To Go or Not to Go?

Are you letting your career go to pot?

When faced with an interview, do you find yourself growing immobilized by questions, such as: "Is this the opportunity I truly want?" or "Is this company the right match for me?" or "Is this the best time to change jobs?"

Our suggestion: go on interviews to resolve these questions. No one wants a career stuck in a mire of indecision. As long as you have a "question mark" about an opportunity, you owe it to yourself to find the answer.

Open the Closed Door

An interview is an invitation through an otherwise closed door. When you open this door, you often open yourself to new and exciting rewards.

Sometimes candidates who have interviewed for one opening receive an offer for a higher-level job at the same company. Sometimes candidates who are reluctant to make a career move change their mind the instant they walk through the interview door.

There is an element of magic about interviews, and in our vast experience, the candidates who succeed are the ones who put their best foot forward.

What's the Worst that Can Happen?

Many candidates claim "the worst" interview scenario is discovering that they do not like the company or the job. We disagree. The worst scenario is when you want the job, but the company hires someone else instead!

For this reason, no matter what questions you bring to the interview, it is wise not to come across as uncertain or half-hearted. An interview is not the time to express doubts. Use questions to empower yourself; to collect information without making quick judgments. Save the big questions, such as "Do I want this job?" until after the interview. Only then can you make a truly informed decision.

When you play out the interview process to the end, you may be surprised at where it takes you.

Interview Preparation

Don't interview without the proper preparation!

When an interviewer asks you questions about yourself and your career, you will need to answer in a clear, concise and positive manner. This does not happen by chance, but by preparation and practice.

It does not matter how many skills you have acquired or achievements you have attained if you cannot effectively communicate who you are and what you have to offer to a potential employer. In addition, you need to know the company and understand the position well-enough to confidently claim that you are the right match.

10 Adjectives

It can be very helpful to have on the tip of your tongue ten adjectives or so that describe yourself professionally. You should not have to search too hard for responses to such questions as "Give me two good reasons to hire you" or "What one quality about you will make you stand out among all the people I have interviewed?" Be prepared to talk about yourself: your strengths and weaknesses, what you liked & disliked about each job, your success and accomplishments.

Selling Points

Know what it is about yourself that you should bring to the forefront for this position and company. What specific strengths and skills do you need to get across to the interviewer before the interview is over? An interview is not the place for shyness or too much modesty.

Your Resume

Know (by heart) your titles, promotions, employment dates, supervisors, salary history as well as responsibilities and accomplishments. You should never have to refer to your resume during an interview. Know all the "why"s as well, such as "Why did you go to that college?" or "Why did you pick the career you did?" or "Why did you go from 'company one' to 'company two?'"

Questions

Well-thought out questions can show how much you already know, how interested you are in the opportunity and can give you the answers you need to make your own decision. However, the focus of the meeting should be on the details of your experience, skills, strengths and qualifications rather than on the details you know about the company.

Why this Job, this Company, at this Time?

Before and as early on in the interview as possible, you should gain as much information about the position and the company as you can. The sooner you understand the responsibilities and requirements, the sooner you can discuss how your background and experience applies.

Also know why, at this time, you are seeking this opportunity. Why is the job right for you right now? What are your short-term and long-term goals and how does this position fit in with them?

Interview Etiquette

Know your assets and how to present them.

Your experience alone will not secure you a job offer. How you present yourself as well as how you convey your experience will be equally as important.

Good manners are essential on an interview. You always want to make a strong and positive impression. If it turns out that the current opening is not a match for you but you have established yourself well, it is possible that the company will call you back for another position in the near future.

• Make sure you know the precise time and place of the interview.
• Know the exact name, pronunciation and title of the interviewer.
• Wear professional attire, even if the company is casual.
• Arrive 15 minutes early (and start on the application, if there is one).
• Bring a copy of your resume and be prepared to hand it to the interviewer, if asked.
• Bring references, but do not volunteer them. Offer them only if they are requested.
• Shake hands firmly and make eye contact.
• Wait to be asked before sitting.
• Refrain from smoking, chewing gum, etc., even if the interviewer is doing so.
• Sit upright and alert.
• Remain professional, polite and friendly.
• Exude energy and enthusiasm

Answer Positively

It is key in an interview to make as many of your answers as positive as possible. At times answers will be "no" or "I don't know," but when you can, turn "no" into "yes."

For example, let's say that you worked with Lotus for four years at your last job, but at your current company, which you joined one year ago, you no longer use Lotus but Excel. If the interviewer asks, "Do you work with Lotus?" your answer should be a strong, "Yes, I worked with Lotus for four years at my former company." Instead of: "No, I haven’t worked with Lotus for a year." While both responses are true, the first leaves the interviewer with a more positive impression without misrepresenting your experience.

Body Language

Communication is more than speech. Often our body language can be even more revealing than our words. Firm Handshakes express confidence, starting off the interview on the right foot. Eye Contact is very important, showing interest and self-assurance. Sitting Upright shows alertness and energy. Hesitation can make you look unprepared or unsure of yourself. Active Listening allows you to respond intelligently to the interviewer.

Avoid the Following

• Repeating questions before answering. This is a well-known stalling technique and it may be interpreted that you are unprepared for the question or unsure of your answer.
• Vocal crutches such as "you know" or "to be perfectly honest" which can often be distracting and even annoying.
• Vague answers which can make it look as though you have something to hide. Answer directly, responding specifically to the question you have been asked.
• Yes/no answers, which can turn the conversation into a "drill."
• Over-explaining. Elaborate explanations can often be confusing instead of enlightening. It is best to be clear and concise.
• Derogatory comments about past employers - which are always unprofessional.
• Negative responses. If there is an aspect of the job which does not appeal to you, keep it to yourself during the interview. Later, you will be able to privately weigh all the pros and cons of a position. It is best to avoid rejecting an opportunity before you have received an offer and had time to think it over.
• Discussing salary prematurely. Showing too much interest in the compensation rather than the opportunity is not appropriate.
• Controversial subjects such as religion and politics. This is not the place.
• Lying is always unacceptable.

A few interview stories from our vast recruiting experience...

A Near Cancellation

We recruited a candidate who was coincidentally conducting his own job search. He had four "superstar" years at a major organization and not long after our call, he rang us up to say, "Good news! I just got a job at a Big 4 firm." We congratulated him, telling him that working at least two years in Big 4 would give him an excellent calling card that would serve him well throughout his career.

Six months later, when an opportunity arose that appeared to have his name "written all over it," we called to see how he was doing. Even as he echoed our earlier advice, saying he should stick it out two years in Big 4, we heard the misery in his voice.

"From your voice, Mike," we told him, "it doesn't sound like you're going to last that long," and we went on to suggest that he check out this opportunity just in case.

It was with a lot of hesitation and doubt and even a near cancellation that he finally went on the interview, but when he came out, it was with the absolute certainty that this company was the right place for him. From the time that we placed him, he has had three promotions, and the company has financially rewarded him beyond our expectations.

It Could Have Been Perfect

We recruited a Bergen County candidate for a job in Manhattan. At the start, she claimed that going into the city was not an issue for her, but as it turned out, she had not been to the city for years (not since her Senior Prom when she traveled by limousine).

No sooner did she get off the bus at Port Authority and step over a homeless person did she discover that she was not a "city person." A garbage strike in the city that day only made matters worse, and before she had even reached the interview, she had made up her mind that she did not want the job.

After the interview, the company told us they would not offer her the position since she had showed so little enthusiasm. When we relayed this to her, she scoffed, "I don't care if they double my salary! There's no way I'm going into the city!"

As it happens, within two weeks, the company called us to inform us of a change in that position. That particular department was relocating to the Bergen County office.

The Absentee Interviewer

We set up a highly skilled candidate to interview for an Accounting Manager position. The interview was set for the day after the company's Christmas party, and as it happened, the company's Controller, who was scheduled to meet our candidate, had whooped it up too much the night before and completely missed the interview.

Understandably, the candidate was highly annoyed, and when we attempted to reschedule the interview, he refused to go back.

The next candidate we sent to interview for Accounting Manager was offered the Controller's position instead. (Apparently, the CFO was annoyed with the Controller as well.)

On Second Thought

We recruited a candidate who was working for a well-known "sinking ship." Due to misplaced loyalties to the crumbling company, he was reluctant to interview anywhere at the start.

When he finally opened up to the interviewing process, we presented an opportunity at a company which we thought would be a great match for him, but as it happened, he had already set his mind against this company and refused to consider an interview there.

We sent him out to other companies, but when these did not pan out for him, we continued to remind him of the first company only to have him stubbornly refuse to open his mind to interviewing there.

When, after more time had passed, we decided to reintroduce this opportunity one last time, we were amazed to hear him say, "Oh, what the heck, I might as well go see."

He was hired there as a Staff Accountant, receiving a 15% raise, and later, after several promotions, he became their Divisional Assistant Controller. Needless to say, he is glad he went on that interview.

Story of a Counter Offer

One of our candidates, an Accounting Manager making $45K, wanted to leave her present employer because she had unexpectedly received additional responsibilities which were not in her original job description and which did not allow her the time to do the work she wanted.

When she went on an interview and received a job offer with a salary of $55K from a new company, her current employer, knowing how much they needed her, gave her a counter offer of $58K as well as the title of "Controller" and a promise to hire an additional staff member to report to her. She accepted the counter offer.

Less than a year later, she came to us and told us she wanted "out." Since accepting the counter offer, nothing had changed in her stressful day-to-day life at the company. Despite continued promises, her employer did not hire any new staff to report to her, and the extra $3K and vacation week she had received could not mask the fact that she was unhappy.

Her new title was just a false boost, and her original reason for seeking a new position had not, in the end, changed at all.

Beware Counter Offers

Whenever you give your notice, you should be prepared for a counter offer: an offer by your present employer to promote you and/or increase your salary as an inducement for you to stay with the company.

While counter offers may appear very attractive at first, they can sabotage you in the end. Statistics show that if you accept a counter offer, the probability of voluntarily leaving in six months or being let go within one year is extremely high. Offers of a 30% pay increase are not uncommon, but long-term careers at the company after accepting a counter offer are.

If you are tempted by a counter offer, you may want to consider the following...

• Counter offers compromise your integrity. The question will always remains: why did it take your resignation to entice your employer to give you the promotion or raise you deserve? The next time you want a salary increase will you have to threaten to leave again? Is a counter offer just "buying" you as well as buying the company time to replace you?
• Counter offers create a false sense of security. When you accept a counter offer, your job is by no means secure. Your employer may only wish to hold onto you until they can find someone new. They may start looking for your replacement right away.
• Counter offers are not as flattering as they appear. Often counter offers are motivated by a desire to avoid the hassle and cost of training someone new. So it is unwise to accept a counter offer because you are flattered! If your employer truly values you, why didn't they give you this raise or promotion BEFORE you resigned?
• Counter offers postpone the inevitable. Most likely, the same reasons you wanted to resign in the first place will surface again. Is this counter offer going to make a difference in the LONG RUN? Do you really have a future with this company?
• Counter offers make you too expensive to keep. Since a counter offer is not planned or budgeted, your employer may realize down the road that they cannot AFFORD to keep you anymore. Or you may be disappointed when you discover that the counter offer is only your next raise early.
• Counter offers create growing resentment. Your employer may feel that you "backed them into a corner" by resigning during what will probably appear to be a "bad time." They may resent having to "overcompensate" you in order to hold onto you, and may regret compromising their own rules and regulations about raises and promotions by making a counter offer.