Career Strategy: Interview Skills and Working with Recruiters

Figuring Out Where You Want to Work

Interviewing Skills and Process

Recommendations

Mock Interview Homework

Q&A

Today’s Agenda

1. Country 2. Corporate Culture 3. Industry 4. Function

Do You Know What You Want to Do?

KNOW YOURSELF

• Strengths • Passion • Aspirations

KNOW THE COMPANY

Advancement

Employee Benefits

Culture

Dress Code

Environment

Ethics and Integrity

Financial Structure

Goals

Growth ( Organic, Acquisitions)

Stability

Training

History

Innovative, new products

Locations

Management Philosophy

Revenues, size, employees

Management structure

Progressive M&A activity

Reputation

Status and Competition

Strategy

Where they move or promote people

Important Company Facts to Investigate

The Interview Process

1. Preparation

2. Introduction

3. The Interview

4. Closing Remarks

5. Follow up

• Google/LinkedIn/Facebook

• Use your Network • Inside information

• Related news stories/ current events

1. Preparation

• Appearance

• Eye contact

• Entrance & Handshake

• Opening Statement • Body language

• Personal Branding

2. Introduction

• Know answers to different questions

• Highlight key strengths, skills and competencies

• Market Yourself– Use Personality Descriptors and Action words

• Use short anecdotes for

support • PAR statement

3. The Interview

• Any outstanding strategic questions • Clarify, Summarize • Express interest • Find out what the next steps are

• Express gratitude

4. Closing Remarks

• Keep in touch

• Email a thank you letter

• Send articles of interest • Send updates regarding your projects, CV

5. Follow Up

• 85% of interviewers’ decisions are based on information gathered in the first 2 minutes

• One unfavorable rating on one aspect leads to a reject decision 90% of the time

• 60% + of communication consists of nonverbal body language

• Most advertised jobs attract hundreds of applicants

• Of these, 6-8 candidates are short-listed for interviews

Things to Remember

DO:

Demonstrate confidence and skills

Formulate answers with 2 key points

Stop talking when you have answered a question

Do have a point of view

Do have your own agenda

Do leave the interview on a positive note

Do come with questions in writing and take notes

AVOID:

Arrogance

Improvising

Giving too much information

Overtly disagreeing with interviewer

Making assumptions

Criticizing former colleagues, bosses, others

What to Do and What to Avoid

• Know your opening and closing summary and ISP – Individual Selling Points

• Concise, clear and to-the-point

• Convey a high level of energy and enthusiasm

• Be likeable

• Focus on hard and soft skills - Downplay negative parts of your work history, skills and background

Communication

• Be an active listener – connect with your interviewer

• Focus on what you can do: short and long-term contributions to the company

• Don’t be afraid of silence, pause

• Don’t speak for more than 2 minutes

• Read the situation and the body language of your interviewer

Be ready for tough, inquisitive questions

Communication

• How do you think?

• Can you plan & achieve results?

• How will you interact with others?

• Are you motivated to become a top performer?

• How soon will you become productive?

• Are you a high-potential hire?

• Education, experience, knowledge, intellect,

interpersonal skills and motivation.

• Competencies, Strengths and limitations

What Interviewers Look For:

Interviewer Questions

Tell me about yourself?

What is your personal and professional five-year goal?

Why do you feel you can be successful in this role?

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses and how will they impact your performance here?

How would you compare and rate your oral and written skills?

Tell me the top trends in your role / area that are most relevant at the moment?

Give an example of a time you worked in a team and any obstacles you faced?

Have you ever been put on the spot by a professor or felt unsure of yourself? How did you respond?

How do you go about convincing someone to accept your ideas?

What do you consider your most significant accomplishment and failure, why?

Why did you choose to get an MBA and why IE?

Interviewer Questions (1)

How should supervisors and subordinates interact?

How hard do you work to achieve your objectives?

What are some of the most creative things you have done?

When have you been the most intellectually challenged?

Do you feel qualified to be successful in this role and why?

How do you think you can contribute to this organization?

What makes you stand out from the crowd of MBAs?

How do you describe success?

What did you get out of business school?

Do you have any questions for me?

In what ways have you been a

leader?

Interviewer Questions (2) • Give me a 3 minute overview of your career. Tell me about yourself.

• Tell me about 2 trends in your field or area that are creating progress?

• What do consider to be your core strength?

• What differentiates you, or sets you apart, in the discipline of (finance, marketing, creative, business development, operations, legal etc.)

• What are the 2 biggest or most interesting projects that you've worked on in your career?

• What's your greatest achievement in your current or last role?

• What do you want to be doing in 2 years, in 5 years?

• In what areas have you grown the most over the past 3 years (weaknesses)?

Technical Acumen:

• Tell me about an assignment you had which required you to own the product from start to finish.

• Think of a complex problem you had to solve on your job. Tell me about what you did to find the primary cause of the problem.

• Let's assume I'm not familiar with your area of expertise, educate me on the latest happenings in ________(logistics/branding/web design/engineering, etc.).

Interviewer Questions (3) Entrepreneurial Personality: What have you done to either promote or discourage an "entrepreneurial spirit" within your work group or your organization? Describe a major change that you either started or had to manage. Tell me about the actions you took from start to finish. Tell me about a time when rapid change or shifting direction created a problem for you at work. Sometimes we don't have all the information we'd like when trying to make a decision or solve a problem. Tell me about a time when you had to make a key decision based on incomplete information, and what was the outcome of this decision? Tell me about a time when you had more problems to deal with than you had time for. How did you handle it? Team-Oriented: Tell me about a situation where you found it necessary to help another person improve their professional skills. People sometimes feel the need to give us ideas or suggestions about how to solve a problem or do our job. Could you give me an example of how you respond in these situations? Tell me about a time when someone who was obviously upset came to you for guidance in solving a serious problem.

Interviewer Questions (4) • Sociability:

• Tell me about a situation or project where you had to work with or manage a person very different from you. What did you learn from the experience?

• Most people prefer either to work alone or to work with others. Give me an example of a situation that reflects your preference.

• Give me an example of a time when you decided that your work unit needed some "spirit", or a lift in morale. Tell me in detail what you did.

• What have you done to develop your network of contacts. Tell me about one contact you've made that has been long-lasting and mutually helpful?

• Style/Communication:

• Tell me about how you manage a team on a project from start to finish. Describe your communication style and the way you give direction to your team.

• Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a manager or a coworker and how you managed it?

• How would your direct reports and people you've worked with describe you?

• I'm sure you realize the importance of reference checking in making a hiring decision. Tell me what you think your references will say about you.

Interviewer Questions (5)

• Leadership Skills

• Interpersonal Skills

• Management Skills

• Entrepreneurial Skills

• Self-Management Skills

• Computer Skills

• Strategic Thinking

• Strategic Influence

• Integrity

• Persuasiveness • Influence • Business Acumen • Achievement Orientation • Symbolic Thinking • Communicates Vision • Builds Commitment to Vision • Judgement • Decisiveness • Attends to Details • Negotiation

Keep these words and phrases in mind as good tools to easily describe traits of the interviewee:

Useful Links

• www.michaelpage.com

• www.euromanager.es

• www.russellreynolds.com

• www.spencerstuart.com

• www.egonzehnder.com

• www.kornferry.com

• www.heidrick.com

• www.syc-amrop.es

Prepare Interesting Questions Good questions are more powerful than answers

• Ask Strategic questions

• Ask about your future in the company

• What other information do you need to make a decision?

Approved

Accounted for

Advised

Analyzed

Achieved

Attained

Budgeted

Balanced

Created

Convinced

Directed

Coordinated

Designed

Demonstrated

Established

Exceeded

Expanded

Enhanced

Facilitated

Implemented

Identified

Motivated

Orchestrated

Performed

Produced

Reduced

Represented

Resolved

Recommended

Spearheaded

Strengthened

Supervised

Sustained

Turned around

Integrated

Revised

Recruited

Proved

Initiated

Use Action Words to Market Yourself Replace “Managed” and “Did” with these words:

Aware Appreciative Assertive Adaptable Balanced Committed Compassionate Cooperative Decisive Discreet Diplomatic Motivator Efficient Enthusiastic Flexible Forgiving Generous

Personality Descriptors Goal-Oriented Integrity Inquisitive Insightful Mature Optimistic Patient Reliable Resourceful Risk-taking Self-confident Sense of humor Sincere Thorough Quick learner Creative Strategic

Use Par Statements to Highlight Achievements

• Problem faced………..situation, challenge faced

• Actions taken…………what you did – analysis, decision,

execution

• Results………….quantifiable achievements, personal

satisfaction, enjoyment, acknowledgment, what you learned from experience

Getting Facts on Salary and Position

• Are they expecting me to negotiate?

• How did they arrived at this offer? Was there a range?

• Would the package look different pre-crisis?

• Is the highest offer made for this position?

• Do I have a specific skill for this job that’s unique thus allowing me to negotiate harder?

• Who is the key decision maker?

• Who else would be involved in negotiating the terms?

• How long has this position been open?

• How have they been finding candidates for this position?

• Were others in this job promoted or why did they leave the company?

• What was their background?

• What is the value of this role to the department ?To the company?

Connecting With Executive Recruiters • Recommendations

• Cold Calls, Send CV

• Offer help

• PR

• Differentiation

- Interesting CV

-Academic or business performance

- Specific, unique skillset and/or knowledge

• Networking

Recruiters Look For • Preparedness

• Confidence

• Discretion

• The ability to think strategically

• Sense of Humor

• Energy and motivation

• Active listening skills

• Flexibility/Adaptability

• Team player

• Assertiveness

• Knowledge

• Show ability to take initiative

• Quick learner

• Accept challenges

• Show successful track record

• Modesty and moderation

• Multicultural ,Diversity

• Influence

• Leadership skills

• Networking skills

• Focus

• USP

• Creativity

•Deepen your Self-Understanding (3 key points) • List companies you want to work for • Prepare in-depth your interviewing Q/A •Bring Career Leader evaluation

Homework for Mock-Interviews

Any

Interesting Follow Up Reading

• The Economist, September 10th, “The Quest for Jobs”.

• Website: www.slideshare.net, search for “Interview Skills” and “Salary Negotiations” powerpoint presentations.