Interviewing

Good Interview Questions for Managers to Ask

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Since my first article this month explored Interview Best Practices for Hiring Managers, I thought it would be good to couple that article with some sample questions that managers can use. The best interview questions are job related; they can be behaviorally-based, or situational.

Behavioral questions are based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. These are recognizable because they start with, “Tell me about a time…” or “Give me an example when…”

Situational questions are similar but focus on how the applicant would handle a specific situation that he or she is likely to encounter. These kinds of questions typically open with, “What would you do if…”

Here are some questions that fit both categories and can be easily adapted, if needed, to specific jobs:

  1. Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses at work that tested your coping skills.  What did you do?
  2. Tell me about a time when you had to use your oral communication skills in order to get a point across that was important to you.
  3. Tell me about a specific occasion when you conformed to a policy even though you did not agree with it.
  4. Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to gain information needed to solve a problem and then tell me how you analyzed the information and came to a decision.
  5. Describe a situation in which you were able to read another person effectively and guide your actions by your understanding of his/her individual needs or values.
  6. Describe the worst customer you have ever had and tell me how you dealt with him or her
  7. What would you do if you were asked to perform a task you had never done before?
  8. What would you do if you were committed to a particular project but your boss canceled it halfway through?
  9. Give me an example of a project you were a part of failed, despite your best efforts.
  10. What would you do if you were given a timeframe that you knew at the outset was totally unrealistic?

These kinds of questions allow you to ask job related questions AND find out a little bit about the candidate’s thought process, experience, and skills—in other words, see the person behind the resume! And do so in a way that minimizes the risk of making a bad selection and avoids potential legal pitfalls.

6 Steps to Writing a Great Cover Letter

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While cover letters are generally not needed for federal applications, they are still common for private sector applications and even some federal hiring managers like them. So, if you are applying for a position in the private sector, or if you are a traditionalist, and want to include a cover letter with your federal job application, here are 6 tips you should use to do it right:

  1. Although many people use a template cover letter, you should customize it each and every time. Make sure that your cover letter is addressed to the right person, the right company/organization, and the right job. It is amazing how many people miss this simple step. In this age of Google, LinkedIn, company websites, there is no excuse for “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”
  2. Match your cover letter formatting to your resume formatting. To ensure that your two documents are compatible, use the same font and formatting—you want to make it obvious that your documents go together. That being said, your cover letter should not be an exact duplicate of what is in your resume.
  3. Make your cover letter employer-focused. Address the employer’s needs and interests to show you are a good fit. Be sure to highlight your relevant job-related achievements in your cover letter and show how those accomplishments can help the employer solve their problems. Do not discuss your needs—like telework, part-time schedules, etc.
  4. Be professional. This means using a professional personal email address (ideally with your name; remove birth year—some employers will not consider resumes from people who use their birth year in their email for fear of potential discrimination concerns. You should not use your work email address for seeking other employment; nor should you be using AOL for job applications. It goes without saying (I hope) that you should not use hotmama@gmail.com or hotrodguy@yahoo.com. You should also doublecheck to ensure that your contact information (and the rest of your letter) does not include typographical or other errors.
  5. Start your cover letter with a “bang.” Your opening sentence should not be along the lines of “Enclosed please find my resume in response to your posting for…” This is boring; instead, make your opening sentence pop; think about something along the lines of, “As someone who is committed to improving educational opportunities for all, I have followed ABC company since its inception. I was excited to see the posting for…”
  6. Close the deal. Your last paragraph should include a “call to action.” Invite the reader to take the next step. Tell them that you welcome the opportunity to share more information and provide your best contact info (email, cell phone).

No, I Will Not Guarantee You That Your New Resume Will Result in a Job Offer

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I am often asked whether I will guarantee a job offer if someone uses my services for resume writing. Not only will I not guarantee that you will get a job, I encourage you to question anyone who makes that claim. Why? There are lots of things that go into getting selected for a job—your resume is only a very small part.

What are some of the other factors that go into determining whether you will get a job?

  • Are you actually qualified for the position(s) you’ve applied for? For example, do have the specialized experienced required (and not just time in grade), if you’re applying for federal jobs. Did you answer the questionnaire properly? If you’re applying for private sector positions, do you meet all of the qualifications?
  • Is the hiring manager just going through the motions of posting because he or she has to because of internal policy or some notion of transparency? Does the hiring manager have someone in mind (that isn’t you) but is just posting out of habit or again, internal policy?
  • Did you blow the interview? Perhaps you received an interview or were referred to the hiring manager; was your interview strong? How did you compare to the other candidates referred / interviewed?
  • Was the hiring manager required to hire someone else due to internal politics?
  • How many positions have you actually applied for? While it is certainly possible that you will get the first position you apply for, it isn’t all that likely. In many ways, applying for a new position is a numbers game. And, while I do not endorse applying for “everything”—also known as the “spray and pray” method, I do believe you need to be realistic about your chances. Most job postings result in hundreds, if not thousands of applicants.
  • Was there an actual position to be filled? Or was the posting in anticipation of receiving funding / approval for the position / whatever? Was it one of those federal postings I often see that are open in dozens of locations for all grades? If you read the fine print on those, it clearly says, “There may or may not be actual vacancies at the time you submit your application.”
  • Are you networking? Have you used LinkedIn or another source to identify people on the “inside” who might be able to assist you in learning about the organization, the position, and the hiring manager? Networking is critical to all job searches, federal and private sector.

The above represents just some of factors that go into a hiring manager making a decision. So, no, I will not guarantee you a job offer. I will guarantee you a best practice, competitive resume that is targeted toward your position of choice.

Make the Interviewers Love You! Part 1 of 2

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We all get nervous when it comes to interviewing. And if you are one of those who say that if you could just get the interview, you’ll ace it, you should be nervous! Interviews are not the time to wing it; preparation and planning is the key.

Interviews, whether in person, via videoconference, or on the phone, all require that you promote yourself, your qualifications, and your accomplishments. Here are 5 tips to make the interviewers love you:

Tip #1: Show your interest in the organization and the job. Be ready to articulate why the specific job and organization are a fit for you; know why you are applying (and saying you want a promotion is not the right answer!) and how this particular position leverages your skills, experience, and interests.

Tip #2: Research the organization, the position, interview panel members, and hiring manager. Google the organization; review their website, recent press, and strategic plan, as well as how the position fits into the organization’s strategy and mission. Check out your interview panel and hiring manager on LinkedIn so you can learn a little bit about their background and use that information to connect with them. This is not stalking—this is doing your research!

Tip #3: Be ready for “tell me about yourself,” and recognize that this is not a chance to share your biography. This is your opportunity to highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a couple of pithy sentences. Of course, you want to tailor your response to the specific job you’re interviewing for. Practice your answer out loud and time it; aim for 45 – 60 seconds.

Tip #4: Have CCAR stories ready. You want to answer interview questions with specific examples / stories of your experience. The best framework to use for telling your stories is CCAR: context, challenge, action, result. Here’s an example:

Context: “I work as an IT specialist at a small local government agency. About a year after I started, the Director decided to update the agency’s website, my job was to test and launch the new website after it had been designed and developed.”

Challenge: “This was challenging because the website was 5 years old, used old technology, and no updates had been made since the original launch. In addition, I was given only 2 weeks for testing and launching—there was a lot of pressure.”

Action: “First, I created a comprehensive testing strategy and schedule for reviewing all of the new website’s content and graphics. I established daily check-ins with testers to ensure all timelines were met and all issues were identified and addressed. I also did a “soft launch,” to ensure that the new website worked in real time. To ensure user feedback during the soft launch, I added a pop-up short survey to encourage input from actual customers. Finally, I drafted a regular update schedule so that the new website would remain fresh in terms of content, as well as programming.”

Result: “As a result of these efforts, I launched a new website within the timeframe allotted to update it. Our agency receives a lot of positive feedback on the new website and it now serves as a model for other local government agencies’ websites. In addition, use of the updated website increased 20% within 6 months of updating.”

Tip #5: Use “I” when answering questions: While most of us grew up hearing that it is wrong to brag, there’s no “I” in team, etc., an interview is not the time to be self-effacing. Even though most of us operate as part of a larger team, most interviewers want to know about your personal contributions. You’ll need to temper your use of “I” so that you don’t off as a braggart and give credit to a group effort when due, but don’t forget that hiring managers are hiring YOU, and not your team.

15 Possible Questions to Ask During Your Interview

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Most interviews include time for you, the applicant, to ask questions. Do not let this opportunity go by and never say that you don’t have any questions! This is a great opportunity to show that you are interested in the position and the organization and you have given both serious thought. Here are 15 questions you might want to consider asking (you want to actually ask only 3-5):

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Five Things To Do Following an Interview

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Your interview went well, now what? For one thing, it is not time to rest on your laurels. You need to keep the momentum moving forward.

Here are 5 things to do following your interview:

1. Send a thank you note. If your interview was with the government, email is appropriate since most “snail mail” goes through testing before it is actually delivered. If you are interviewing with a company or nonprofit organization, then a handwritten note is still best.

2. Keep applying for other positions, even while you wait. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Some jobs never get filled. For example, the budget for the new position might not be approved. Or the responsibilities of the job opening may be distributed to one or more existing employees. Or an internal candidate may have suddenly become available, and the position is offered to him or her. There are many reasons why the position may never be filled at all.

Sometimes you were the best candidate that they had interviewed so far, but then someone whose skills and experience were an even better fit came through the door. Even though the job interview went well, you might not be offered the job. That’s why it’s important to keep applying for other jobs.

3. Develop any specific skills or knowledge that were mentioned in the job interview but that you’re weak in. Specific software platforms might be one example; knowledge of a specific law or regulation is another. Not only will this give you something to do while you wait, but it’s also an opportunity for you to demonstrate your serious interest in the position, because you can mention what you’re doing to strengthen your skills in your follow up with the interviewer or during a second interview.

4. Reach out to your network. If someone you knew at the organization who put in a good word for you with the hiring manager, be sure to check in with him or her after the interview. Your contact may be able to provide you with insight about the number of candidates interviewed, how your candidacy was perceived, and other valuable information about the hiring process and the organization culture. You can also look for connections or possible connections on LinkedIn who could put in a good word…of course you should have done this before the interview but it’s never too late!

5. Touch base with your references. Let them know that you’ve interviewed for the position (give them the job title and organization) and that they may be contacted. Make sure they have an updated copy of your resume. Ask them to let you know if they hear from the hiring manager.
BONUS: start preparing for the second round of interviews! Do more research about the organization If you anticipate you’ll be asked about a specific project you worked on, put together a brag book or portfolio to use in the second interview. Google the organization and find out what they’re working on, and how this job might impact their future plans. Be prepared!!