Being good at your job is not enough.

I speak to different people every day who are looking for their next career move. Many of them are good at their job but feel that it is time to move on to their next challenge. Having found the opportunity they go into the interview full of confidence . The next conversation I have with them is often about what went wrong in the interview.

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to them. They are already successful at doing the job so they are confident they could do it. They feel like they got on with the person they were being interviewed by and yet they still didn’t get the job. They have the background and experience being requested by the employer and still didn’t get chosen.

Getting a job is not just about being good at doing your job, it is also about being good at interviews. Of course you have to be good at the job, get on with the interviewer and have the right background but did the interviewer think you ticked all these boxes?

Interviewing is a bit of a game and you need to understand the rules. The most important rule to remember is this. Being good at your job is not the same as being good at getting a job. They are two different things. Being good at your job is only part of what you need to get the job. So what else is important?

1/. They have to like you. It doesn’t matter how good you are at your job, they will not employ you if they don’t like you, so smile, be pleasant, be professional.

2/. You have to look the part. Dress to win. First impression is everything.

3/. Be aware of time. This includes being on time and not wasting time in the interview. You only have a certain amount of time so don’t waste it with waffle or let them talk too much.

4/. They need to feel the same way about what you can bring to them as you do. Simply telling them is not enough. You have to engage them. Make it interesting. Help them to see what they get out of employing you. It’s not about what you get out of working for them.

5/. Ask some really good probing questions about the job and/or company. It’s shows them your level of interest and understanding. There is nothing worse for an interviewer than the silent candidate who can only answer questions.

6/. Be open to their ideas and ways. They want someone who is ready to embrace a new company and its people, not someone who lives in the past within their old employer.

7/. Be enthusiastic about the company, the people and the opportunity. If they don’t think you are enthusiastic, they will not pursue you.

8/. Be open and affordable. Don’t inflate your own self value. The time to negotiate is if they offer you the job but if they think you are too expensive, they might not bother. It is better to turn down a job offer than not get one.

Understanding the difference between doing the job and getting the job is probably the most important factor to consider when you next go to an interview. Don’t go there to just read them your CV, go there to get the job.

Tony

Things not to do in an interview

You know to turn off your ringer and dress to impress, but the following surprising slips may not be on your radar.

Don't be cocky

Confidence-i.e., appearing composed and sure of yourself as opposed to like a nervous wreck-is always an appealing quality. Arrogance, on the other hand, made 51 percent of employers want to kick an applicant out of their office on the spot. No matter how much of a superstar you were at your last job, don't make it sound as if you single-handedly pulled off every amazing accomplishment.

Little things like bringing a latte with you, pushing aside a pile of papers on an interviewer's desk so you can plunk down your portfolio, or sneaking a glance at the clock can also make you seem self-important-as if your time and stuff are more valuable than theirs are. Another minor goof they see as arrogant: leaving your sunglasses on top of your head.

Say the magic words

Of course you don't want a potential boss to think you're gunning for the role of office kiss-ass, but playing it too cool can wreck your chances. 55 percent of bosses surveyed said a lack of enthusiasm is one of the biggest mistakes that a candidate make. Seriously.

Get the right message across by using words like 'exciting' and 'interesting'. To show you mean it, read up on the company's history and the industry in general before the interview, and slip some of the things you learned into the conversation.

Don't sound rehearsed

Most of us have gotten this well-meaning advice from a career counsellor: when you're asked "What's your biggest weakness? throw out something that's actually good, like "I'm a workaholic or "I am a perfectionist and won't stop until something's done right . Yeah...whatever! 34 percent of interviewers said they definitely notice when you respond to their questions with tired cliches. Granted, you don't want to confess anything truly incriminating, but it's okay to reveal a real weakness, provided you follow it up with how you're working to correct it.

Don't fail the question test

There are only a few minutes left in the interview, and you get what seems like a throw-away: "Do you have any questions for me? Answering "I don't think so can mess up the awesome impression you just made, since 34 percent of bosses said they're turned off when candidates don't ask smart questions. Why? Doing so shows that you've been paying attention and indicates that you're evaluating them too-not just jumping at the first job opening you hear about.

Prove you're a good listener by requesting that the interviewer elaborate on something she said earlier. And use this all-time great inquiry: "What type of people excel here? It never fails to impress!

Source  : http://goo.gl/KehZu

Are You Getting Interviews, But Not The Job?

How to Diagnose Where You Might Be Going Wrong. 

 

Your resume has earned you interviews with several employers over the past year. That's impressive, especially in this economy.

But none of those interviews has yielded a job offer. You've done the standard interview preparation. You've shown up on time and dressed in appropriate interview attire. But somewhere between the paper credentials and the live performance, you've failed to deliver. 

Perhaps yours is a failure of imagination. Have you taken the time and trouble to imagine what your interviewers' needs are, and the specific business problems their companies need you to solve? If you haven't done so in-depth, it's time to start.

But before you face the formidable challenge of thinking like your interviewer and her CEO, try taking on the perspective of a lesser intellect: a fly on the wall.

See What the Camera Sees

If you start by reimagining your interview preparation as a rehearsal for a performance, you're already giving yourself a new chance to succeed.

"The best way for job seekers to improve upon their interviewing skills is through practice," says Laurie Davis, director of counseling and programming at Yeshiva University's Career Development Center. "A mock interview with a career counselor or HR professional will help them learn how they might better their performance."

The next step is to make a video of your mock interview and review it with a professional who will not just tell you what you did wrong, but also give you ideas for improving your performance, whether by making better eye contact and leaning slightly toward the interviewer, speaking more directly and concisely, or putting your story forward more positively.

Seeing and hearing yourself literally from another angle, even if only on a brief video created with a PC or digital camera, will give you a much better sense of the dramatic effect of your responses on the interviewer. For example, "when you get those questions about strengths and weaknesses, answer the weaknesses question first -- maybe including a little humor -- and then finish on a high note with your strengths," says consultant and executive coach Debra Benton.

What Matters to the Interviewer

As you approach an interview, consider how your manner and words will affect the interviewer's state of mind.

"Be socially generous," says Ann Demarais, author of First Impressions: What You Don't Know About How Others See You. "Make the interviewer feel smart, talented, accomplished."

Don't make the mistake of letting the interview become a one-way question-and-answer session, which is bound to be too much about you and not enough about the interviewer. "Always get the interviewer talking," says Stephen Balzac, president of management consultancy 7 Steps Ahead. "Ask them about their concerns, issues and goals. Then respond with relevant, brief vignettes about your accomplishments in previous jobs."

And recognize that if you come into the interview with an elephant shackled to your ankle -- namely, unemployment or a long resume gap -- the interviewer will notice and be distracted by it. "The job seeker needs to proactively explain why they've been out of the job market," says John Robak, COO of engineering firm Greeley and Hansen and an HR manager of long experience.

The Employer's Perspective

Finally, keep in mind that your abilities have no absolute value to the employer; they're only worth what they can do for the employer this year. "Sometime candidates don't prepare to talk about the match: how their background and skills align with what the company is looking for," Robak says.

To force yourself into each employer's perspective, come up with good interview questions customized to the challenges the company faces right now. At the same time, remember that your questions show a lot about how you think. "You get hired by the questions you ask," Benton says.

What if the elephant of a job loss or resume gap isn't the only silent distraction in the room? You'll never know unless you ask the interviewer on the spot.

"Close an interview by asking if the interviewer feels there are any gaps left unaddressed, so you can discuss them," says Kim Lockhart, a regional vice president with Spherion Staffing. "If you aren't selected, see if the recruiter or hiring manager will provide feedback," she suggests.

 

Thanks to John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer / Career Advice Monster
http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/following-up/getting-interviews-but-not-the-job/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS001134

The “Mantra” For Effective Communication

The  need  for  communicating  and  interacting  with  people  is  an  imperative  component of any job. In our professional lives there comes numerous occasion when it becomes essential to  address  a large congregation and elucidate an important point. Many people are panic stricken in such situations.  Here, comes the need for excellent and influential communication power.

There are some who are born with exceptional communication proficiency but there is also the probability of mastering the art of communication.

Here are the “mantras”, which can guide you to master the skill of communication and be an effective communicator-

• Survey - As a confident speaker, it is a must that you are clear about the facts and figures. Hence survey / research are mandatory such that you are on no account low on self-confidence and also no one can challenge you.
• Specificity Of Topic - Being a communicator, you need to keep in mind that while making the presentation you speak on the specific issue. The presentation can be made interesting by quoting examples / incidents, which makes your presentation more credible.  It is vital to note that as a speaker if you divert the topic the audience is bound to get confused and loose interest. Hence, it is crucial that the presentation be logically arranged such that all the ideas are effectively communicated.
• Adopt A Narrative Style - The audience can easily grab and understand your presentation if put forward in a story format. The interest of the audience and their involvement throughout the presentation is also generated by adopting this method.
• Interesting Introduction And Conclusion - While preparing a presentation keep in mind that the introduction must be very interesting. The introduction needs to introduce the topic appropriately thus catching the attention of the audience. The introduction can be started with a quote, example, etc. The conclusion of the presentation needs to be planned in a way such that sums up the entire presentation. This is beneficial for the audience to who may have missed any point during the presentation.
• Ensure Audience Participation - Generate the interest of the audience by posing questions.

By executing the above stated points with full confidence / perfection while making presentations at your work place you are sure to win the hearts of the people. Communication is an art and can be mastered with practice and motivation.