Your CV and Job Interview

Stress the Benefits on your CV and at your Interview

It is important "Stress the Benefits" on your CV and at your interview: Communicate as much value as possible. There is an old adage in sales which states that one should "sell the sizzle not the sausage'. In other words, it is the benefit that is purchased not the feature of the product or service provided. For example, you might be the best Field Service Engineer around, but that is not why you are hired. It is because your skills mean minimum downtime. It is the latter which is the real reason for which your are hired. 

When thinking about your achievements at work, it is necessary to ask yourself the question 'Who benefited from my work and in what way? Then when talking about yourself yourself your interview answers can can become what is known as "benefit laden", (see STAR example exercise below).

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You hear all sorts of rules about job interviews: interviewers decide about you in the first few seconds, and you have to make a good "first impression". You should ask insightful questions, learn as much as you can about the company, they will probably ask questions designed to trip you up, so have some quick answers ready.

As far as rules go, some make perfect sense. However, getting the job you want is not about following the rules. It is about presenting yourself in the most marketable way possible, that takes care of you and the interviewers' needs.

So many people throw their chances away. They do not prepare to make the whole interviewing process stimulating, enjoyable and informative for all concerned.

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) and getting those elusive meetings
If you want the job, chances are so do a lot of other other eager people, so your application has to stand out from the crowd. CVs are usually dull and boring, and people create them as historical documents, rather than as marketing tools. You can boost your chances of getting an meeting by making your CV look special.

Use good paper, make the layout, readable an easy on the eyes. Edit it ruthlessly. People usually put in too much detail. Highlight the bits that relate to the job you're going for. They don't need to know you went to St Mary's School when you were 12. If you don't have what you think are the right educational qualifications, don't worry. Just leave them off.

I definitely recommend a brief career statement the beginning of your CV that illustrates your experience and aspirations . A short statement about what you're seeking can this will alleviate any retention fear the readers may have in hiring someone like you.

So that worked. You've got the Interview.
Here's the key and the most important thing to remember before you go through the door. Unless they are simply going through the motions because they've already appointed someone, they want it to be you.

They want to know their search is over, so for the length of the meeting, the job is yours. You need to make the most of it. Having said that, first impressions are incredibly important. Be yourself right from the start, turning up the volume on those bits of you that most match the job; turning down the volume on the bits that don't. However, never ever shut the volume off entirely, as you will then be pretending to be someone you're not.

Not a good idea to lie! You can be judicious with the truth, but lies have a tendency to return and bite you in the bum! Even if they don't know you've lied, you will be giving out signals that are a give-away that something is wrong.

Being put on the spot by interviewers can feel very uncomfortable, and it's easy to fall into a defensive posture. If you're not sure of the answer or feel boxed into a corner it's all right to buy time – including saying "I need some time to think about that."

No matter how nervous you are, you do need to look after the people interviewing you. Show that you know how to communicate and relate to people: ask surprising questions.

Have a stockpile of anecdotes of past triumphs. This is not just a list of what you can do, but some personal examples that paint the whole picture. Phew! You got through that; anything else you can do? At the end of your meeting, if you haven't been advised, ask when they think they'll be making their decision. At least then you'll know how long you’ll have to wait before you hear.

Many employers don't automatically let people know if they haven't got the job; so one follow-up call is allowable. More than that and it can feel like badgering.

No matter how badly you think the meeting went, if you want the job, always send a follow-up letter. Since most of us think of clever things to say after the fact, include one or two of those, referring to something specific from the meeting.

Use phrases such as:

1) 'I've given a lot of thought to our meeting and...'
2) 'Something you mentioned got me thinking...'
3) 'What you said about _______ really struck home...'

If you don't get the job and you're curious why not, phone up and get some feedback.