Guest Post: Nisha Balasubramanian

Nisha is one of Chris' Summer 2010 Professional Speaking students at Carnegie Mellon University. Here she writes about getting the job you want.

How many times have we had a feeling of “Oh my Gosh!!!” after an interview? Well almost every time!!! What is it that went wrong? I thought I was the best fit for the job, but I feel lost now. What was I thinking? All these are very common feelings one has after an interview. How do we overcome this? How do we find ‘the right job’? What does it take to crack an interview? These are some questions that I will try to answer here and I am sure it will help you be better prepared for your next interview.

The first and the foremost task at hand is to find out what interests you. Before you begin your job search, you need to know what kind of job drives you the most, which job makes you hit the office with full enthusiasm day after day. Most of the time people fail to understand the need to identify their area of interest. As a result they just follow the crowd and finally end up in a job that leaves them not only unsatisfied but also frustrated to the core. Finding the right job is like finding your true love. In order to do that go back to your childhood days and remember what did you always wanted to become, identify the subjects that used to interest you the most during your undergraduate studies, talk to your best friends/mentors/colleagues who may help you identify the things you like to do the most. If you have had prior work experience, think about what you liked the most and what you disliked about the job. This would give you a sense of direction for your career path. Yes, that is the word- CAREER. The secret of having an excellent job is that it should fall in line with your career path.

Once you have identified your area of interest, the next step is to look out for opportunities that match your interests. List the companies with profiles that interest you. Do thorough research on the companies you may want to work with- their core competencies, their product and services, their target market, the work environment, your role in the company, the compensation, etc. Talk to current and former employees about their experiences with the company. Once you have all these details, check if it matches your career interests and if you would you really like to work for the company. Often people just look out for things that they are missing in their current job. They forget to see what they like in the current profile which they might miss in the new job. Most importantly, one has to see where the new job will take them in their career, in the long run. Alas, finding the right company is as important as choosing a life partner!

So, you have defined your interests, short listed the companies you want to join and have applied for the job. The next big thing and I would say the most important is to crack the interview. One fact you need to register in your mind while preparing for the interview is – “Be well prepared and be yourself.” So what does an interviewer look for in a potential employee? Are they just looking for a bunch of people, who can do any task assigned to them within minutes but are afraid to communicate with the person sitting next to them at work? Sometimes you really need to think from an interviewer’s perspective. Below are some of the aspects which MUST be considered while preparing for the interview:

1. Do extensive research on the company. Try to find minute details of the company as well as your job profile. Prepare several intelligent questions to ask your interviewer. This shows that you have really done your research well and that you are genuinely interested in working for the company.
2. Prepare specific examples from your past work, which may help showcase your skills and experience and how they will be of great help to the company you intend to join. Having your PAR (Problem-Action-Result) stories in place, about your experience, your education, and specific skills goes a great deal in portraying you as a serious candidate for the job.
3. Take out sufficient time to review your resume. It is the first thing which the interviewers look at and that one page resume says a lot about your personality and goals.
4. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Try to find out what you are good at: consult your co-workers or trusted friends to get feedback on your work. List down all the skills which you think might help you fit it to the kind of job you are looking for. You don’t need to just focus from a work perspective, but what kind of a person you are, what is that one thing that differentiates you from the others, how the company will be benefitted from hiring you. Highlight them during the interview. At the same time, it is very important that you get genuine feedback on your weaknesses, so that you may be aware of tough situations that you may encounter in your new job and think of ways to overcome them. Find a way to frame the weaknesses positively, so that the prospective employer knows that you are aware and working on your weaknesses.
5. Find out your market value as per the industry standards. The company hiring you would like to know whether they can really afford you. Let them give you an offer first, but if you know what you are worth, do let them know. The employer will surely appreciate your honesty and confidence.
6. On the D-day, it is most important for you to look confident. I know it is very difficult to stay calm on the D day and it is perfectly fine to be a little nervous. But the important thing is how confidently you portray yourself to the interviewer. Put on your best suit and make sure that you are well groomed. They generally look for people who will take control of a crisis situation confidently.
7. Print out a few extra copies of your resume and cover letter. This will help you tackle a multiple interviewer situation.
8. Arrive on time for the interview. Arriving early gives an impression that you want this job at any cost. At the same time, arriving late gives an impression of being careless. Smile and shake hands when you meet the interviewer for the first time. Do the same, when you leave after the interview.
9. Last but not least, send a ‘Thank You’ message to the person who interviewed you. A handwritten note will go a long way in creating a favorable impression.
   

Phew!!! I know that was an extensive list of “Things to remember” but the most important thing is to RELAX and SMILE. After all, the company needs people who are pleasant to work with. All the best for your interview!!