Your tech skills got your foot in the door, but they won't necessarily get you the job.
Congratulations! You've landed an interview.
Your technical skills and experience probably got you noticed. But your interviewing skills are just as important as your technical know-how if you want to land the job, says Annie Reisch, founder and president of Staffing Providers, a search firm in the US, specialising in placing technology professionals.
Remember, soft skills are important, too. Technologists don't just sit in a back room anymore, happily working on computers the way they did 10 or 20 years ago, Reisch says. These days, those same workers are expected to be team players - and often managers - and they need to have excellent communication skills.
So if you think your resume is going to get you through the interview, think again. You might have impressive credentials, but it doesn't mean you're a shoo-in for the job.
You know C++. So what?
"The best candidate doesn't always get the job," says Mike McBreen of interviewsuccess.com, an online consulting firm which specialises in coaching candidates in the interview process. "If you're an average candidate but you have an exceptional interview, you're going to get an offer."
McBreen, who has a background in sales and marketing for several Fortune 500 companies, said he started interviewsuccess.com after coaching many friends and colleagues through the interview process. "I was amazed at how little people learn about interviewing," he says.
There's nothing mysterious about an interview, McBreen says. Most follow a classic pattern: First there's a warm-up period - you chat a little and they tell you about the company. Then they walk through your resume. Then they ask if you have questions. At the end, there's usually a closing sell or pitch, he explains.
"If you're prepared, you get a good chance to control the process. If you're not prepared, you're just along for the ride," McBreen says.
Do your homework.
One of the easiest ways to be prepared is to do some homework. "The research is absolutely critical," McBreen says. "If you do the research and you know the company, that allows you to have more control over the process."
Here are some ways to get solid information on the employer:
Ask questions.
When you set up the interview, ask who you'll be meeting and how they fit in the corporate structure. Use your research to develop a few questions. Ask about the company's products and technologies. It not only shows your interest, it shows you've done your homework.
Have a plan.
McBreen recommends putting together a three- or four-page mini business plan, regardless of the position you're going for. "All that says is, 'I've thought a lot about the company, and here's what I think I would need to focus on for the first 90 days.' It shows initiative, and shows you're thinking about this as a strategic career move."
Remain calm.
Innovative companies sometimes ask non-traditional questions that may seem to have nothing to do with the company or the position for which you've applied. You might be asked to put together a puzzle, draw a picture, or solve a riddle. Don't get rattled. Most likely they just want to see your brain in action or find out how you fare under pressure.
"Microsoft loves to ask a question about how many gas stations there are in the US," says McBreen. "Or they may look at a candidate and ask them, 'How would you build a house?' What they're really looking at is your thought process and how you work through an issue. It's got nothing to do with whether you really know how many gas stations there are."
Don't overlook the little things.
