When you are looking for the perfect role, you know you have a process to go through.  Maybe even several times.  Whether you have target companies or are deciding where to apply based on location, salary, or benefits, research is incredibly important. But all the research in the world won’t tell you which companies just have a more intense process than others.

Or will it?

6. ThoughtWorks

9. Google

10. Unisys

11. Rackspace Hosting

12. Cypress Semiconductor

14. Bazaar Voice

18. Juniper Networks

19. Sapient Corp.

20. Stryker

23. Headstrong

24. Facebook

25. Amazon

In our last installment, we talked about some really astounding mistakes that candidates have made in regard to what not to wear to a job interview.  This time we will tackle etiquette.

At Artisan Creative, we encourage all of our talent to be themselves in interviews.  After all, we recruit Creatives and a little quirkiness comes with the creative territory.  But some of these suggestions from our Recruiters show a lot more than quirkiness has occasionally walked through a hiring manager’s door.

Eating:

• Don’t eat or drink unless it’s a lunch meeting or the client offers you something.  Carol tells a story about an hour-long interview where a candidate pulled out a bunch of grapes and started eating them one by one.  Distracting at all?  I bet the hiring manager didn’t hear a word after that!
• Or chew gum.

When I asked our Recruiters at Artisan Creative for a couple of rules of thumb for job seekers, their answers were more comprehensive than I expected. Turns out they have had a lot of candidates do a lot of odd things—things you should avoid in your job search process.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts about what (not) to wear:

Laura:

• Don’t wear flip-flops.
• Do make sure you are wearing shoes.

Margaret:

• Don’t dress more casually than your interviewer.
• Do dress appropriately—your first impression is a lasting one.

It’s hard to believe people wear flip-flops to interviews, but in Los Angeles, there are many workplaces that allow them. That does not mean they are appropriate for an interview, however.

When I first saw an article in Forbes that distills all of the dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of possible job interview questions down to only three, I was skeptical.

Three?

I could give you twenty without thinking at all and probably fifty given half an hour.

So what are the three questions?

1. Can you do the job?
2. Will you love the job?
3. Can we tolerate working with you?

Now think about it. No matter how typical or odd your specific interview questions are, they are all trying to find out these three things.

Hiring Managers can see from your resume what your hard skills are; after all you have used them in previous jobs (unless you are transitioning to another field). But their job isn’t exactly like your old job, it is unique. Can you do their specific job:

What are your strengths?

Tell me about a time when you had to overcome an obstacle and what you did to do so.

What would you do in this hypothetical situation?

All of these questions really mean, “can you do the job?” They are trying to make sure your strengths match their needs, you are able to solve problems that might arise at their company, and how you handle a situation that might arise for their company.

Will you love the job?:

What is your ideal job and where?

What 3 things can you not live without?

What keeps you motivated?

Are you doing what you love or what pays the bills?

That last one, as we talked about in our Proust Questionnaire post, is a tough one – but well worth thinking about.

Can we tolerate working with you? This applies to all culture questions – everything from “What is your definition of creative?” to “Do you believe in aliens?”

After all, if you fit, a company can—and might be willing to—train you to do their specific job.

And if you’re going to love the work, they know you will work hard and do your best every day.

But even if you have all the training and experience in the world and an exceptional passion for your work, if you don’t fit, you just don’t.

So find out as much as you can about the company and its culture. Know your career goals now and for the future. Hone and improve your skills any time you can. And be yourself in your interviews. A bad fit is no better for you than it is for your potential employer.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

 Many people have had the experience of being fired. Hopefully, it was a long time ago, like mine. But maybe it was your last job and, as you’re interviewing for a new one, you are asked “Why did you leave your last job?”

What on earth do you say?

I decided to ask our Recruiters what advice they would give talent in this situation:

• Carol Conforti says to treat it as a learning experience: “Clients don’t expect candidates to have not had challenges. The best way to handle it is to take responsibility and talk about what you learned from the experience. You have made mistakes that you will never make again. Also if you had it all to do again, how you would handle it differently.”
• Laura Burns warns job seekers not to make a classic interview mistake: “Regardless of how it ended, never ever talk bad about another company you worked for as it indicates a lack of professionalism and potential employers might fear you might do the same about their company. Best thing to do is indicate it was not a good fit or the right match.”

• Maggie Grant gives a similar warning: ”Never say anything negative! Keep answers neutral and honest. Something like “It was time to part ways” or “we had an amicable departure” is always good.

• Jamie Grossman has other cautions: “I would recommend that you connect with the HR dept of the previous [company] to find out how they are classifying the termination, since it needs to match what you say in a background check. Companies are often conducting these and checking employment history / references without candidates’ knowledge, so it’s vital that this information aligns. Most companies will not include negative information, since it opens them up for liability and generally will only confirm dates of employment and whether or not a candidate is eligible for rehire.”

I’m glad my one termination is long ago and far away! But if you have been fired recently enough that you know you will be asked about it, our best advice is – Be Prepared!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

A job seeker going to a job interview without preparing and practicing is like an actor performing on opening night without rehearsing.

By researching the company, becoming familiar with the interviewer(s), understanding the job description, and anticipating questions, interviewees can develop appropriate answers and “rehearse” them ahead of time – overcoming much of the anxiety of typical interviews.

As Recruiters, a big part of our job is helping candidates prepare for phone, skype, and face-to-face interviews.  While proper preparation does require a considerable amount of time before an interview, the result is always a more successful, and often much less stressful meeting.

With this in mind, here are our Top 10 Interview Preparation Tips:

1. Research the company, product lines, and competitors.
   Conduct research on the company, look up info on LinkedIn, review the company URL.  Know the products, financials, competitors, and names of new leaders.  This research will provide information to help you decide if you’re interested in the company as well as give you important data to differentiate yourself from other applicants as you prepare.
2. Image is often as important as content.
   What you look like and how you say something is just as important as what you say.  Studies show that as much as 85% of the conveyed message is nonverbal; gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, physical posture, and attire are highly influential during job interviews.  Maintain good eye contact, offer a firm handshake, stand erect, sit tall, avoid nervous gestures, and use body movements that project confidence.  Dress for your interview in accordance with the culture and expectations of the company.  If you’re not sure – ask whoever is coordinating the interview ahead of time.
3. Keep answers brief and concise.
   Don’t ramble!  Be brief and concise when answering questions and don’t talk “over” the interviewer. Unless you’re asked to give more detail, speak only 60-90 seconds in response to each question.
4. Include concrete, quantifiable data.
   Don’t talk in generalities! Be sure to include measurable information (in terms of $ or #s), leadership skills (in terms of people/vendors managed), and provide details about specific accomplishments when discussing your strengths.
5. Repeat your key strengths three times.
   Don’t be embarrassed to praise your abilities.  Arrogance or obnoxious boasting is taboo, but it’s essential that you confidently articulate your strengths.  By rephrasing your strengths at least three times during the interview, the interviewer is also more likely to remember them.
6. Prepare five or more success stories.
   In preparing for interviews, make a list of your top skills. Then reflect on past jobs and write out one or two successful experiences that demonstrate each of those skills. You should have 3-5 stories or “accomplishments” that demonstrate your skills. These are perfect answers to use when you are asked some of the more typical “Tell me about your specific skills” or “Tell me about a project you are proud of.”
7. Put yourself on their team.
   Visualize yourself on the job. Whenever possible, ally yourself with the prospective employer by using the company’s name and referring to specific products or departments. It is also effective to phrase your answers and use the words “we”, “our” and “I” to position yourself as a team member. For example, “As a member of the ________ (specific product name or department) team, I would work diligently to ensure that we could achieve our objectives.”
8. Highlight your work.
   Take your laptop, tablet, or print portfolio with your latest samples. Speak about your involvement, technical skills, team mentality, and any project leadership when taking the interviewer through the work. Take 3-5 additional copies of your resume in case anyone else joins the interview.
9. Ask questions.
   The types of questions you ask and the way you ask them can make a tremendous impression on the interviewer.  Don’t ask about salary and benefits. Instead, use questions to reveal your research on the company’s products and competitors.  Ask questions to define company processes or hierarchy for you.
10. After the interview – follow-up.
    Write a “Thank You” letter or email to everyone who interviewed you and re-state your key skills, stress what you can do for the company, and re-emphasize your keen interest in the company, department, and/or products.

Happy Interviewing!