CAREER START : Interviews Are a Make or Break Chance to Impress
Liz Namahoe found herself on the losing end of the job cutbacks at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach last October. She had been making cockpit and cabin windows for aircraft. But after getting laid off she went to a special workshop to hone her interviewing skills on videotape, and she went through career counseling.
Overkill? Not according to Jeffrey Allen, author of “How to Turn an Interview Into a Job.” Said Allen, “In Los Angeles right now, it takes 12 interviews to get one job offer. Interviewing is nothing but a screen test. There are no retakes, no bit parts. You have to know your lines and dress the part.”
Seen from the employer’s point of view, there is a glut of candidates for entry-level jobs. “Eight years ago, you hired the best-qualified applicants. Today, you could find 10, so you try to hire the one who makes the fewer mistakes,” said Martin Yate, author of “Knock Them Dead With Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions.”
Picture yourself driving to a job interview on the Ventura Freeway. Your appointment is five minutes from now.
You have just disregarded the first cardinal rule. “Be on time, even if it means arriving 45 minutes early. It’s better than 15 minutes late,” says Richard Andre, vice president of human resources at 20th Century Insurance Co. in Woodland Hills.
Arrive early, try and relax: You are on trial for your livelihood.
First impressions are almost indelible and according to Allen there are four keys: a smile, a firm handshake, and “Hi, my name is. . . . It’s nice to meet you.” It sounds basic, but about 85% of job candidates miss at least two of these steps, he said.
Be sure to dress the part. You can tailor your appearance to the industry you’re trying to get into. It’s better to err on the side of conservative, but you can dress in trendy clothes, especially in industries such as fashion or advertising.
If you are applying to Walt Disney Co., leave the dangling Minnie Mouse earrings at home. Disney’s female employees are allowed to wear earrings no more than 3/4 of an inch in diameter, no bracelet, and two necklaces. Male employees are expected to have their hair trimmed above the ears and shirt collar, and keep their faces clean-shaven.
At the other end of the spectrum, Bob Feterl, Los Angeles regional manager for Tower Records, admits to overlooking the clothes factor. “We’re pretty famous for hiring the outcasts of the world,” he said. “Although the kids will dress up for the interview, the moment they get hired, they’re likely to dye their hair purple.”
Once the job interview actually begins, experts agree that you must make your answers specific. State your skills and qualities and illustrate with examples.
Diane Holst, employment interviewer at Disney who sees about 30 candidates per week for clerical jobs, starts by asking candidates why they applied to Disney.
Although the naked truth might be that you need the job, try and dress it up a little. “The candidate might say, ‘I’ve liked the friendly atmosphere when I visited Disneyland,’ ” Holst said.
And show that you know something about the company. “The common mistake people make is that they do not find out about the company, or the kind of job they’re applying for,” said Judith Sommerstein of Judith Sommerstein & Associates, a career consulting firm in Torrance and Santa Monica.
She suggests that candidates find information in the “Dictionary of Occupational Titles,” or the “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” at a library, or talk to someone who holds a similar position.
If you are interested in retail, “It’s good to point out something that is happening, special events,” said Julie Avins, vice president of employee relations for I. Magnin Inc. in Los Angeles. “So take a walk through the store a few days before your interview.”
And 20th Century’s Andre said that if job-seekers “know we do home and auto insurance, but not life insurance, those kinds of things are impressive.”
Now the interview is rolling along. You are asked about your skills. The interviewer is friendly and you might even be relaxing a little. “This is when the interviewer might throw a curve,” Yate said. You might be asked point-blank, “What would you say if I told you your performance here today is terrible?” to fathom how calm under pressure you can remain and how fast you can think in the interviewing chair, Yate said.
As the interview winds down, you probably will be given the opportunity to ask questions. Ask whether the job you applied for is new. Or, why it is vacant? “If the answer is that the employee has been promoted, ask how long the person was in the position. If it is something like 10 years, suspect a dead-end job,” said David Handon, center manager at the Verdugo Job Center, a career workshop.
As for Namahoe, two months after she lost her job she saw an ad for chemical process operators at a biotechnology company. She showed up with 50 candidates for 5 positions, filled out an application, was screened on the spot and then interviewed the same morning by one of the company’s managers.
All her training in the workshop helped. “The interview went well, easier than others I had been through. I was very relaxed and just talked about my experience and my ambitions,” Namahoe said.
As soon as she got home, Namahoe sent a thank-you note to the manager who had interviewed her. Two weeks later she was offered the job, and in January she reported to work.
