Candidate Services

Interview Preparation Process

  1. MAKE SURE you are on time for your interview, including telephone meeting(s).
  2. Know the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer's full name, the correct pronunciation and his/her title.
  3. Attire: dark, business formal, conservative attire. Remember, you get one chance to make a first impression.
  4. How is the position for which you are interviewing with my client an improvement over your current or past positions?
  5. What are you looking for in your next position that you don’t have right now?
  6. Is there anything in your personal or professional life that would prevent you from resigning tomorrow and starting in a new position in two weeks?
  7. Present each interviewer an errorless original copy of your resume.
  8. Thoroughly research the company including customers, products, markets, processess, and people.
  9. Listen! It demonstrates courtesy, confidence, and learning style.
  10. Ask good questions... which are by nature job and value focused and illustrate listening during the interview, good preparation, and a probing attitude relative to the company and opportunity. Below listed are a few questions, which we have found to work well.
    • What would a typical day be like (in the position being interviewed for)?
    • What are your expectations from this position (now – 6 months – 1 year)?
    • Why is the position available?
    • What is the culture of the company?
    • What types of people have done well in this position?
    • What is your company's growth plans?
    • If I am hired and do a great job, what might I expect from the standpoint of career progression?
    • Why do people leave your company?
    • If you could change something about your company, what would it be and why?
  11. Be prepared for tough questions.
    • Why did you leave your last employer?
    • Why would you consider leaving your current employer?
    • What do you want to do next?
    • Why would you want to work for our company?
    • What do you want to be doing in five years?
    • What have been your top 3 successes over the last 3 years?
    • What have been your top 3 disappointments over the last few years?
    • What are your top 3 strengths?
    • What are your top 3 weaknesses?
    • Will you relocate?
  12. Interview faux pas.
    • Casual dress. You get one chance to make a first impression – make the most of it!
    • Overbearing, aggressive, "know it all" attitude.
    • Rambling, long aimless answers. Present your ideas concisely and directly. Stick to the point!
    • Appearing to be without purpose or goals.
    • Lack of interest and enthusiasm: passivity and indifference.
    • Low confidence or self-esteem.
    • Initiating discussion about compensation or benefits on the first interview.
    • Lack of tact, maturity, and courtesy.
    • Condemnation of past employers. Say nothing negative about a current or past employer.
    • Failure to look interviewer in the eye and engage with firm handshake.
    • Failure to ask good questions about the job.
    • Persistent attitude of "what can you do for me?"
    • Lack of preparation for the interview. Information is abundant.
    • Swearing during the interview. DO NOT SWEAR; USE OFF-COLOR LANGUAGE, OR PROFANITY. NONE!
    • Smoking during the interview, including at meals. DO NOT SMOKE!
    • Falsifying information on your resume or disclosure forms
  13. Always close the interview by enthusiastically ASKING FOR THE SALE! Asking for the Sale is defined as asking for what you want to have happen next (i.e., face-to-face interview, 2nd face-to-face interview, or a job offer). Make sure to ASK –ATTRACTIVELY. Do not be pushy or overbearing. Be direct and enthusiastic. An example of an outstanding close might be as follows. “Based on my experience and presentation – how would you see me fitting into your organization?”
  14. If relocation is involved make sure that you and your significant others have given careful consideration to the ramifications of a move.
  15. A member of our MRC staff should have discussed the subject of counter-offer thoroughly with you by this time. If accepting a counter-offer is a possibility on your part, then please let us know so we can reach resolution before moving on with the interview process. As we move forward in this process, I expect you to give me your “word of honor” that a decision on your part to accept an offer from my client is final. Accepting a counter-offer is “bad news” for several reasons:
    • It would represent a very significant breach of faith between us, and place both you and me in a very unprofessional light with the client.
    • It means either that I have done a poor job of probing relative to your reasons pursuing a career change, or you have not been forthright with me during the process – or both!
    • A counter-offer is typically financial, which does not address the reasons you considered leaving in the first place. If your reason for changing jobs is financial, we strongly recommend that you ask your employer for more money now before we move on in the process.
    • On average over 50% of those who accept counter-offers end up leaving their job within a 6 to 8 month timeframe either because of ("c.") above or involuntarily severance.
    • Employers almost always view acceptance of a new position with another company, as an act of betrayal and things are never quite the same after acceptance of a counter-offer.
  16. Write a well thought out 1 page follow-up letter to each interviewer. The letter should concisely cover the following points.
    • Open with a pleasant thank you.
    • Briefly present an overview of the position, as you know it.
    • State why you feel qualified for the position.
    • Always ask for the sale!
  17. In the event that our client extends you a verbal offer, DO NOT RESIGN your current position until and unless you receive a written offer and all pre-employment contingencies have been lifted.
  18. Make sure all information you provide the employer on the application and/or associated documents is totally complete, accurate, and honest. Examples include: attendance at schools, colleges, and universities, degrees, dates of graduation, employment dates, accomplishments, titles, and history of misdemeanors, felonies and probation.
  19. Call AE ASAP after the interview at 1-937-438-0041.

“People do not buy products, they buy benefits. BENEFITS = VALUE”