3. - THE RESUME GETS YOU THE
INTERVIEW
- THE INTERVIEW GETS YOU THE JOB
Keep
In
Mind
4. Invest in your Resume?
➔ Take the time to tailor your resume for each
position you are applying for.
➔ Match your skill set to the job posting to
ensure your resume stands out from the rest
& secures an initial interview.
5. Some Statistics to Consider before Submitting
Your Resume...
➔ 80% of resumes that are professionally written get immediate
response from recruiters & hiring managers.
➔ 427K resumes are posted on Monster every week
➔ An average of 250 resumes are received for each job posting
➔ 88% job rejection if there is a photo of yourself
➔ Recruiters spend 5 to 7 seconds looking over your resume
➔ It only takes ONE spelling or grammar mistake for your
resume to be ignored.
➔ 76% of resumes are ignored if your email address is
unprofessional.
7. ★ A follow up
call can win
you the
interview!
Be Proactive. Know Who & When to Follow Up?
➔ If you do not hear back within ONE WEEK, follow-up
➔ Make sure you are in a quiet place.
➔ NEVER ask for the Human Resources Dept or the
Recruiting Manager.
➔ Make sure you speak to the actual hiring person
➔ If NO luck ask the receptionist.
➔ When following up via email make sure you
reference the title of the position you are applying for
and your name in the subject line.
Some Tips:
Take Control & Drive the Process Yourself
8. Email -subject lines that are appropriate &
catchy to grab a Recruiter/Hiring Manager’s
Attention!
➔ Superstar looking for new challenges & opportunities
➔ (YOUR NAME) - The best addition to your team
➔ Hiring me will help with your team and business goals - available
NOW!
➔ Hiring me will change your company because...
➔ From the World’s Greatest Salesperson
➔ You need me as a candidate
➔ 5 things you don’t know about (YOUR NAME)
➔ Your next great sales hire...I will show you why!
➔ I am a top candidate for your_____position
9. Helpful Resources & Tips
Utilize
Glassdoor
Best Time to
Schedule
Interview
➔ Avoid scheduling an
interview for Mondays &
Fridays. Best time is
Tuesday @ 10:30am.
➔ Confirm interview one
day prior.
➔ Reviews by former employees
➔ Salary Details-Earning Potential
➔ Open jobs
➔ Employee perspective on
company hiring
Clean-up your
Social Media
➔ Use Social Sweepster to clean
up your Facebook & Twitter.
91% of employers search your
social media for red flags.
10. This is your 1st Interview treat it like one.
When you get a call for a job...DO not take the call if you are not ready, just
woke up, if you are in a noisy place or children are crying. Make sure you are
able to recall the position you applied for.
Be ready to answer these questions
➔ Are you currently employed and for how long?
➔ Why are you looking to leave your current job?
➔ What were your top responsibilities in that position?
➔ What makes you qualified for this open position?
➔ Why did you leave your last place of employment?
➔ What are your salary requirements? Ask what the position is paying?
Phone Screen Process
12. Research! Research! Research!
Where to look and what
to know!
Research
=
Confidence
➔ This will allow you to
showcase your
knowledge of the
company.
➔ This will give you
confidence to speak at
the interview
➔ Do not pretend to know
more than the
interviewer
➔ Company Website
➔ Go to their social media pages (Linked In,
Facebook & Twitter)
➔ Know how the company is structured.
Who is in charge. Know the name of the
CEO & key top management.
➔ Research the person who is interviewing
you
Practice!
➔ Get a friend or family
member for the “pretend”
interview and have them
ask you questions. Record
yourself.
13. Be Prepared!
➔ Familiarize yourself with the company and the position you are
applying for.
➔ Review the job description and make sure you are familiar with the
capabilities and responsibilities that the job entails.
➔ Prepare a couple of questions about the company & the position to
ask your interviewer.
➔ Go to Staples - make professional copies of your resume on nice
bond paper. Bring several copies of your resume with you and a list
of references.
➔ Make sure you know where the office is & how to get there. If you
are unfamiliar with the area, make a drive by beforehand.
14. First Impressions are determined by:
➔ 55% - Your professional dress, act & walk through the
door.
➔ 38% - Quality of your voice, grammar & confidence
➔ 7% - Word choice
15. First impressions are everything!
65% OF HIRING
MANAGERS SAY CLOTHES
CAN BE THE DECIDING
FACTOR BETWEEN TWO
SIMILAR CANDIDATES
➔ Dress appropriately. Avoid loud colors
➔ Always look professional, neat and
clean. Make sure your suit is neat &
clean.
➔ Get a manicure - Women & Men
➔ Clean Shaven
➔ No Piercings
➔ Cover Tattoos
16. Men’s Attire
What should I wear to my interview:
➔ Chic-Fil-A Shirt & Tie
➔ Bank /Finance Co Suit & Tie
➔ Light cologne
➔ Clean shaven or trimmed facial hair
➔ Professional socks
17. Womens Attire
● Clean & Professional Hair Style
● Little to no jewelry
● Mild or no Fragrance
● Knee Length Skirt
● Conservative shoes-Low Heel
● Sparse Make-up
● White Long Sleeve Shirt
18. Do not be late for your
interview...First strike
19. Once you walk in, the interview has
begun!
➔ Arrive no more than 10 minutes early - you do not want to put pressure
on the interviewer.
➔ Greet the Receptionist - “Hi, I am here to see…” *Smile (You never know
who is sitting at the front desk!)
➔ How to Act in the Waiting Room - Good posture
➔ Cell phone OFF
➔ The importance of eye contact, firm handshake, smile when talking
➔ Articulate your speech
➔ Avoid excessive gesturing/fidgeting
20. During the Interview
➔ Always speak positively about past employers
➔ Smile when talking about your last position
➔ Maintain eye contact & show interest in everyone involved.
➔ Maintain correct body posture
➔ Before responding to a question, pause & think about what you would like to say -
this will avoid quick and weak responses
➔ Highlight your strengths
➔ Only sell your qualities that apply to the role
➔ Be prepared to expand on what your resume says
➔ Prove that you are the right fit for the position
21. How to respond to a question you do
not know how to answer
➔ Remain Calm. Take a deep breath
➔ Do not say “I do not know” and don’t
make things up
➔ Don’t start rambling as you will show
the interviewer you are nervous
➔ Ask questions - maybe it is the
question you do not understand. Ask
the interviewer to clarify the question
22. Most Common Interview Mistakes
● Not be prepared for your interview - you didn’t do
your research or“Winging” the interview”
● Over explaining why you lost your last job
● Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates
● Do not get caught up in talking about the negative
aspects of your life
● Not asking questions
● Failure to Ask for the Job
Not Prepared
Talk Too Much
Lack Confidence
23. Common Nonverbal Mistakes
● 67% - Fail to make eye contact
● 47% - Have little knowledge of the company
● 38% - Don’t Smile
● 33% - Have bad posture
● 33% - Fidget too much
● 26% - Have a weak handshake
● 21% - Play with Their Hair or Touch their face
● 21% - Cross their arms over their chest
24. Never Talk about…
➔ Personal Issues
➔ Salary or Benefits
➔ Start Date
➔ Personal / Social Life
➔ Religion / Politics
➔ Past bad job or employer experiences
26. Some Questions to prepare to ask
your Interviewer
➔ What are the top responsibilities of this position?
➔ What are the qualities that you are seeking in a
candidate for this position?
➔ Why is this position open?
➔ How long have you been working at this company
& what do you like best about working here
➔ What is the next step in the hiring process?
Examples:
27.
28. Tell me About Yourself…
➔ No one wants to hear about your entire life story. In a
couple of sentences describe your TOP strengths,
motivations and experiences that relate to the position!
➔ Emphasize your EXPERIENCE, ENTHUSIASM & PROOF OF
PERFORMANCE.
EXAMPLE: I am an innovative HR
Manager with 8 years of experience
managing all aspects of the HR
function from recruiting to training to
benefits for Fortune 500 Companies.
29. What Is Your Greatest Strength?
Some Examples of Words that Describe your Strength:
● Enthusiastic
● Trustworthy
● Creative
● Disciplined
● Patient
● Respectful
● Determined
● Dedicated
● Honest
● Versatile
● Leader
Focus on your
Strengths
● Your ability to prioritize
● Your ability to work under pressure
● Detail Oriented
● Strong Organizational Skills
Share something that
makes them think….
30. What is your Greatest Weakness?
➔ Minimize the trait and emphasize the positive
➔ Select a trait and come up with a solution to overcome the weakness
➔ Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate more on professional
traits
Examples:
➔ Attempting to please everyone
➔ Being too critical of yourself
A good reply:
I am a perfectionist so sometimes it takes
me a couple minutes extra to finish an
assignment, because I always double check
my work.
31. Why did you leave your last job
prior to finding other employment?
➔ Do not talk negatively about your previous employer or the employees. Be able to explain why it
was a reasonable separation and why you are a fantastic candidate. You do not want the
interviewer to have to make any assumptions about what happened and why?
Suggestions how to answer this question:
➔ I wanted to take some time & really focus on finding the right fit for my next
career move. I made sure I was in a position to do so.
➔ Unfortunately, the company lost their biggest client and resulted in layoffs.
As a result my position was eliminated. I am proud of the work I did and I
received outstanding performance reviews.
32. Gap in employment?
➔ Employment gaps are tough to explain. Be prepared to explain why.
➔ You do not want to come across as lazy or unhireable.
➔ Find a way to make your extended unemployment seem like a choice you
made based on the right reasons.
Examples -
● Co-chaired an event that raised much
needed funds for charity
● Traveled
● Was in a financial position where I could
take some time off to find the right
company & job.
34. Why Should I hire you? Why are you a
better Candidate?
Ask yourself these questions:
➔ What are the most important qualifications for this position from the company’s
perspective.
➔ In which of these areas do I really shine
➔ What are my most impressive accomplishments
➔ What makes me different from a typical candidate.
➔ You can do the work & deliver exceptional results
➔ I have always been recognized as a hard worker and exceeding the expectations of
management
➔ You possess the combination of the skills and experience that make you stand out
I have a unique combination of strong technical skills and the ability to build strong
customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge and breakdown
information to be more user friendly.
Answers to consider
35. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
➔ Employers don’t want to hear that you expect to climb the corporate ladder and be a supervisor.
➔ Share that you have been a mentor to others and led projects with little to no supervision.
➔ Stress your leadership potential.
➔ FOCUS ON THEM… In 5 years you should have made a significant impact to the company’s
bottom line. Develop a strategy how you can achieve this in the role you are interviewing for.
Example : My goal right now is to find a
company where I can grow & take on new
challenges. I would like to assume more
responsibilities but more importantly, I
want to work for a company where I can
build a career.
36. What are your Salary Requirements?
Ladders, Glassdoor, Job Market Guide - good resources
➔ Salary negotiation should not be discussed until you are
extended an offer. This is when you have the most power to
negotiate. Recruiters typically try to get this information out of
you as early as the phone screen.
➔ Research the going rate for your target job prior to coming
into the interview.
Good Answers:
➔ I am sure we can come to a salary agreement if I am the right
person for the job
➔ I have some idea of the market, but for the moment let’s start
with a range. What do you have budgeted for this position?
37. Close the Interview & Ask for the Job!
➔ Create a lasting positive impression - If you feel this is the right job remind the employer why you are the
perfect person for the position.
➔ Ask what the next steps are in the process and timetable the employer expects to make a decision about
the position.
➔ Thank your interviewer for his/her time
ASK FOR THE JOB BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE ROOM
Examples:
❖ I think my experience and skills are a great match for this position. I would be a great asset to your
company and a team player. When can I expect to hear back from you?
Follow up with a thank you email the following day
