So, you’ve completed the process of searching for a job and sent out your cover letter and resume. Now, you’re invited to come in for an interview.
An interview is a critical point in the job hunting process. It helps you and the potential employer get a sense of whether you are the right fit for the position and company culture. It also directs the next step – a second interview, an offer, or the need to go back to step one with a continued search.
One of the things job candidates can do to make a good impression during the interview is to ask sensible questions. Posing appropriate questions related to your role and assignment conveys to the employer your interest and desire to work with the company. It also helps you gather the information you will need to formulate an impression of the position and whether the opportunity is a good fit for your personal goals.
Lastly, and most important, the responses you receive from the interviewer provide critical information to help you focus on relevant points that may be considered most important by the employer during the discussion.
For example, if you ask, “What are some important characteristic you’re looking for out of a candidate for this position?” The employer may respond with a focus on leadership, project management skills, and experience with social media. In such an instance, during the interview, you can tailor your conversation and responses with information to demonstrate how you have the capabilities they’re looking for versus focusing on points you think are important based simply on assumption.
So, what questions do you need to ask during an interview so the employer develops a good impression of you and so that you gather critical information to determine if this is an appropriate next step for your career?
1. Ask why this position is open or if it is a newly created position. The response can tell you multiple things:
The company is growing
The value of the position to the overall business or organization
The turnover rate or stability of the position
2. Ask about the performance of the position in the past (if it existed) and what improvements or changes are desired from the new candidate. The response will tell you about:
Day-to-day or general expectations of the position
Challenges with the position
Characteristics desired in a candidate to meet and go beyond requirements to succeed
3. Ask about whom you will report to, who reports to you, and which contacts you have day-to-day contact with. The response tells you:
Structure of organization or direct team and who else will influence the decision
Who you may potentially be interviewed by later in the process
Insight to individuals’ personalities or experience (for example, “You will report to Bob who has been with us for 10 years.”)
4. Ask if they feel you are well-qualified for the position. This is very important and tells you:
Any objections they might have giving you the opportunity to respond and overcome them
Clarification regarding whether you are really in the running for the job.
Every question you ask during an interview should give insight to help you better formulate an impression of the position and company, offer you information on what experience and skills you need to highlight, and what next steps you need to take to secure an offer.
And a last word of advice, always have a question for an employer when they ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” Regardless of how thorough the interview discussion was, think hard about whether you have neglected to cover anything additional that would be important to leaving a positive impression with your interviewer as you leave their offices for the day.
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Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.