Ten Steps to the Successful Interview--continued
     
 Step Six—Responding to Interview Questions

  
  Everyone would like to know what kind of questions the interviewer might ask them in the interview. If I could provide this information to everyone, I would be one very rich lady! What I can tell you is that my experience shows that there are three types of questions that you most CERTAINLY will be asked. Here they are:
  • The Unexpected Question or the Sensitive Area Question: These are questions that we know we HOPE they do not ask us. Everyone has a “sensitive” area about their education, work history, personal experiences that they really do not want to have to talk about. This is because we DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY. Guess what? It is time to prepare your answers! Take out a blank piece of paper and make a list of 5-10 questions that you ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT WANT TO ANSWER. Now, write out your answers. It will take you several drafts to craft the answer that you are satisfied with, and make sure that your answer is BRIEF AND CONCISE. The fear of the unknown has just disappeared! Now you are ready.

  • The “For Example” Question:   Since interviewers use your resume as a crutch for interviewing you, they will almost always choose some piece of information from your resume and ask you to give them an example.  If you are not prepared for this type of question, the few seconds that it takes you to formulate the appropriate example could cause the interviewer to doubt the validity of your information.  Look at your resume, formulate examples, and practice these ahead of time so that when the question comes, you can answer quickly and thoughtfully.

  • The Compensation Question:  This question will be asked many times in this process so it is imperative that you are prepared.  Many books suggest that you respond with a very general statement, or that you should avoid answering this question at all costs.  I suggest that you first do some research and find out what your current market value is.  What are companies paying people with similar skills, education, and work experience? There are lots of resources for this kind of information on the internet like www.salary.com as well as reference books and associations in your industry as well as headhunters who specialize in your discipline or industry.  Once you find out your market value,  focus the interviewer on the TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE instead by saying something like “ I will be considering the total compensation package, however the salary range that I am most interested in is from $(amount) to $(amount).”  This type of response allows you to answer the question without eliminating yourself from opportunities, yet you a not risking “turning off” the potential hiring authority.
     
   Step Seven—Questions You Should Ask in the Interview 
You are responsible for the content of the interview, so to control content you MUST ask questions. Questions you ask are used in the interview to do several things:
  • Gather information
  • Demonstrate knowledge and research
  • Demonstrate INSIGHT and UNDERSTANDING of the industry, company etc.
  • To DIRECT the interviewer to areas that you know must be addressed
The average person asks 3-5 questions during the interview. You must be prepared to ask at least 20. You will get these questions from your research and a list of “good interview” questions. Now how do you think you will stack up next to the average candidate who asks 2-3? 		 
     
 Step Eight—Make a Graceful Exit

  
 
The interview has finally come to an end and you can’t wait to “get out of there”. Don’t move so fast, as you still have work to do! You must ask the interviewer the following closing questions. Yes, that’s right, more questions!
  • What is the next step?
  • When will the hiring decision be made?
  • How many applicants have you interviewed?
  • How do I stack up against other candidates so far?
  • If I should have any more questions, may I contact you?
Finally, before you leave, make sure that you communicate your INTEREST in the opportunity. Employers will not make offers to individuals who they think will not accept. They do not like rejection any more than you do.
     
   Step Nine—After the Interview 
Immediately after the interview, write down your impressions of the interview, questions, concerns, etc. while they are fresh in your mind.

On the DAY FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW, write a personal hand-written note on a personal note card with a matching envelope. Do not e-mail a thank you note. You will be pleasantly surprised by the reaction most hiring authorities have to a hand-written personal thank you note!
  • What do you write in this note? Well, keep it short and simple. I suggest that you open with an “acknowledgment statement”, state your interest, and close with a simple thank you statement. Always sign your full name. Don’t forget to follow this step even after the second, third or fourth . . . interviews and each person that you interview with gets a card.


  
     
 Step Ten—The Telephone Follow-Up 

  
 
Several days after sending the thank you note, begin to attempt to contact the HIRING AUTHORITY.  Be persistent.  You may need to call often, since I advise that you not leave your name and number.  This call is too important to risk the person returning the call at a time when you are not prepared to talk.

When you reach the hiring authority you will:
  • Identify yourself and state that you had interviewed on X day.
  • Ask if the person had any additional questions.
  • Ask if and when the hiring decision will be made.
  • Tell them about your INTEREST.