| There is much talk about Interviewing Styles: | | | | for long periods of time either. |
| The Directive Interview, The Behavioral | | | | |
| Interview, The Stress Interview, The | | | | Ease the awkwardness. Help him out. Lots of |
| Qualifying Interview, The This Interview, The | | | | holes? Gracefully and professionally answer |
| That Interview. Articles outline different | | | | some of the questions you were prepared to |
| styles, list typical questions for each and | | | | answer, even though he hasn't asked them. He |
| tell you how to prepare for them, as well as | | | | may not know how to interview very well. |
| suggesting appropriate answers. | | | | |
| | | | (Face it, NO ONE - except maybe a human |
| That's all well and good, but there's an | | | | resources person - should have a lot of |
| obvious question here that begs to be asked: | | | | experience interviewing. If they do - they |
| how do you KNOW which style you'll encounter? | | | | either can't keep a job....or they can't keep |
| When you phone to schedule the interview, do | | | | employees!) |
| you ask, "Oh, by the way Mr. Interviewer, | | | | |
| what interview style do you use? I'd like to | | | | If your first interview is with human |
| study that one and ignore all the others."? | | | | resources, often they can be crisply black |
| | | | and white, detail oriented, and by the book. |
| I absolutely endorse asking questions that | | | | Don't let it throw you. If you know yourself |
| you need to know the answers to (when it's | | | | and what you're looking for, you've done your |
| the appropriate time)......but THAT question | | | | research on the company, and you've |
| is obviously an exception! | | | | thoroughly prepped yourself for the |
| | | | interview, you're much less likely to get |
| So do you study all of the styles? Memorize | | | | flustered. |
| every question that applies to each style and | | | | |
| all the recommended answers to prepare for | | | | Mirror their style, but don't drown your |
| each one? And when the interview begins, you | | | | personality. SOME human resources people are |
| say to yourself, "AHA! It's The Abstract | | | | adept at giving you enough rope to hang |
| Theoretical Look Sideways Style!" and then | | | | yourself - so don't be lulled into a warm |
| you know exactly what to say and do. | | | | cozy camaraderie. Watch their visual cues - |
| | | | which can be subtle. Follow your instinct, |
| What if you missed a style? And you find | | | | but follow their lead. They're screeners, but |
| yourself saying "What the heck style is THIS? | | | | in that sense, they are also decision makers. |
| I don't recognize it! HELP!" Which | | | | |
| completely throws you off and you bomb the | | | | Don't waste your time memorizing styles and |
| rest of the interview. | | | | how to handle each one. There ARE different |
| | | | interview styles, just as there are different |
| Worrying about interviewing styles is | | | | types of people. The hiring authority's |
| ridiculous. Not only is it too much | | | | interviewing style is usually a reflection of |
| information to memorize, but it's also a | | | | his personality. Stay aware of what's |
| waste of time. An interview is nerve-wracking | | | | happening at the moment, what you're saying, |
| as it is without worrying about which style | | | | what you're learning, and how you're feeling |
| you're going to encounter. | | | | about what's taking place. |
| | | | |
| The interview is about the company and how | | | | The more you've done your homework in |
| your presence will benefit them. The | | | | accordance with what I've suggested, the more |
| preparation (with the exception of your | | | | relaxed you'll feel. The more relaxed you |
| company research) is about knowing who you | | | | feel, the more confident and in control of |
| are and what you're looking for. It's not | | | | your answers you'll be, and the less likely |
| about the company or anticipating their | | | | you'll be to worry about interview styles and |
| interviewing style. | | | | types. When you know your background and who |
| | | | you are - the hows and whys and whats - |
| Interview preparation is an absolute, | | | | you're also less likely to be blindsided by |
| non-negotiable, unequivocal must, but | | | | an unexpected "type" question. |
| preparing by learning different styles is | | | | |
| not. That's why your interview preparation | | | | So before you interview, it is imperative for |
| needs to be focused on learning about | | | | you to give significant thought to: |
| yourself, listing questions to ask, forming | | | | |
| your answers to fundamental interview | | | | • Why you chose your current field |
| questions. | | | | |
| | | | • What environment you work best in and |
| You prepare by focusing on yourself because | | | | why |
| you are seeking your perfect job. You want to | | | | |
| have the power to decide if you want to | | | | • What your personality traits are |
| return for another interview instead of | | | | |
| giving that power away. You want to be in | | | | • Why you liked and didn't like your |
| control of your future. | | | | previous jobs and what you learned from them |
| | | | |
| An interview is a sales process. The product | | | | • What your skills and talents are |
| is, essentially, you. And you need to be real | | | | |
| about who you are, AND be prepared enough to | | | | • How you've handled diverse situations |
| interview well. Do THAT properly and the | | | | and what you might have done differently, or |
| style you encounter is irrelevant. | | | | why what you did was effective - be able to |
| | | | back it up |
| Interviewing is 85% prep and 15% common | | | | |
| sense. Sometimes it does involve a bit of | | | | • What you've accomplished in your |
| mirroring, but again, some of that is common | | | | previous positions and how those |
| sense. Do it without losing your | | | | accomplishments contributed to the success of |
| individuality. For instance, if the | | | | the department and the company |
| interviewer is chatty, longer answers are | | | | |
| okay. If the interviewer is crisp and | | | | • In what areas you feel you need some |
| serious, keep your answers focused and on the | | | | work or polish |
| topic. | | | | |
| | | | • Where you see yourself going and how |
| Occasionally you'll run into an interviewer | | | | you plan on getting there |
| who wants to make you sweat. You feel as if | | | | |
| you're under a bright light - they're | | | | • Why you chose to leave one company to |
| grilling you, and you might as well have been | | | | go to the next |
| fingerprinted. There's no need to get all | | | | |
| worked up (besides, they WANT you to). If | | | | In addition to knowing the answers to the |
| that's his interview style, what do you think | | | | above topics, you need to think about the |
| it will be like to work for him? | | | | most appropriate way to phrase those answers |
| | | | AND how they relate to what you've learned |
| The answer to that should calm you down. You | | | | about the company from your research on line |
| won't care what he thinks, because you | | | | or at the library. |
| probably won't want to return. Good money? | | | | |
| Eventually you'll hate your boss, then you'll | | | | In fact, some of the topics on the above list |
| hate your job, then your life will be hell, | | | | you should already have given thought to |
| because the salary won't be worth it. Short | | | | before you began your job search. If you |
| drive? Eventually you'll hate your boss, then | | | | don't know who you are, what you want, in |
| you'll hate your job then your life will be | | | | what circumstances you perform best and in |
| hell, because the drive will STILL be too | | | | what circumstances you don't perform well at |
| long - you don't want to go where you're | | | | all, what type of management style helps you |
| driving. Great advancement promised? After | | | | to flourish and give back to the company, and |
| how long? How many people have held that | | | | what the goal of your next job is - you won't |
| position in the last 6 years? | | | | know what you're looking for, much less be |
| | | | able to recognize it. |
| If you want to work for a control freak or | | | | |
| someone who needs to appear tough and | | | | Put effort into making sure you know who you |
| all-knowing, you've found the place. If he's | | | | are and what makes you that way. Know what |
| rapid firing questions at you, hoping to trip | | | | you've accomplished and what contributed to |
| you up, let him feel important . Finish the | | | | those accomplishments, what motivates you and |
| interview and then cross the company off your | | | | what turns you off. Spend time learning about |
| list. | | | | the company with whom you'll be interviewing. |
| | | | Make a list of questions to bring with you, |
| Another interviewer might leave you thinking | | | | and know what kind of answers you're looking |
| "What's UP with this guy?" He seems sort of | | | | for. Be able to address issues by showing how |
| at a loss as to what to ask you. His | | | | who YOU are will benefit THEM. |
| questions are all open ended and don't seem | | | | |
| to have any firm direction or point. Just use | | | | Then it won't matter what style you |
| common sense. You've done your interview prep | | | | encounter. You'll be comfortable with any |
| work - jump in and sell yourself. That | | | | style you meet. And when they want you to |
| doesn't mean talk non-stop, but you don't | | | | come back for another interview, you can |
| have to sit there and be uncomfortably silent | | | | decide if you want to....or not. |