Managing Your Personal Brand, Optimizing LinkedIn and Interviewing Successfully

Managing Your Personal Brand
LinkedIn Profiles & Social Media Tips
Interviewing Success Strategies
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
presented by Robin Frank for Talent Reconnect

Yours Truly
Social Media
I work with
companies large and
small to help them
build and tune-up
an engaging online
presence.
I’m known as a
dynamic speaker
and speak regularly
at national
conferences,
companies, and
events.
Personal Branding
I help individuals in
many fields create
powerful personal
brands.
My personal branding
strategy is featured in
the recent book
“Digital Marketing”
written by Larry Weber
and endorsed by Reid
Hoffman (Chairman,
Founder/LinkedIn) and
John Donahoe
(CEO/eBay).
Reboot Camp
Innovative program to
help Moms confidently
re-enter the workforce
after a break.
Six inspiring and
pragmatic sessions
cover topics from
networking and
interview skills to social
media and personal
branding, plus two
hours of one-on-one
coaching.
Mom
Twin 8 Yr old boys
Live in Mill Valley

“Instead of creating life, I’ve decided to just establish an online persona.”

No Shortage of Guides on Personal Branding

BUT…No One
Connects the Dots
• Branding
• Psychology
• Social Media/LinkedIn
• Networking
• Online Marketing
• Content Strategy

Today’s Presentation
• Personal Branding
• Social Media and LinkedIn
• Telling your Story
• Interviewing Tips

Developing Your Brand Will Help
• Your interview
• Your online presence
• Networking
• Finding partnerships
• Building relationships

Transparency is Sexy
• Your brand is your character in action
▫ Not a slogan/ad campaign, but a living thing
▫ Driving force - what you stand for, what sets you apart
• Tell people clearly and memorably what you do
▫ So they can spread the word
• Get clear on your attributes
▫ Not contriving an image you think will be accepted
▫ Which are vital to your success? What do you offer the world?
▫ You will always be too much of something for someone

The High Cost of Being Forgotten
• The best opportunities come when a friend refers you to
another friend: Word Of Mouth
• How do you make it easy for people to remember you?
• How do you not blend in?

Yup - You Are Being Googled
YOU

What Makes a Personal Brand Compelling?
WHO YOU ARE
Short mantra – what you want the listener to remember most about you
WHAT
Tag line – how you add value + your unique benefits, how what you do is
different
WHY
Passion - why you do what you do
GOAL
What you want – customized for different audiences so the listener knows
what you are asking

Who: The Art of Pitchcraft
• Whether you are trying to raise capital, promote
your company, or promote yourself – an Elevator
Pitch is essential

What: A Great Pitch Includes
a Powerful Brand Mantra
• Quick, punchy, memorable
statement
▫ Communicate your message
clearly to someone who
doesn’t know you
• Practice & Planning
▫ Deliver it on the spot under
pressure
• One minute to say it all

What
• How do you add value?
• What are your distinctive benefits?
• How is what you do different from what others like you do
– brand value proposition
• “I help people imagine and create their brand online
quickly and efficiently.”

Why: Get at the Passion Behind What You
Do
•Psychology - People don’t buy what you do; they buy WHY you do it
▫The WHY talks to an area of the brain that controls behavior and decision-making
▫Your enthusiasm shines through - people biologically more apt to agree with you
•Example: Apple (Simon Sinek)
 We make great computers –they are beautifully designed, perform well and are easy
to use, want to buy one?
 Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo, thinking differently. The
way we do this is by making products that are beautifully designed, simple to use,
and user-friendly, and they happen to be great computers -want to buy one?

The WHY is Powerful
• What grabs people’s attention
and makes us memorable is not
what we do, but why we do it
• Why you do what you do - this
reflects your passion
• Most people skip their why –
they see it as less significant
• This is where our personal
values, our vision, and our
enthusiasm comes through

Goals
• What do you want?
• What are you trying to accomplish?
• This determines how and where to focus your personal
branding efforts including what type of a digital presence
makes sense

The Royal We
• WHO: I am a navigator – I help people find their way
• WHAT: I help people imagine and create their brand online
quickly and efficiently
• WHY: I love helping small businesses and entrepreneurs create a
compelling persona that conveys their passion and expertise –
getting them where they want to go personally and professionally
• GOAL: I’m looking for 1-2 more clients. Do you know anyone who
who would benefit from with me to get to the next step in their
career or business?

Break Up Into Groups of
Two
• Create your brand statement
• Interview each other
• What do you do? Who do you
serve? How do you do it? Why
do you do it?
• Tell stories, say things you
wouldn’t ordinarily say, find
out where you flow and feel
inspired
• See if you can create one
Zinger line
• Edit each other’s
• We will regroup and share
several

Your Presence is How
People Form Their
Impressions of You
• Your brand should be consistent
both online and offline,
manifesting itself in how you
answer your phone, introduce
yourself, what you retweet, and
even the community
organizations with which you
engage
• It’s all about packaging - it must
be authentic and it should ring
true to who you are and how you
live

Master Your Universe
• Own YOU.com
▫ Make it professional
▫ Wordpress/Divi
• Google Alerts
▫ Know what is being said about
you
• Google Search
▫ Aim to control the first full page
of Google search results
(pictures too)
• Engage in social networks
▫ Smartly, strategically

LinkedIn is Networking Nirvana

Just How Important is Your LinkedIn Profile?

• Update your profile
▫ Keeps you top of mind
with your friends and
connections
▫ Particularly if you post
updates as well
It’s a No-Brainer

Customize Your Profile URL
• While on your LinkedIn profile page, your URL has some strange
characters and looks funny - this is not the URL you want to share
• Click the Edit icon next to the URL link under your profile photo
• First come/first serve
• Use it below your email signature, blog, business card, etc.

Use a Good Image
• Your photo sends a strong
message of who you are
• Use a head shot with a clean
background, a smile and a clear
view of your eyes
• Best photo is a smiling face and
a little bit of your shoulders
• Make sure it isn’t blurry, or
grainy

Optimize/Sass up your headline
• Most people only look at your picture and headline
• Craft a compelling headline, even if you are not employed
• You have 120 characters to play with – maximize it
▫ Keywords used by ideal clients to search for what you offer
 Create a word cloud of your job description
 3 keywords that represent your job history and ideal job
▫ Use "Show examples" and "See what others in your industry are using"
• Watch “Who’s viewed my profile” to see if changes have an impact on
views

Skills/expertise
• Others endorse you for skills - and it shows up below
your work experience on your profile
• You can add, remove,and reorganize skills

Beef up your summary section
• Contact info first
• Use first tense - I was….
• 3-5 paragraphs - bullets in the middle
• Walk through your work passions, key
skills, unique qualifications, and industries
• Template
▫ What you do - what problem do
you solve and how?
 How you are different?
 Why you do what you do?
 How did you get where you are today?
Explain concisely in a way that makes
you look interesting and motivated.
 What do others say - credibility
• End with a call to action

Don’t Just Say It, Display It
• Portfolio feature - you can add photos, videos, documents, linked
articles with images, screenshots, audio recordings, and SlideShare
presentations
• Highlight work samples, client work, launches, special projects, press,
and tweets from speaking engagements.
• Not many are using this yet

90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual,
and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain
than text

Volunteering Can Be Just as Powerful as
Work Experience
• Include organizations support and projects you have
worked on as well

recommendations
• 10x increase your ranking
• Add a personal message when you
ask for a recommendation
• Be strategic - your recs should
emphasize different talents and
aspects of your skills
• You can choose to hide/display any
recommendation
Recommendations

Be Strategic About Recommendations
• Look at jobs you want - map your skills to those required by the job and
strategize
• Which of your managers can speak to each skill?
• Ask each person to discuss three skills - and provide those
• Ask them to include: How long they’ve worked with you, background on
how they know you, description of the three skills you asked them to
discuss, and at least one specific success example
• Offer to write it for their review
• Find people similar to you and look for recommendations you find
compelling

Own Your Gap Time with Strength
• Be professional, proud and - you weren’t “just” raising kids or
“just” volunteering
• Brush up on interviewing and resume skills - increase confidence
• Find things you have done in your gap time that add to your skills
• Rewrite negative self talk (3 replacement statements)
• “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at
change.” - Wayne Dyer
• Focus on positive experiences - Hardwiring Happiness

Talking About the Gap
• It is OK to have a gap
• What matters is how you explain it in your resume, cover letter and interview
• Talk about your time off - what did you oversee or coordinate - make it useful in
some way
• “I have been a stay at home mom for the past X years. During that time, I
have been volunteering at a local food bank where I’ve overseen and
coordinated several food drives
• It was during that time I realized my passion for….
• I’ve been taking courses in …….”
• Be concise - don’t give too much detail

Moms Make Desirable Employees
• Experience, maturity and
perspective
• Resourceful and solutions
oriented
• Excellent time
management skills
• Adept people managers -
with finely honed
communication skills
• Eager to get back to work

Be Positive and Enthusiastic
• “Thats why I am excited
to work for your
company”
• The most crucial message
to deliver is how you are
ready to return to work
• Your enthusiasm can be
one of the aspects that
sets you aside from
everyone else

The Intersection of Social Media and Your Job
Search
• Make Facebook private and accessible to your friends only
• Update LinkedIn
• Pinterest and Instagram - show your personality but watch
what you post, your hashtags, and how the accounts are linked

Engage Social Media to Show Your
Interest
• Use Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram —
whatever medium suits you best — to show that you are
thinking about the industry and returning to work

Communicate Your Childcare Game
Plan• Some employers have concerns that childcare could
cause absences
• Reassure your prospective employer that you have
childcare worked out, including a backup plan

Interviewing - Brush Up on Tips for
Success

Inside the Head of Your Interviewer
1. Have you got the skills, expertise and
experience to perform the job?
2. Are you enthusiastic and interested in the job
and the company?
3. Will you fit into the team, culture and company?

Map Your Skills and Experience to the Job
• Look at the skills and
experience required for
the job
• Map your skills and
experience to those
required
• Prepare concrete
examples of your skills
in action and have these
memorized so you can
draw on them during the
interview

Stand Out From the Crowd
• Practice
• Your story - for re-entering the workforce and why you are
interested in this job
• Your personal brand pitch
• Your answer to the “Tell Me About Yourself” question

Backup Your Enthusiasm with
Research
• Of course you want the interviewer to know you can’t wait to join the
company…BUT…
• Nothing conveys this better than a demonstrated understanding of the
company, its strategy, current performance, structure, market
position and products

Your Bonus Homework
• Google
• Read the company's "FAQ" or "About Us" section
• You will be reading the same things as other candidates
• Also check out
• 10-K filing for strengths and weaknesses which will inform what value
you can bring
• Annual Report - company direction/goals so you can align your answers
• Press Releases - company image
• Competitors - demonstrate you know them

Prepare Questions for the Interviewer
• Prepare in advance
based on your
research
• Pay attention
throughout the
interview, so you'll
have questions
related to what the
hiring manager
talked about

10 Thoughtful Questions to Ask
1. What’s the most important goal the
person in this role needs to accomplish
in order to be successful?
2. What are the immediate priorities?
3. How will this skill be used on the job?
4. How will performance be measured?
5. Can you walk me through the
organization chart?
6. What is the manager’s vision for the
department and this role?
7. What is your/the manager’s leadership
style?
8. How are decisions made at the company?
What’s the appetite for change? What’s
are the politics/the intensity/the
sophistication of the infrastructure?
9. How do you plan to deal with x?
10.What are some things your competitors
are doing right that you need to copy?

2 Minute
Exercises to
Calm You
• You think you are calm
but then your body gets
nervous
• Palms over eyes
• Relaxes and relieves
eye strain
• Longer exhales
• Relaxes and calms the
sympathetic nervous
system (fight & flight)

7 Seconds to Make a First Impression

Wear the Right Outfit
• Make sure you know what
the dress code is for the
office
• Depends on industry,
geographic location and time
of year
• Pinterest board:
pinterest.com/robeen/interv
iew-outfits/

Use Positive Body Language
• Sit still, don’t fidget, good posture, arms
open
• Talk slowly, breathe deeply, smile
• Enjoy yourself and make eye contact

Power Posing - Amy Cuddy
• Your body language shapes who you are
• Social psychologist - Amy Cuddy TED talk
• Standing (or sitting) in a posture of confidence, even when
we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and
cortisol levels in the brain, and may have an impact on our
success
• Fake it until you become it

Show You Fit In
• Companies have different cultures, ways of behaving and working
• Check Glassdoor - information about what it is like to work for
different companies
• Map the culture of the company to your personality traits, style
and behaviors and use it to answer questions:
• How would you describe your work style?
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• What makes you fit into our company?
• What makes you a good team member?

Build Rapport with Your Interviewer
• Use LinkedIn, Google, and social profiles to get a
fuller picture of the person
• Try to find a point of mutual connection
• More points of connection = stronger bonds

Give the Right Answer to the Weakness
Question
• Don’t give a cop-out answer
• Be honest and give a real answer -something you’ve
struggle with in a particular situation
• Avoid deal breakers
• Talk about your proactive attempts to overcome

If You Don’t Know the Answer
• The interviewer just threw you a
big curveball or asked you
something and you draw a blank
• Don’t. Freak. Out.
• Don’t say I don’t know
• Don’t make stuff up
• Ask questions
• Talk about how you would find
the answer

Everyone is Busy
• Demonstrate that you can hit the ground running, will have a
minimal learning curve and help them solve their immediate
problems
• State this at the end of your interview and reiterate it in your
thank you note

The Interview is NOT Over Until
You Walk Out the Door
• Pay attention to your
words and behavior as
you leave
• Be polite and on top of
your game when you
are making casual
conversation on your
way out, and be nice to
the receptionist

Ask About Next Steps Before You
Leave
• When will you hear about their decision?
• Then follow up - while it may not influence the outcome, it
shows persistence and attention to detail

Your Personal Brand is a Big Deal
• Create a memorable and compelling personal brand, and keep it
consistent across your emails, resume, phone calls, social
profiles, networking and interviews
• Manage your personal brand throughout your career

Thank
You!
robeenf@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/robinfrank
robeenf.com
GoRebootCamp.com
slideshare.net/robeen
pinterest.com/robeen

• Lie: Never, ever lie.
Being found out will
ruin your chances of
getting the job. Plus if
you make up
something, you may
not be able to talk at
length about it
without slipping up.
Generally speaking,
honesty is the best
policy! Here are some
of the common lies
you need to avoid.

You Are Going Back to Work
Because You Want to Work
• Do not Talk about your problems: You need the
job to pay off your student loans, blah blah. The
hiring manager does not want to hear about
your 99 problems, and although you're being
honest, it can come off as a pity party. You will
be hired based on your qualifications, potential
for success, and your fit with the culture.
Everything else will be secondary to those
factors.

Getting a Job is 60% Networking
• 20% - Applying directly to a job
• 20% - Great resume, online brand, LinkedIn, social
• 60% - Networking

Networking: Quality not Quantity
• Deepen your connection
▫ People you have just met or may have known your whole life
▫ People in our networks serve a variety of purposes – they can
stimulate our thinking, expand our options, help us make better
decisions, provide insight into our careers
• Be a people hub
▫ One of the most valuable things you can do for someone is
connect them with the right person
▫ Facilitate a mutually beneficial connection

Be Strategic: The direction of your network
is in your hands

Weak Links are More Powerful
• Account for most of the structure of social networks in society
as well as the transmission of information through these
networks
• More novel information flows to individuals through weak rather
than strong ties
• Our close friends tend to move in the same circles that we do –
and the information they receive overlaps considerably with
what we already know

Network is a Verb Not a Noun
• Care and feeding of your network
▫ Give something of value in every interaction
▫ Send a message with an update or article or
interesting event

Why Don’t We Follow Up?
• You’re one connection away from getting the job of your dreams
• Sometimes you MEET that one connection. You know it’s right
for you. And you know it’s right for them. But for some reason,
you NEVER follow up. Why?
▫ We forget
▫ Negative thoughts prevent you from taking action
▫ Networking can feel forced, unnatural, and sleazy

The Key to the Successful Follow-Up
• Calendar reminder 5-10 days away - email
• How to make sure they read it?
▫ Say: I’ll email you in a week or two
 Email content: offer a potential solution, data, research you
think they would be interested in and/or ask a question that
demonstrates some knowledge - Are you going to XYZ event
or do you think competitor ABC's new launch/positioning
will be impactful?

Getting Referrals and Introductions
• Increase your chances of being interviewed and getting a
better job by 5-10X over applying directly
• Some connections you make along the way will surprise
you, and put you on a path you never even considered

Be likeable and personable.
This statement needs no explanation, but you might want to read Dale Carnegie’s classic
How to Win Friends and Influence People for some tips, if you haven’t already done so. If
the hiring manager and team like you, it won’t matter so much if you mess up or make a
mistake due to the halo effect.

Networking Forwards with LinkedIn
• Target 10 people who can vouch for your past performance and
future potential (goal is 4)
▫ Professors, advisors, or social connections
• Reach out - ask if they would be comfortable recommending you to
connections in companies or industries of interest to you
▫ Get the names of 4 people and an intro
▫ Look at their LinkedIn - have specific people in mind
▫ Track everything in a spreadsheet

LinkedIn Introductions - Trusted Connections
• Look at a job/company you are interested in
• Find who you're connected to (1st Degree) who knows someone
in the company (2nd Degree) and ask to be referred/introduced

Networking Backwards
– How to Find Your
Ideal Contact

InMail – When You Have No Connections
• You can send an inMail to
anyone
• For pay (avoids spam)
• If you don’t receive a
reply, LinkedIn will refund
your credit automatically

Talking to Strangers
• Lead with something in common
▫ Contextualize the conversation - mention how you found them
• Get to your point fast
• Reassure the person that you’re not asking for a favor
▫ Be firm that you are just looking for a meeting
• Talk about what makes you qualified - your brand pitch here!
• End with a strong call to action with a time limit
▫ Mention that you need only 15 minutes of their time.
• Be respectful = Show appreciation for their time

The (Almost)Perfect Meeting Request
Dear [name],
I found your profile through the [name the common LinkedIn Group or
network] on LinkedIn. I have been working as a [name last position] at [name
last company], and I am in the process of making a career transition.
It would be helpful for me to find out about your experiences as a [name
role] for [target company]. I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of
your time.
I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but I would appreciate
being able to talk with you on an informational basis.
What is the best way to reach you this week? Do you have any availability
this coming Thursday or Friday? I thank you in advance.
Regards,
[your name]

8. Get social — develop or clean up your online presence. It’s key to getting a job these days and
should represent the best of you. Tweeting and blogging are a great force-function for something else
you should do, which is to refresh yourself on what’s happening in your industry. Read everything you
can get you eyes on.
9. Know the tech trends. Are you familiar with Asana, Slideshare, Vine, Google Docs/Drive, how
companies are using social media to manage customer service real time, the shift to mobile

Change the Game
• Offer value before you ask for anything
▫ How can I help this person?
▫ Do not discount yourself just because you’re young. Offer what
you have based on what people need
▫ Add value - Offer to create a website, a video, or?
• Do your research
▫ Know the basics - take time to check Google, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Facebook, etc. so you understand what the person is all about
▫ Find the details - look for common hobbies or a hook - one of my
mentors is someone I connected with because I reached out and
mentioned we both like to dive

• Own your time off with confidence
• Brush up on interviewing and resume skills
• Professional LI profile
• Find things you have done that add to your skills

• A.
• Is ageism out there? Yes. However, you must filter out your ageism-related concerns or you will feel defeated before you
even walk out the door.
• Make sure to tell everyone you know that you are looking to return to work and that you have a new master’s degree and
expertise in subject X. Applying online will not yield results as you are likely to get screened out. Your success is going to
be highly dependent on a personal handoff from someone who knows you. That person needs to tell a friend or colleague
who is hiring that you were a star when you worked together and she just has to talk to you. Or the person who knows the
interviewer needs to hear from a mutual contact who knows you well about how great you are so she can tell him that you
should be considered. LinkedIn is very helpful in showing such connections.
• Don’t forget people who might have reported to you, whom you mentored or whom you knew in a prior job. We have
numerous stories of returning professionals who were hired to work for someone who used to work for them (including
Carol). They know and respect you and can sometimes open a door for you.
• Carol Fishman Cohen talks about the importance of asking people you may have once mentored to open a door for you.
• Every employer we work with tells us that an internal employee reference moves the résumé to the top of the pile. Some
employers even compensate employees who recommend people who are hired. When you meet practitioners in your field,
demonstrate your knowledge of the latest thinking in the field from your recent academic work. Don’t be afraid to show
enthusiasm, excitement and knowledge. That energy will help counteract ageist perceptions. If you know who you will be
meeting — say a panelist at a professional association event — and the person has published work on the topic or has a
special research interest in it, review their work ahead of time and tell them your reaction to it. Even better, try to
identify this work via Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, and mention: “I was on your company’s Twitter page and saw the
post about your new report. I clicked through and read it, and I was particularly drawn to point Y. I was wondering what
you thought about Big-Guru-in-the-Field Z’s thinking on that point.” Indicating in this subtle way that you are comfortable
with social media will help reduce age-related concerns.
96

• S from Iowa: How do I highlight the skills I have gained
in my previous positions to do something else. I
worked in nonprofit fund development for a long time,
but I don’t want to do that anymore. I have
experience in marketing, communications,
bookkeeping, etc.
• A.
• First, you have to figure out what you want to do.
Let’s say you decide to pursue a communications role
at a for-profit company in a related industry to the
nonprofit you were in previously. Make sure you add a
summary at the top of your résumé, citing your
communications skills and explaining the transition
you wish to make. In particular, you might want to list
the most important transferable skills, such as social
media savvy or understanding of a market segment or
whatever the relevant buzzwords are for the jobs for
which you are applying. Use the same keywords in
your résumé that are used in a particular job posting
and customize your résumé for each job posting. In
your LinkedIn profile, describe yourself as a
communications professional, not as a nonprofit
development executive.
97

• we recommend pursuing
volunteer roles that are in line
with your career goals. Some
sources for such roles include
www.idealist.org,
www.volunteermatch.org and
www.catchafire.org.
98

• What’s your game plan to ensure success in the job?” because it quickly reveals the proactive
candidates – the ones who have thought through what it will take to be effective in the role.
Not having a well thought out answer to this question is a quick way to get eliminated from
the hiring process.
• The easiest way to ensure you’re ready to answer the “What’s your game plan?” question
during job interviews is to prepare your answer ahead of time. Sit down and re-read the job
posting. Then, based on the job description and requirements, brainstorm what you believe it
will take to be successful in the job.
• For example, let’s pretend you have a job interview for a position as a pharmaceutical sales
representative. Think about what you would need to do or learn within the first 90 days on the
job to ensure your successful. You’ll want your customers to see you as knowledgeable and be
able to earn their trust – that means you’ll need to know everything possible about the
products you’ll be representing. You’ll also want to quickly learn your sales territory and all
your customers as well as learn the computer systems you’ll be using in your job.
• As you go through the process of determining your game plan for the position in which you’ll
be interviewing, follow these tips:
• 1. Ask yourself: “What will it take for me to be successful?”
• 2. Re-read the job description with the list of job requirements and skills/experience
necessary.
• 3. Brainstorm a list of items and put these items into a one-page “Game Plan”
document with a brief explanation of each item.
• Using the pharmaceutical sales rep example, your game plan for success might look like this:
• • Products: Learn everything there is to know about the products I’ll be representing.
• • Terminology: Learn all the appropriate medical terminology that customers will use
during our discussions. Obtain recommendations from my manager on the best ways to gain
this knowledge, be it on the job, through reading articles, attending seminars, memorizing
terminology and definitions, etc.
• • Sales territory: Learn my sales territory as well as background information about all
of my customers within my territory.
• • Sales techniques: Learn sales techniques from one of the top company
99

• Job Seekers: Don't Forget To Prepare Questions For The Employer
• The job interview I was conducting had been going well. The candidate, “Eric” (name
changed), was intelligent, articulate, experienced, and met the majority of the job
requirements. Near the end of the interview I paused. “Now that I’ve spent the last 45
minutes asking you questions, do you have any questions for me?” I asked.
• The candidate stared at me with a look of sheer terror on his face. He looked down at his feet
and then over at the clock on the conference room wall. I could see that he was frantically
trying to come up with a question as he squirmed in his chair. Finally, he mumbled, “Um, no,
not really.” An awkward silence followed.
• Believe it or not, that situation is as awkward for interviewers as it is for job seekers. As a
hiring manager, I specifically look for candidates who have done their homework and come
prepared with questions (based on their research of the job, the company, and the industry) –
so they can also evaluate whether or not the position will be a good fit for them.
• It’s important to prepare questions ahead of time so when the hiring manager asks, “Do you
have any questions for me?” you’ll have a list from which to pull. That way, you won’t have to
worry about your mind going blank (like “Eric”) at that crucial moment.
• As you prepare for your job interview, try brainstorming some questions based on the
following categories: Hiring manager, job, department, and company. Here are some example
questions, so you’ll understand what I mean:
• Potential questions for the hiring manager:
• • How would you describe your leadership style?
• • What are the reasons you decided to work for this company?
• • What do you like the most and the least about working here?
• Potential questions about the job:
• • Is this a newly created position or was there someone previously in it?
• • If someone was in it, what did that person move on to do?
• • What are the most common attributes of the employees who are the most successful
in this position?
• Potential questions about the department:
• • How many people work in this department?
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• Job Seekers: Treat Telephone Interviews Like In-Person Interviews
• Comment Now Follow Comments
• Some of the worst interviews I’ve experienced as a hiring manager were telephone interviews.
I once had a job seeker “Daniel” (name changed) take my telephone interview while he was
driving in his car.
• I could hear everything, from the traffic noise to ambulance sirens to Daniel stopping at a
service station and filling his car with gas. The candidate could have simply sat inside his
parked car for the telephone interview. Instead, he wrongly assumed I wouldn’t notice that he
took the call while he was driving.
• Unfortunately, what this behavior projected to me was that the job was less important to him
than driving in his car and filling it with gas. His lackadaisical attitude could also be seen in
the way he answered many of my questions, which provided further confirmation of his
questionable character. As you’re probably guessing, he didn’t get the job.
• For many jobs, you must first get through a telephone interview before you’re invited to an in-
person interview, so don’t discount the importance of it. Here are tips to ace telephone
interviews:
• Act like it’s an in-person interview. Research the company and industry, prepare potential
interview questions and answers, and practice interviewing over the telephone with someone
so you can get the feel for it before the actual interview.
• Test your telephone voice. Practice how you speak over the telephone so you’ll come across
sounding clear and at the right volume. Introduce yourself at the beginning using a strong
voice that sounds confident and avoid answers that ramble or sound monotone. Feeling a little
lethargic? Try standing up when you talk to help you sound more energetic.
• Eliminate background noise. Ensure you can hold the interview in a quiet location. If you’re
interviewing from your home, be sure no one will pick up one of the other telephones and
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• Struggling to decide on an outfit for your upcoming job interview? What you wear to an
interview creates an image or perception of the type of person you are, so choosing your
attire is critical to presenting yourself as the right candidate to hire.
• How interview attire has shifted
• The dot-com era ushered in a more casual approach to workplace attire, including during
interviews, in the past 10-15 years. When the economic recession hit, job seekers began
dressing up as a way to differentiate themselves from other candidates. The recession created
a heightened awareness by hiring managers of what candidates wear to interviews. Interview
attire is also often seen as a test of a candidate’s familiarity of the company and industry.
• Tips to dress for positive impact
• • The appropriate interview attire depends on the industry in which you’ll be
interviewing, as well as the geographic location and time of year.
• • Spend time on the Internet researching the company, industry and competitors to
determine suitable interview outfits.
• • Still not sure? Call the company’s HR department and ask what they recommend you
wear.
• • When in doubt, err on the side of being slightly over dressed, rather than show up
looking too casual.
• • Don’t have an appropriate outfit? Go to a large department store like Nordstrom or
Macy’s and ask for help from a personal shopper or hire a personal stylist.
• • Ensure that your clothes are cleaned and pressed.
• • Avoid wearing perfume or cologne.
• • Wear makeup and jewelry that are appropriate to the job/company/industry.
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• Tip #1: Come prepared with examples of previous work and be able to explain why your work was successful.
• Examples: If you are interviewing for a marketing manager position, bring examples of marketing plans or product launch
plans you’ve created and implemented and be able to explain why the plans were successful. This approach holds true for
almost every job. If interviewing for a public relations (PR) position, bring examples of the PR plans you’ve created and
implemented and writing examples that demonstrate your skills, such as press releases you’ve written. If interviewing for a
product engineering position, bring examples of previous design work and any patents you’ve received.
• Why work examples are helpful: Showing a hiring manager previous work, such as a product launch plan, can be helpful. Even
better is to then explain why the product launch plan was successful, or parts of it that were not, why and what you learned
from the experience. This demonstrates to the hiring manager that you understand how and why things work or do not work –
why certain tactics had a direct impact and others did not. Just be sure not to share anything that is company confidential.
• Tip #2: Provide the hiring manager with specific reasons why you are the candidate they should hire.
• From the notes you took during your first interview and from the job description, prior to your second job interview, write
down the top 3-5 attributes the hiring manager is looking for in the candidate who will earn the position. Then, evaluate
yourself against these items and determine how your qualifications and experience meet or exceed the requirements.
• During your second interview, discuss these with the hiring manager. For example, you might comment: “In our first
interview you shared with me the three most important qualifications necessary for this position. They were…” (state the
items) “Based on what you’re looking for, I believe I am the best candidate for you to hire because…” and then explain how
your experience, education, skills, high-quality work, discipline in getting things done, teamwork, attitude, etc. make you
the best person for the job.
• How this is helpful: When a hiring manager has narrowed down a candidate pool to a short list, they already know each
candidate on this list is qualified for the position – what they’re now looking for are reasons why to hire one candidate over
another. This can be a great way for a job candidate to finish the second interview on a positive note. By reminding the
hiring manager of the key aspects they’re looking for and explaining him or her why you are the person they should hire, you
are helping to make their decision easier by providing your differentiators.
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• Job Seekers: Avoid Saying This During Interviews
• Continued from page 1
• Comment Now Follow Comments
• <div style="position:absolute;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;left:0px;top:0px"> <a
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alt="" height="0"
src="https://analytics.spongecell.com/ad_tags/51273869?ad_version=PLATFORM&type=IMPRES
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• Some hiring managers will purposely ask interview candidates about the worst aspects of
working for a boss or employer. Heads up! These are trick questions to see if you’ll bad mouth
a past job, employer, or manager. Answering these types of questions can be difficult,
especially if you’re leaving an unhappy work environment or really do work for a terrible boss.
While you might like to let loose and vent, a job interview isn’t the time or place – save your
angry tirade for a confidential discussion with your best friend.
• My advice in answering negative questions is to try your best to turn your answer around into
positive comments. Let’s say a hiring manager asks you to explain the top three things you
hated the most in a previous job. In your head you might be thinking: My boss was a jerk who
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