Close your job interview on a high note
Ken Pelczarski | TLT Career Coach May 2017
How to devise a strategy to learn where you stand and reinforce your strengths.
© Can Stock Photo / Bialasiewicz
AS THE INTERVIEW MOVES ALONG, develop a strategy to leave a positive and lasting impression that conveys your interest and qualifications. My recommended strategies to employ as the interview comes to a close are divided into two categories:
1.
Obtain feedback.
2.
Sell yourself.
When you obtain an interview for a great opportunity, you likely have worked hard in your job search to get to that point. You will have:
1.
Assessed your career goals
2.
Decided on the next step for your career path
3.
Studied the job market
4.
Researched companies you want to work for
5.
Composed a resume and cover letter
6.
Made numerous networking contacts
7.
Lined up references
8.
Applied for positions with target companies.
The last thing you want to do at the end of an interview is let up. Assuming you have made a good first impression and that primary interview discussions have gone well, it is still critical to finish strong and at some point ask directly for the job.
Your strategy will be similar with each telephone or in-person interview, including with each member of the interview team. The more you learn about the opportunity as the interviewing progresses, it is appropriate to make a strong statement such as, “I have had the chance to research your company and have digested information from our interviews, and truly feel this is a great step for my career where I can make a big impact.” In early stages of interviewing where you still need to learn more about the company and position, it is more appropriate to make a statement such as, “From what I have seen thus far, this would be an excellent company to work for. I am well-qualified for the position and am eager to learn more about the opportunity.”
Interviews sometimes end abruptly, so you may not be able to cover all points you have in mind. Below are ideas for questions and comments to bring up to the employer at interview closing, ideally starting with obtaining feedback from the employer and then selling yourself based upon this feedback.
OBTAIN FEEDBACK
1. Confirm you are being considered for the position. You may think an interview is going well, but gaining feedback from each key decision maker with the company is vital to make sure you are all on the same page. If the employer says you are being considered, move on to more in-depth questions. If the employer says you are not being considered or that you might get further consideration, learn reasons for the hesitation and try to make your case until you get assurance.
2. Learn where your experience may fall short of expectations. Even if you are being considered further for the position, learn areas where the employer would ideally like to see additional or different experience than you possess. You can then prepare to substantiate your experience in these areas and/or sell your quick learning ability to the employer during subsequent discussions. If the employer states that your background meets all job requirements, learn where they think your experience is exceptionally strong so you can continue to sell these strengths in your background.
3. Find out where you stand among candidates. Employers are sometimes not willing to share rankings of candidates, but always ask the employer how you rank because this can be highly valuable information. If you are told you are the No. 1 candidate, try to keep things moving along to limit further competition. If you are told there may be other candidates with more fitting experience, attempt to learn where you fall short so you know what you are up against and can argue your case.
4. Discuss next steps in the process. If you are being considered for the position, learn what additional steps are involved in the hiring process so you can prepare for further discussions. Find out how many more interviews there will be, as well as the types of interviews (e.g., face-to-face, group, panel, behavioral) and who you will meet.
5. Ask when you will hear something further. Find out when the employer plans to get in touch with you again so you can plan your next follow-up at the appropriate time. Inform the employer that you would like to contact them shortly after that date if you do not hear from them. Inquire about what type of news is expected with the next contact.
6. Ask when the final hiring decision will be made. It can be helpful to know the employer’s timing for making a decision, especially if timing is a factor in your job search (e.g., you expect another job offer or you cannot leave your company before a certain date). This information can help you time your pursuit of other opportunities accordingly and allow you to tell all prospective employers the timing of a possible job offer from another company.
SELL YOURSELF
1. Summarize your main qualifications. Half of the battle in getting a job offer is convincing the employer that you can do the job successfully. After discussing primary responsibilities for the position, summarize at least two or three main aspects of your education and experience that make you uniquely qualified for the job. Attempt to cover the reasons you can handle the most challenging tasks within the role.
2. Express strong interest in the company and position. The other half of the battle in getting a job offer is convincing the employer that you are sincerely interested in working for them in the available position. Give them reason to believe that you would enjoy the role and be challenged on a regular basis. Provide feedback regarding what you like about the opportunity from what you have learned in the interview and through company research.
3. Stress your motivation to perform at a high level. My April 2016 survey of lubricant industry hiring managers ranked
motivation to succeed as the No. 3 factor in deciding who to hire among equally qualified candidates. Employers want to know not only are you interested and can do the job but that you are motivated to perform at a high level. Highlight your success in a similar role and convey what drives you to be successful.
4. Tell the employer this is an excellent step for your career path. Give the employer an overview of where you have been, where you are now and where you want to be in your career path, especially for the next three to five years. Explain why this opportunity is in line with your career goals.
5. Emphasize that you can see working there for many years to come. My April 2016 survey of lubricant industry hiring managers ranked long-term fit as the No. 1 factor in deciding who to hire among equally qualified candidates. It is important not only to express your interest in the position but to explain why you fit well into the company culture and why this employer will likely have you on a path to responsibilities and opportunities that match your long-term goals.
6. Address employer concerns. In most interviews, employers will have at least one or two concerns about your interest, qualifications and/or ability to adapt and be productive quickly. These concerns often are not openly discussed during the interview. This is why you want to ask the employer toward the end of the interview for feedback about their concerns and areas where your experience might fall short. Address these concerns without letting them fester or you may not advance to the next interview step.
7. Inform the employer if you have other job offers. Having another job offer can be a point in your favor for obtaining quicker action and for salary negotiation, given that you inform this employer in a professional way and do not make time or money demands. State in a factual manner the nature and timing of your other job offer (without specifics on salary offer or company identity), and give reasons why the opportunity with the company with which you are interviewing is your favorite.
8. Invite the employer to check references. Selling your skill set, experience and track record is first done through the interview process. You should be able to further bolster your candidacy for a position by encouraging the employer to check references, sometimes before the interview process is complete. This may be done to (1.) put you back into consideration when the employer has questions about you, (2.) push you ahead of an equally qualified candidate or (3.) stimulate the employer to make you a job offer. Be sure to line up your references and have them handy before interviews take place.
9. Ask for the job. When you are in closing moments of the last interview in the hiring process, it is time to ask directly for the job if you view the opportunity as ideal for your career path. Tell the employer that you sincerely believe they will not find a better candidate when considering experience, motivation and record of success.
The above list of discussion items can be a long one to get through, especially if there are time constraints when wrapping up the interview. Choose what is most important to bring up to the employer relative to your situation and when considering previous interview discussions. You can always follow up by telephone or email on important items there was not time to discuss.
Obtain employer feedback and stress your interest level and most pertinent qualifications in final moments of the interview and you will greatly increase your chances of receiving a job offer.
Ken Pelczarski is owner and founder of Pelichem Associates, a Chicago-based search firm established in 1985 and specializing in the lubricants industry. You can reach Ken at (630) 960-1940 or at pelichem@aol.com.