Interview

Interview Questions to Ask the Hiring Organization

You must be prepared to answer any questions a hiring manager or recruiter has during an interview. However, you must also be prepared to ask your own series of questions about the organization.  Interviews are two-way and this is your opportunity to ask some of your questions in order to gain determine if the company and positions is as good of a fit for you as you are for it.

Here are some possible questions to ask during an interview, not all will apply to your role, but can help spur some ideas of the questions you should be asking:     

  • What are the most important milestones or yardsticks by which this organization will evaluate an employee’s performance in this position? 

  • What do you see as the organization’s most critical goals for the next three-to-five years?  How do you see the person in this position addressing these goals and objectives? 

  • ‘What industry trends have shaped the organization’s goals, objective and priorities for the next year?  What emerging trends are likely to influence this organization within the next three-to-five years?   

  • What do you see as this new employee’s greatest challenges in working to fulfill these goals? 

  • What’s it like to work here?  What’s the culture and environment?  How would you describe the typical workday?

  • How do people tend to communicate, solve problems and resolve conflicts?   

  • What do you see as the organization’s greatest achievement of the last three years?  

  • What leadership style would never work here?  How would the ideal leader operate in this position?

4 Pro Tips for Video Interviews

In age of Covid-19 there has been a heightened demand for teleconference services. Many applicants who have secured interviews are being asked to engage in a video interview. While this is not new, and web-based video interviews have been happening for years, the demand for the video conference interview has expanded.

For anyone that has ever been part of a video interview, the 1st thought that comes to mind is likely “awkward.” Signal delays, drops in service, uncomfortable eye contact, and constantly talking over one another are normal and should not distract you. Here are 4 video interview tips to help make you stand out.

 

Practice

Conducting a dry run is one of the most important things you can do to ensure you come across as polished and professional. Do everything you can to ensure your internet connection is as strong as possible and practice with your conferencing equipment so that you are aware of tendencies to delay or lag in the transmission.

(PRO TIP: Grab a friend to help you dry run the interview, this way you are more comfortable with communicating via video.)

 

Background

The last thing you want during your interview is for the interviewer to be distracted by your background (dirty house/office/busy image or anything blatantly non-professional). Practice proper job interview etiquette by setting your computer in a clean, well lit area and do a test run to see what is behind you and visible on screen.

(PRO TIP: You want to conduct your video interview in a quite, private area. Silence all notifications on your phone and turn off all streaming services in the background.)

 

Dress The Part

A video interview is every bit as much an interview as an in person one, so make sure you are properly attired. Proper interview etiquette is to always dress appropriately for the job in which you are applying, not necessarily a day on the job. The same holds true for the video conference. You can change back into your pajamas and robe as soon as it's done.

(PRO TIP: There are tons of meme’s online about working remote or taking an interview with no pants on. While we all have a sense of humor it is unprofessional to only be dressed from the waist up. Also, being dressed for the part can instill a bit of extra confidence.)

 

Proper Eye Contact

As a human, we are conditioned to look someone in the eye when we are speaking to him or her. When we are video conferencing, remember that when you make eye contact during a video conference, it should be with your web camera – NOT the person's face on your computer.

(PRO TIP: Do not touch your face, fix your hair, wipe away a spot, or act like you are alone in front of a mirror.)

 

At Vitae Express we can work with you on improving your interview skills. This training can be for in person or via video consultation! If you have more questions about this service, contact us for a free phone consultation.

Preparing Your Resume & Career Tools During Coronavirus

This craziness has everyone locking down, but social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation. Now is a great time to prepare in case of layoffs. Use this time to build your career collateral and connect with those who can impact your success.

Here are some ideas to help out: .

PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEWING SKILLS
Video and audio recording software platforms like Zoom, FaceTime, and Skype allow you to practice how you sound and look.

DO SOME DEEP DIVE RESEARCH
Sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor are great for getting insight into companies, learning about opportunities, and gaining exposure into opportunities.

ORGANIZE YOUR JOB SEARCH TOOLS AND COLLATERAL

This is a great time to make sure your LinkedIn and resume are up to date, fresh in presentation, and optimized for keywords.

CONNECT WITH PEERS, EMPLOYERS AND COLLEAGUES
With everyone home, people are online this week more than ever and likely more open to connecting by phone. If not this week likely the next. Take this time to get ready.

If you need help with a resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile, contact Vitae Express. We are working remote with clients across the country right now!

The best time of day to interview for a job

If you are called in for an interview, try to schedule the appointment in the morning if you can. A study from the Harvard School of Business showed that people conducting interviews tended to compare and rate candidates who interviewed later in the day to the candidates they’d spoken with earlier (rather than scoring an interview based on the entire pool of applicants.)

This means that if the person conducting the interview had met with a particularly strong candidate in the morning and had already given out top scores, candidates interviewing later would be judged more harshly to compensate.

A hiring manager who has already given out a number of high marks could feel obligated to give out a lower grade to the next candidate regardless of actual qualifications. Also if an employer has already been impressed with a strong candidate it can be more difficult for subsequent applicants to be as memorable, even if equally qualified.

Scheduling your job interviews at the beginning of the day gives you the best shot at standing out in employers’ eyes, and beating the potential afternoon candidate-fatigue syndrome.