By David Maturo
As a candidate in accounting and finance, there are many hurdles to clear if you decide to move on to another opportunity, but if you’ve networked well and have a resume that stirs some interest, you are ready for the next challenge: the interview. Like public speaking, interviewing for a job can be intimidating. The skill can be acquired, but it requires time and effort to perform well.
Ostensibly, an interview helps both sides determine if there is a fit between the needs of the company and the qualifications of the candidate. In reality, it is much more than that. Analysis of qualifications is done when a company compares your resume to the job specification, and hiring managers often have several candidates who appear to meet the technical requirements. Employers often find it difficult to determine the optimal technical or functional fit, so chemistry tends to be the differentiator. Thus, the main goal of the interview is to create a meaningful and memorable connection.
Be Prepared
By the time you arrive for an interview, you should already know as much about the opportunity as possible. Learn about the industry, the market, the company, and, of course, the position itself. Find out who the company’s key providers are - such as auditors, legal counsel, and bankers - and see who you can connect with there. This will give you a basic knowledge of recent company history and its current needs. Make inquiries within your personal network to identify any mutual relationships that may help build trust.
Based on your research, prepare and prioritize a list of questions you’d like answered. Consider the relevance of your questions and how they will reflect upon you. Also, try to anticipate the questions they will ask of you. Check with colleagues and other sources to make sure you have a thorough list of potential queries. Be prepared to walk through your background and field questions without having to refer to your resume.
Presentation and dress should be professional and conservative. For men, facial hair should be clean-shaven or neatly trimmed and conservative. Wear little or no jewelry. Unless specifically advised not to, wear your best suit. The point is to be presentable, but more importantly, to have nothing distract from the personal connection you need to make with your potential employer.
The Moment of Truth
Regardless of the person with whom you are meeting - an external recruiter, the hiring manager, or a potential subordinate - give them your best effort in the interview. Be yourself and let your personality shine through, but at the same time, follow the interviewer’s lead with the pace and direction of the discussion. Try to be both relaxed and conversational, as well as professional at all times. Be open, honest, confident, and friendly. Most importantly, remember the goal of establishing a personal connection: make frequent eye contact, point your chest toward the person you’re speaking with, and smile.
A common interviewing mistake is when a candidate starts on a rehearsed sales pitch and tries to force his or her way through it. This can make the free exchange of ideas difficult. Interviewers want to talk about themselves and their challenges. Encourage them by asking questions and actively listening. Understand what is important to them, and speak to it.
When an interviewer asks you about your experience, answer directly and try to elaborate, but be on point and concise. Everything you’ve done may feel important and relevant to you, but if it is not meaningful to the immediate discussion, save it for another time. Incorporate brief examples, where appropriate, to illustrate your responses.
Honesty and directness are important to establishing a relationship. If you don’t know something or are unsure, don’t pretend to know. Interviewers can smell bologna. On the other hand, seize any opportunity to turn a perceived negative into a positive. For example, if you have no experience in the type of valuation analysis in which the interviewer is inquiring, admit it, but immediately ask questions, understand the goal, and offer what analysis you do know that may serve as well. Explain the resources you have at your disposal that would help you get up to speed quickly and deliver.
Follow Up
Be sure to get everyone’s business card at the end of each meeting, and show genuine interest in moving ahead. In-quire about the next steps and when it is acceptable to follow up.
Within 24 hours, send a brief e-mail to each person to thank them for their time. Don’t sell them on who you are again. Simply reference something meaningful from your conversation that demonstrates you’ve heard them. Also, send a short, hand-written thank you note. This is a sophisticated, personal touch in a world of quick, impersonal correspondence. Continue to follow up with your point of contact, on a schedule you agree to, until you get to a conclusion.
Because interviewing is not a technical skill found in most job descriptions, many of us take the ability for granted. We all assume we can present ourselves well enough, and that our experience speaks for itself. The truth is that the skill requires preparation and practice.
We have to know what’s important to us, learn what’s important to our potential employer, and be prepared to work hard at exploring the possibility of a connection.
David Maturo is a partner with Attolon Partners LLC, an executive search firm in Philadelphia. He can be reached at dmaturo@attolon.com.
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