you got and I’m incredibly busy so you better be quick about it.” You also need to be prepared to interview with people who have less experience than you….more on that later.
Liz Ryan (see You Are Going to Need a Buddy) says, “Smart employers actively sell job candidates on their opportunities – not just in their job ads, but all the way through the recruiting process.” Her philosophy: if your potential employer does not see you as a valued collaborator, but only as someone who should be grateful for a position within their organization, then walk away – and walk away quickly!
Below are a few questions to get you thinking:
“What is your coping mechanism when you have a bad day?” A question designed to help judge your resiliency in a high-pressure job.
“How would you describe your management style?” A way to understand if you will fit in with the corporate culture.
“What would you ask the CEO if you met him/her one day?” Probing to see if you have done your homework on the business.
“Who is your hero, and why?” This question gives insight into your personality, priorities & how you look at the world.
In future posts we will talk about the idea of holding out for that dream job versus accepting a survival job, while you continue to look for that fabulous position you always wanted. You can do this – be strong!
