The Ten Biggest Interview Killers

Found an interesting article on interview killers...thought it was well written and every point worthy of sharing. (From yahoo.com - written by Joe Turner)

The 10 Biggest Interview Killers

When you're on a romantic dinner date, you try to avoid "mood killers" -- talking with a mouth full of food, cursing an ex-lover, or complaining about a foot ailment. During a job interview, you have to avoid similar spoilers if you want to make a good impression.

Here are 10 of the most common "advantage killers" and how you can steer clear of them during your next job interview.

1. Not knowing your aim. Too often candidates think their purpose in an interview is simply to ask for a job. Your goals are to demonstrate how you are a good fit for the organization, and to assess whether the job is really right for you.

2. Being too needy. Neediness is probably the No. 1 advantage-killer in an interview. Remind yourself before walking in the door: you do not need this job. You do need food, you do need air, and you do need water. Keep things in perspective.

3. Lousy nonverbal communication. This is about demonstrating confidence. Your first impression makes the difference. When you enter the interview room, stand up straight, make eye contact, and offer a strong handshake with your interviewer. If necessary, jot their name on your notepad as soon as you seat yourself. Do the same for any other individual you are meeting with.

4. Compromising your position. You should always participate in the interview as an equal, not a subordinate, of the person conducting the interview. Often this is a subtle matter of self-perception, so remind yourself before the interview.

5. Falling into the answers-only rut. An interview is a conversation. Don't just answer their questions. That's why you've prepared stories to highlight your accomplishments, which will be your moments to shine. When you do answer any questions, make sure that you answer immediately and follow up with a question of your own, if at all possible.

6. Rambling. Telling your interviewer more than they need to know could be fatal. Your stories should be 60 to 90 seconds long and they should have a relevant point. Focus, focus, focus. Stick with your rehearsed stories, your research, and the questions you need to ask. Don't fill up the silence with unnecessary talk.

7. Being overly familiar. A good interviewer will be skilled enough to put you at ease within the first 10 minutes of the interview. That doesn't mean that they have become your best friend. Don't let your guard down. You're there to interview them and get answers to your questions. Treat this from start to finish as the professional business meeting that it is.

8. Making incorrect assumptions. Points are not deducted at the interview for asking questions when you don't understand something. Don't guess at what your interviewer means. Effective interviewing is all about collecting information in real time, taking good notes, and responding only to the actual facts you've collected. If you find yourself making assumptions or guessing about something that was said, stop and ask for clarification before you answer.

9. Getting emotional. At times the interviewer may hit a nerve or consciously try to provoke you into an "outburst." Don't fall for it. Clear your mind of any fears or expectations, so you can maintain a calm, open-minded perspective at all times. When emotions enter into an interview, failure follows.

10. Not asking specific questions. You want to find out more about what this job is really about and whether you want it. Arrive with a list of several prepared questions about the company, the position, and the people who work there. Ask questions that begin with "what," "how," and "why." Avoid simple yes/no questions. Get your interviewer talking as much as possible, then take notes. Most interviewers are unimpressed by someone who has no questions.

Most Common Job Titles I Receive to Work On

Thought it may interest some of you to hear about the types of jobs/job titles that I seem to be receiving the most orders to fill these days. Hands down I am swamped with engineering and manufacturing related roles right now...with only a handful of sales and related position titles currently.

As with pretty much every year since I have been recruiting in this industry, it seems to be cyclical...by seasons almost...with the Fall, Winter and beginning portion of Spring finding myself bogged down with manufacturing, engineering and operations positions and few sales roles. Mid way through Spring sales and marketing positions suddenly almost out of nowhere seem to pull the majority of my focus while the manufacturing and engineering positions seemingly slow down.

This year, I sense it may be a bit different as I have a fairly even mix of both going into Spring and Summer months and do not see it slowing down one bit. Even amidst the talk of downsizing and the dismal housing market...the job market in my opinion remains strong. Always a good sign if a recruiter has enough work to keep busy!

How the Market Looks

I saw an interesting poll result provided by W&D Weekly that polled people within the industry that posed teh question on whether or not they experienced an "Opening Day" as far as when they started to see sales boost up from the slow wintery months. Those results are below and are right on par with what I, as a recruiter see in the industry with the job market really starting to heat up this month! It should be a great year, even with all teh many dismal articles and industry gossip you hear of layoffs and downturn in housing market.

Survey Results for 04/04/2007: (From W&D Weekly email newsletter)

If your business experiences an “Opening Day” each year, around when does it start?

April 1 - 33%

We don't experience a “season.” - 30%

March 1 - 20%

May 1- 15%

A different time - 2%

For years, industry people have talked about “the season.” Much effort goes into designing new lines and getting new equipment ordered and tooled up so products are ready to roll when the new season starts. Assuming that it was different from region to region and market to market, I knew there wasn’t one date for all window and door companies to kick off their new selling years, but inspired by the start of baseball season I figured I’d ask.

A good portion of you doesn’t see a “season” in your business at all, and that makes sense, given the climate in much of our country. I’m sure that’s a blessing in many ways, especially when it comes to managing a workforce.

Among the specific choices, April 1 pulled more votes by far than March 1, May 1 or “some other date” as the date things go into high gear. No matter which day they selected, I suspect respondents are a little apprehensive this year. Most involved in the new construction business probably expect to be, at best, a little light this year, and some may be bracing for worse, given the state of the housing market. I know more people are definitely pinning their hopes on remodeling and replacement. There are still question marks, however, when it comes to homeowners spending big money on projects and fix-ups. Let’s hope we start to see that activity as we come out of the winter thaw.

How to Negotiate Your Salary

I came across a great article with some good tips on how to negotiate your salary...while a good recruiter will handle this for you through the interview process, I know many of you are interviewing in your own as well...so thought it may be useful to some of you!

There are some basic commandments to help you negotiate the best possible deal in any economic climate when changing jobs. They are:

1. Be prepared. The more information you have about your market value and the prospective employer, the greater your likelihood of success. This is the first commandment because it's the most important. There's a wealth of information available on the Internet, at the public library and through professional associations and networking groups. Time spent learning how to negotiate and preparing for negotiations may be the best investment you'll ever make.

2. Recognize that employment negotiations are different. When the negotiations are over, you'll have to work with the person with whom you're negotiating. Moreover, your future success may depend on that person. So, while you want to negotiate the best possible deal, you need to do so in a way that doesn't damage your image.

3. Understand your needs and those of the employer. To be successful in this type of negotiation, you need to examine your priorities. What do you really want? For example, are you comfortable with a low salary and a large equity stake? Are you able to handle dramatic swings in income from year to year? Understanding your needs also will help you determine the type of company you want to work for. By recognizing what an employer can do, you'll be able to determine what issues you should press.

4. Understand the dynamics of the particular negotiations. Sometimes you'll have skills that are in great demand. And sometimes, you may be one of several qualified candidates the company would be happy to hire. Sizing up the situation and understanding the relative position of each party will help you determine when to press your advantage and when to back off. Knowing when to ask is often critical to getting what you want.

5. Be creative. Consider the value of the total package. Look for different ways to achieve your objectives. Be willing to make tradeoffs to increase the total value of the deal. If you're creative, you can package what you want in ways that will be acceptable to the company. You'll also be able to find creative "trades" that allow you to withdraw requests that might be problematic to the company in return for improvements in areas where the company has more flexibility.

6. Focus on your goals, not on winning. Too often in negotiations, the act of winning becomes more important than achieving your goals. It's important not to make your future boss feel as if he's lost in the negotiations. You'll have gained little by negotiating a good deal if you alienate your future boss in the process.

7. Know when to quit bargaining. The one sure way to lose everything you've achieved is to be greedy. There comes a point in every negotiation when you've gotten everything you could have reasonably expected to gain. While most companies will want to treat you fairly and make you happy, few companies want to hire a prima donna. Being perceived as greedy or unreasonable may cause the deal to fall apart. Even if it doesn't, you'll have done immeasurable harm to your career. This brings us to the 11th and most important commandment:

8. Never forget that employment is an ongoing relationship. Job negotiations are the starting point for your career with a company. Get too little and you're disadvantaged throughout your career there; push too hard and you can sour the relationship before it begins.

Understanding these principles will allow you to effectively negotiate the terms of your new job in good times and in bad. Once you are hired, do your job well and continually seek out new challenges. As you take on added responsibilities and learn new skills, there will be opportunities to negotiate further improvements.