Interviewing
You Might Be Judging People and Not Even Know It
This morning I had the privilege of attending a talk led by Joshua Spodek, the author of Leadership Step by Step: Become The Person Others Follow. Marshall Goldsmith invited me to this talk. Marshall has been recognized as the World’s #1 Leadership Thinker and the #1 Executive Coach. He associates himself with thinkers who…
Read MoreHow to Beat Your Fellow Human Resources Professionals to the Best Jobs
I’ve noticed 10 underlying assumptions (through my work with human resources executives who transitioned sectors including to digital shops, top-five consulting firms, and financial services multinationals i.e. services companies) that interviewers make about human resources job candidates. When you’ve spent a majority of your career in human resources, the good assumptions are: • You have…
Read MoreHow to Beat Your Fellow Engineers to the Best Jobs
I’ve noticed 10 underlying assumptions (through my work with candidates looking at VC-backed startups, Medtronic, Bloomberg i.e. technology-driven companies) that interviewers make about engineering job candidates. When you’ve spent a majority of your career in an engineering role, the good assumptions are: • You are analytical. • You enjoy making things. • You are realistic.…
Read MoreHow to Beat Your Fellow Marketers to the Best Jobs
It’s nearly impossible to wing job interviews, especially for the best internships and full-time jobs in marketing. Selling what’s on your résumé is no longer that impressive—you now also have to anticipate and address the assumptions your interviewers will be making about your skills (as well as your gaps). These enhanced expectations call for you…
Read MoreWhy Supply Chain Professionals Are Good / Not So Good
I’ve noticed 10 underlying assumptions (through my work with candidates looking at Johnson & Johnson, Estee Lauder, Nike i.e. consumer-focused companies) that interviewers make about supply chain job candidates. When you’ve spent a majority of your career in a supply chain role, the good assumptions are: • You can create win-win partnerships. • You know…
Read MoreWhy Marketers Are Good / Not So Good
I’ve noticed 10 underlying assumptions (through my work with candidates looking at Google, AmEx, IBM i.e. data-driven companies) that interviewers make about marketing job candidates. When you’ve spent a majority of your career in a marketing role, the good assumptions are: • You are creative. • You are an abstract thinker and ‘brainstorm’ well. •…
Read More[Example Included] How to Pitch Yourself
Last week, I shared that the most effective strategy for answering this typical “conversation starter” interview question relies on your understanding of your interviewer(s). What are his interests? What are his priorities? I went further to help give you ideas on how to go about understanding an interviewer before you meet with him. Now, let’s…
Read MoreHow to answer: Tell me about yourself
Tell me about yourself. At the core, what interviewers want to assess when asking this job interview question is your decision-making ability. Are you logical? Are you thoughtful? Are you analytical? How do you think? Do I agree with your motivations for selecting job opportunities? Do we think similarly? Sometimes, it’s about whether the interviewer…
Read MoreThe Top 4 Ways Not to Stand Out
I’ve asked about 1,000-plus executives throughout the last decade this question: How do you usually prepare for a job interview? Here are the top four ways that they have prepared for job interviews, they’ve: Read or memorized their resume/job description Guessed and answered the questions they’ll be asked Consulted with a human resources friend /…
Read MoreThe Key to Landing Strategy Jobs
The key is confidence however not just your own…read on. As a job candidate, you are constantly being evaluated when it comes to how much or how little value you’ll potentially bring to an employer. For example, interviewers often wonder whether a job candidate can really figure out how to grow a company’s market share…
Read MoreWant to step into a more strategic role?
This month, I’ve set out to help you imagine what it is like to be the interviewer. I’ve found that while coaching high-performing executives the act of brainstorming what an interviewer may have on his mind has proven to be a quite effective interview preparation strategy. It has been useful in particular when I’m coaching…
Read MoreHow NOT to interview for a start-up like a “corporate guy”
Interviewers have more on their minds than getting to know you. This holds true for anyone who is looking to secure a role in a startup, especially if you plan to ask for equity. Startups these days are more concerned with your ability to solve their business challenges than you telling them about a time…
Read MoreThe Art of Job Interview Mind Reading
If you recall my last note, I said this: Interviewers have more on their minds than getting to know you. The best way I know how to convince you that this insight should inform how you prepare for your next interview is by providing an example. Imagine that you are the change management lead for…
Read MoreImprove your interview success rate by imagining this…
Imagine being an interviewer who is rushing her way to meet with a job candidate who is well-positioned for a role on your team. This is your fourth interview with someone who claims to be the best person for the job. The last three interviews lacked luster; you are willing to wait for the right…
Read MoreThe only resource you’ll need to prepare for an HR screening interview
If you expect to have an initial interview with someone from human resources this year then decide for yourself whether you want my carefully curated resources (used by C-suite executives and Fortune 100 job candidates) today. Do any of these sound like you? You might have met with several “HR screeners,” but salary requirements have been…
Read MoreHow to Hack Your Round One Interview
Four Useless Assumptions That Could Sabotage a Round One Interview “More than 50% of the people currently in Human Resources were once contributors in business units outside of HR” shared a former COO of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). This statement made me think about the assumptions we may go into a first…
Read MoreFROM UNDERDOG TO CROWD FAVORITE: YOUR 90-DAY PLAN BLUEPRINT
NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT!!! FROM UNDERDOG TO CROWD FAVORITE: THE STRATEGY, THREE EDITABLE TEMPLATES, AND THE 10 SECRET INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO EFFECTIVELY MAP OUT YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS ON THE JOB…TO ACTUALLY LAND THE JOB WHICH CAN YOU RELATE TO MORE CLOSELY IN THIS JOB HUNT, DAVID OR GOLIATH? IF YOU SAID DAVID, THEN…
Read MoreUse My Disappointment As Your Edge (Too)
I recall what one of my managers early on in my career told me when I asked about being considered for a promotion as a result of my strong performance evaluation. He looked at me in the eyes and said that I had to behave like an account executive for a number of months before…
Read MoreHow to Stand Out During a Second Interview
The best interviewers not only research a company as well as their interviewers (the latter whenever possible) but they also try out the product or service that they’ll be selling or improving if hired for the job. Explanation: Whenever I coach a client I encourage them to get firsthand experience with the product or service…
Read MoreHow to Turnaround Your Interview Luck
If I told you that ALL of my interview coaching clients thank me for teaching them this one game-changing strategy then would you consider trying it out yourself? The proof is in the pudding. This strategy is embedded within my testimonials. It’s helped Kris, Jess, Paul, Thierry…I could go on and on. The strategy is…
Read More