Good interviewing skills are as important as the skills and experience you bring to the table. In this highly competitive marketplace, good interviewing and presentation skills can be the deciding factor in getting an offer. The more experience and preparation you have at interviewing, the better you will become at it.

The following comments and recommendations are successful ways to improve your interviewing skills.

Our job is to ensure that we present the best and most suitable candidate to our clients. Once we've decided to submit your resume to our client, understand that you have been selected from a large pool of candidates.  You should feel confident knowing that you have already won us over.  If our client has viewed your resume and decided to set up an interview with you, this is your chance to prove to them that we were right about you!

Do Your Homework!

In many cases, a candidate least likely to be hired gets the job while a candidate seen as the "perfect" fit doesn't. Often the deciding factor in choosing a candidate is the amount of "homework" they did in preparing for the interview, their interest in the company and the job. The following suggestions are excellent ways to prepare for your interview:

Think of preparing for an interview like preparing for an exam.  Every candidate the client  will meet will do some work to prepare for the interview; review resume, look at company website, think about position on the way to the interview.  Based on years of advising candidates.....  In preparing for this interview, and to ensure you STAND OUT and DIFFERENTIATE yourself from the other candidates,:

• Look the company up on the Internet. Make notes on what they do, who are their clients, what is their product, why have they been successful.
• Check recent newspaper articles and corporate reports. You can visit www.globeandmail.com and put company name for keyword search on recent articles.
• Take the job description provided for this position and print it. Along side each skill bullet, make notes on YOUR EXERIENCE - YEARS/COMPANY YOU GOT THAT EXPERIENCE WITH AND ONE SUCCESS STORY. Remember, you only have 30-45 minutes to convince the client that you are the right candidate. Make notes on what you want to ensure you have conveyed during that time.
• Write down 3 reasons why YOU WANT TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY.
• Write down 3 reasons why given your SKILLS/BACKGROUND/EDUCATION/WORK HISTORY, they should hire YOU.
• Now.... Take that piece of paper and go in front of a mirror. Ask your self each one of the bullet questions and watch yourself answer. WOULD YOU HIRE YOU BASED ON YOUR ANSWERS?

Marketing Research  has shown:

• When preparing for an interview....every candidate reads the clients website.......every candidate reviews their own resume and has some idea of why they want to work there...... WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT? ON PAPER YOU CAN DO THEY JOB OR THEY WOULDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO INTERVIEW YOU.
• Clients hire candidates who have...PASSION FOR THEIR INDUSTRY, A STRONG DESIRE TO WORK FOR THEM, PROVEN THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE JOB/THEIR ROLE AND THE CULTURE.
• Remember...They will have to see you everyday. Are you someone they will want to see everyday?

Don't forget to take care of the basics.

• Get directions to the company and plan your means of transportation, ie. driving/parking, bus, subway, etc. How much time will it take to get there?
• Look professional. There is no such thing as being over dressed for an interview. If possible, wear a dark suit, polished shoes, clean shirt and dark socks, and look your best. Today, you are a marketing representative. You are marketing YOU.

Your presentation skills.

Always smile and try to create a warm feeling when introducing yourself. Use positive body language.  If you are really nervous, let them know. They will understand and overlook some of the minor weaknesses in your presentation. This should help you feel more relaxed. Pay attention to their speech, posture, movement, and eye contact. Be confident and be yourself.

The client is the best source for information.

The more you know about the company, the more accurately you can develop an appropriate presentation. If you lack information about the company, compile a list of questions for the client. Your questions should be open-ended to allow for an in-depth answer rather than a yes or no response.   For example: "Tell me more about your (system, team, database, etc.)?" or "What are the most important components of this project?" Listen carefully and take notes. By assessing the client's needs, you can effectively map your skills to their requirements.

What the Client needs to know.

The client needs to know three things:

1.      Are you a team player, personable, will they get along with you?

2.      Are you capable of doing the work?

3.      Do you want the position?  Why?

4.      Will you enjoy working there?

All you have to do is convince them that the answer to all questions is YES!

Proving that you are right for the job.

When being asked a technical question about your experience, don't be humble! Answer their questions with an example of where and how you used a particular skill in your previous experience. Develop answers to match the needs of the client's project. You should avoid yes or no answers. To sell your skills effectively, follow this simple three-step format.

1.      Outline what you are selling.

2.      Qualify or explain what you are selling.

3.      Relate what you are selling to the client's needs.

Other frequently asked questions"

1.               Tell me about yourself?

2.               What would your boss/peers say about you?

3.               What do you know about our company?

4.               Why do you want to work for us?

5.               What makes you different for the other candidates we have already interviewed?

6.               What about the job do you find attractive?  Least attractive?

7.               Why should we hire you?

Your goal is to generate an offer.

Remember that you can always say no to an offer that you do get, but you can never say yes to one that you didn't. It is not uncommon for people to lose their enthusiasm during an interview if they find out something about the job that seems unappealing to them. If this happens to you, it is important to keep in mind that things are not always what they appear to be.

"A candidate became disinterested in a position when he found out that the job required travel. He later found out that the company was willing to have his wife accompany him on all trips. Unfortunately, he had already given the wrong impression to the interviewer and was unable to turn things around once he decided that he wanted the job. "

Do not anticipate the future on limited information; some opportunities that start out as contracts become permanent positions.

Show them that you want the job.

A great way to show your interest in the job is to find out their level of interest in you. Good questions to ask are:

• Do you feel that I am suitable for the position?
• Do you have any reservations about my ability to do this job?

Don't be afraid to ask these questions; it's better to find out what their concerns are during the interview than to find out later that you did not get the job. Demonstrating your interest in the job can be a crucial factor in the interviewer's decision-making process.

Do not discuss money with the client.

It is unprofessional, even if the client asks. Your rate/salary is set and any attempt by the client to discuss your rate is usually an indication that they want to lower it. If asked, you can say, "My rate/salary has been negotiated with Global Consulting Group."

Call us immediately after your interview

Let us know how the interview went from your perspective.  The client will be calling to give us feedback and it is imperative that we know where you stand, so we can act accordingly. It gives us one last opportunity to promote you/fix anything that didn't go well in an interview.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Preparing for interviews is critical to the success.  Treat every interview as the most important marketing presentation that your business will make. You have one opportunity to convince a client of your abilities. Make every phrase, word and gesture count. This may all seem like common sense to you, but practicing in front of a mirror or with a partner will make you more at ease and add to your success at interviewing. All professionals practice their sport to stay sharp.

Good Luck and have fun!