Seven words that strike fear into the hearts of many job seekers! You’ve applied for a great job, painstakingly crafted a targeted resume and cover letter, survived the telephone screen, and landed a face-to-face interview. You’ve researched the company, gone over the job description, rehearsed responses to common interview questions…you think you’ve covered all your bases, until the moment when the interview is drawing to a close and your interviewer throws to you for questions!
Related:5 Things Every Employer Wants To Hear In An Interview
How you respond can seal your fate, so preparation is a must! If you’re frozen with fear or can’t think of a single question on the spot, you’re not alone – many job seekers falter at this part of the interview process. Don’t think of it as a trap or trick question: this is your chance to shine. With a little bit of preparation you’ll be armed and ready.
1. Never say “no”!
You should always ask questions. Saying “No” or “You’ve already answered them” makes you look like you’re just going through the motions, unprepared, or uninterested. Show your potential employer some enthusiasm and ask at least two or three questions.
2. Make a list.
Come up with at least a dozen questions to ask. Some will undoubtedly be covered during the interview, so make sure you’ve got a few up your sleeve so you’re not caught off guard.
3. Think before you ask.
Don’t ask questions that are easily found on the company’s website. It tells an employer straight away that you didn’t do your research. You need to develop a list of questions that shows you’ve prepared, and really thought about the role.
You shouldn’t ask questions about salary, benefits, parking, social clubs, or sick leave. Your job is to impress the employer, not lead them to believe you are only concerned about the money or company’s social activities.
Never simply ask, “So, did I get the job?” It sounds arrogant and puts the interviewer on the spot. Use the opportunity to better sell yourself as the right candidate by asking thought-provoking, intelligent questions.
4. Ask probing questions.
Try to ask open-ended questions rather than those that require a “yes” or “no” response. “Can you tell me about…?” “How would you describe…?” You’ll learn more that way, you can probe further, and it makes the interview more conversational.
5. Job interviews are a two-way street.
Yes, the employer is trying to determine whether you’d be a good “fit” for their team, but at the same time you need to learn whether or not this company would be a good “fit” for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that will help you determine this. Employers are impressed by aspiring employees who take the time to probe the employer.
6. Timing is essential.
The best interviews are conversational so you may be able to ask some of the questions on your list during the interview itself. Just be sure you don’t interrupt the interviewer in your haste to ask. If you are nearing the end of the interview, you may not have time to ask all of your questions. Don’t worry; just select a couple and see where it takes you.
Example Questions Include:
What do you enjoy most about working for this company?
If I were successful, what would you like me to have achieved in the first 3 months?
How would describe the culture here?
What would a typical day look like in this role?
How will my performance be measured?
What are the most important issues your company faces in the next 3, 6, or 12 months?
Why did the last person leave this role?
Do you have any specific concerns about my ability to do the job?
What kind of people do well in your company?
Developing a list of questions for the interviewer should be part of your interview preparation. It will show the employer you are keen, you’ve thought about the role in detail, and that you’ve gone the extra mile to prepare. A strategy that makes you stand out from other applicants.
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
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.