Job Interview technique

[Ace]

Hi there,

 

I just wanted to share my experience.  I'm fairly new to FDR and have been listening to many podcasts over the past few months.  I really enjoyed #536 about job interviews.  Like so much else in the podcasts, it seems so simple and self-evident, but the rational way of going about things gets clouded over by all the other conditioning we receive as we grow up.

 

In every previous job interview I've ever been to, though I wouldn't necessarily say it was what I was consciously trying to do, I have been attempting to say what I think the other person wants to hear in order to get the job.  The same is true in many other interactions in life, I think I've always tended to change the way I dealt with people to what I thought would gain acceptance rather than just being myself and trying to find the right people who would like me the way I really am.

 

I had two interviews this week on Wednesday and Thursday.  They're for jobs in different cities than where I'm currently working and living.  One was over Skype and the other I had to drive a few hours for it.  I really focused in and changed my approach from what I've done in the past.  I gave it a lot of thought and came up with many questions - so I was there to interview them as much as them me.

 

I feel that both went really well.  It seems to me that asking a lot of questions builds rapport with your interviewer - it changes the dynamic so you're speaking to each other more as equals than as the normal idea of an interviewer where they are the one in the position of authority that you are trying to impress.  It breaks the ice and makes things more friendly which surely helps - as Stef said in the podcast - regardless of your skills a big factor that they will consider is whether you seem like a fun person to work with.  I can remember going to interviews and they'd ask if I had any questions and I'd say no and it makes me cringe now.

 

I was a little disappointed at one thing.  In the podcast he talks quite a bit about how to answer the question "what are your weaknesses", and I had worked out a really great answer to that - but neither one asked me!

 

I haven't heard back yet of course, but I feel pretty optimistic.  I'll definitely report back on the results.

 

If anyone hasn't listened to that podcast I strongly recommend it.  Like so many of the ideas I've encountered on FDR - it's painful to realize how backwards you've been going about things all your life.  But better to find out later than never!

[Triumph]

My answer of choice in interviews for the greatest weakness question is "I'm terrible at interviews".

[shirgall]

The mindset you want to have is understand your interviewer so they can imagine you performing the role you are interviewing for, and to make sure you are someone they want in the company for the long term.

 

The people that make the best interview preparation series are the folks of at Manager Tools. http://www.manager-tools.com/interviewing-series

 

Remember, on the other side, the interviewers are looking for reasons to say "no". Empathy on your part will be key for recognizing the purpose behind the questions and for asking the right questions on your part.

[Psychophant]

You guys are talking about the prussian method to get a job aimed at 25% of the job market with the maximum amount of competition where you have to answer underhanded questions, right?

 

There is a different method availabled from the days of a 7 year old Stef, which is pretty successfull and aimed at the hidden job market of 75%, these Life/Work planning thing, ya know?

[Culain]

I had a recent job interview where I spent hours researching the company's history, competitors, busisness plan etc. The one thing I did not do was work out a response for "what is your weakness", I felt so embarrassed because I fumbled through it. I managed to get the job but I was terrified that because I messed up that one key question that I wouldn't get it.