Interviewing Improvements: Most Common Areas In Need Of Improvement
By Frazer Donaldson
Candidates often ask us at LionSearch in which areas can they improve their interviewing skills. We have prepared a few documents (see the "Tips" page on our website) we are happy to share with our candidates that offer both phone interview and in-person interview tips.
Overall, I feel the areas listed below fall into the category of those in most need of improvement. These are based on many years of discussions with our client firms about LionSearch candidates just after they have interviewed.
1. First impression - From a sharp outfit, to a nice smile, to a firm handshake, to polished shoes, these seemingly obvious areas sometimes fall to the bottom of a candidate's priority list, and client firms do take notice. This area also includes eye contact (maintain eye contact without staring shows you are interested and paying attention), and volume of your voice (speaking in a slightly-above normal volume to make sure you are heard clearly).
2. Depth of answers - This area can run the gamut from lack of depth, such as only giving yes/no answers to questions, or too much depth, such as giving the entire software development life cycle, when all the interviewer asked for was your team's development methodology! It is important to answer questions in enough detail that the interviewer is satisfied.
3. Soft skills - Can you carry on a conversation about your plans for the weekend or your most recent vacation? Do you appear at ease, friendly, and easy to work with? Do you fit into the firm's culture? Are you a little arrogant about your skills or experiences? This area can often outweigh technical skills during the hiring decision-making process!
4. Technical assessment - (for Developers, Admins, etc.) This area can be tricky and really requires a good gauge of how much technical detail the interviewer really wants. There's nothing wrong with asking the interviewer to clarify how much information they are seeking. Would they like you to draw a diagram, to lay out specific code, or do they really just want the overall functionality of the system you were developing?
5. Selling yourself - Candidates often say that the interviewer never asked about a specific key experience or skillset listed on their resume, or that the interviewer only brushed over those subjects. It is extremely important to be cognizant of the fact that your job during the interview is to "sell" yourself, your skills, your experiences, etc. You must point out key skills/experiences you possess that are essential to the role for which you are interviewing, and cannot rely upon the interviewer to specifically ask you if you have them or not.
Paying strong attention to these five areas before going to an interview should greatly enhance your chance of success, and ultimately, receiving an offer of employment.
Candidates often ask us at LionSearch in which areas can they improve their interviewing skills. We have prepared a few documents (see the "Tips" page on our website) we are happy to share with our candidates that offer both phone interview and in-person interview tips.
Overall, I feel the areas listed below fall into the category of those in most need of improvement. These are based on many years of discussions with our client firms about LionSearch candidates just after they have interviewed.
1. First impression - From a sharp outfit, to a nice smile, to a firm handshake, to polished shoes, these seemingly obvious areas sometimes fall to the bottom of a candidate's priority list, and client firms do take notice. This area also includes eye contact (maintain eye contact without staring shows you are interested and paying attention), and volume of your voice (speaking in a slightly-above normal volume to make sure you are heard clearly).
2. Depth of answers - This area can run the gamut from lack of depth, such as only giving yes/no answers to questions, or too much depth, such as giving the entire software development life cycle, when all the interviewer asked for was your team's development methodology! It is important to answer questions in enough detail that the interviewer is satisfied.
3. Soft skills - Can you carry on a conversation about your plans for the weekend or your most recent vacation? Do you appear at ease, friendly, and easy to work with? Do you fit into the firm's culture? Are you a little arrogant about your skills or experiences? This area can often outweigh technical skills during the hiring decision-making process!
4. Technical assessment - (for Developers, Admins, etc.) This area can be tricky and really requires a good gauge of how much technical detail the interviewer really wants. There's nothing wrong with asking the interviewer to clarify how much information they are seeking. Would they like you to draw a diagram, to lay out specific code, or do they really just want the overall functionality of the system you were developing?
5. Selling yourself - Candidates often say that the interviewer never asked about a specific key experience or skillset listed on their resume, or that the interviewer only brushed over those subjects. It is extremely important to be cognizant of the fact that your job during the interview is to "sell" yourself, your skills, your experiences, etc. You must point out key skills/experiences you possess that are essential to the role for which you are interviewing, and cannot rely upon the interviewer to specifically ask you if you have them or not.
Paying strong attention to these five areas before going to an interview should greatly enhance your chance of success, and ultimately, receiving an offer of employment.
posted by LionSearch at
3:49 PM
