-
New Job Countdown: Acing the interview
Photo credit: Urbanite
BY KAREN TINA HARRISON
Special to amNewYork
McBane’s interview look is “aspirational.
This week, recruitment expert Barbara Safani (careersolvers.com) gives our candidate, Allegra McBane, tips on facing her interviewers. Step-by-step:
Do your research:
Peruse the company’s website, plus annualreports.com, glassdoor.com and vault.com
• “Have an insider-y question ready,” says Safani.
• Check out your interviewer on linkedin.com and zoominfo.com.
• Rehearse mock interviews with a friendLook the part:
“Dress for the rung above the job,” Safani says. “Wear a suit, quiet shoes and trim bag or portfolio.”
• “Guys, shine your shoes, not your hair.”
• Accessories can blur your picture. Show your style sense with one tiny detail.
Open with your “elevator pitch”:
Communicate your value with a 30-to-60-second “personal commercial”.
• ID yourself. McBane will say: “I’m an experienced PR and marketing professional.”
• Then ID your three core strengths, or what you can deliver. McBane’s strengths involve her ability to harness the media to convey her employer’s message.
Expect interview curveballs:
You may be asked about a failure or weakness.
• “Show how you confronted and corrected it,” says Safani. “Then describe a successful project.”
Avoid salary talk unless you get an offer.
• It’s OK to ask what the range is, but you may be asked for your own range.
“Benchmark the market realistically by checking salaries for the job title,” recommends Safani. “Ask recruiters and contacts, and look on payscale.com, salary.com and job boards.”
Wrap it up with flair:
“Conclude by noting how your skill set meets the job’s demands,” advises Safani.
• Leave a plain business card with just your contact info. Don’t use an old company card.
• Ask what the next step is, and follow it.
• Within 24 hours, email a brief thank-you note summarizing your qualifications. “Here’s a final opportunity to sell yourself,” Safani says.
- Follow Us
advertisement | advertise on am New York
advertisement | advertise on am New York
Partners
Search cars
