Don't you hate it when they ask for more than you prepared in an interview? Being a big believer in being prepared and generally over-preparing myself, they can still throw you a curve. The growing trend seems to be not just one, but three weaknesses!
• Three Weaknesses. Nope. I'm perfect. This is not a winning strategy.
• Three Weaknesses. How do I select among the many. I don't know how I made it this far. Again, not a winning strategy.
• My weaknesses are: I am a bit too smart; I work too hard-devote myself too much to my work. Again, not a winning strategy as these are just boasts - pandering to the interviewer.
Pick something as a weakness that:
• is true (raised in prior performance reviews, told to you by others or you have observed in yourself) and
• is something that you could work on. Being aware of our weaknesses is the first step in conquering them.
Make sure it is not an essential attribute or skill required by the position. If you want to be a medical doctor, don't say you can never understand how people can study anatomy. It makes no sense to you with all those Latin words. Why be so precise about parts of the body?
What are some common weaknesses, which nearly everyone has experienced from time to time (of course, use your own)- these answers show that you are making progress/trying to change.
• Difficulty: Establishing Priorities (AND communicating with others) when I am under stress .
I take action to understand the various components of the task at hand, how they fit into the larger picture and I get input from others (co-workers and boss) to set priorities. Organizing myself and letting other people know if they are affected by my priorities really helps. I've realized that keeping others informed is ALWAYS appreciated. I now find that others assist me more frequently when I ask them because they have a clearer picture of the task and its impact on the team and our larger purpose.
• Difficulty: Procrastinating.
I now organize the tasks clearly and make a timetable. I stick to that timetable -even putting in false (early) deadlines. I keep in mind that my delaying can impact others as well as the quality of my project. I view others as "teammates" and don't want to let them down by making their lives miserable because I put something off.
By asking the weakness question, the interviewer is looking for maturity, self-evaluation and understanding that you have an impact on others. They want to hear that you take action and work to address/correct your weakness. They are not seeking perfection. We all are works-in-progress. The interviewer just wants to know what you consider your own weaknesses - so he/she can plan for it. Your weaknesses might even complement their own, creating synergistic results. ALWAYS have a clear plan for working on improving your weaknesses. So think about it ahead of time and be that much better prepared to show your best self to the interviewer.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
An interview is a command performance. Make your responses come alive each time!
As the world is besotted by the recent Royal Wedding of William and Kate, consider any interview process as your own command performance to highlight your best attributes - customized specifically for them - and discuss any of your "gaps."
Your selection for the next step, the interview, is terrific news. They think that you have the skills and experience on paper and want to find out whether you will be a "fit" for them?
1. Be committed to the moment. You are there - now! Be totally present and focused on THEM, not yourself. Many people get so caught up in planning to get in what they want to say that they miss the connection of being actively present with the person with whom they are interviewing. This goes both ways, of course. You can be committed to being "in the moment" and you can influence their concentration by being persuasive.
2. Listen actively to make sure you understand what they say - or don't say. They will give you clues from which you can try to understand the question behind the question. What is their true business-related concern? Do not just listen waiting to break in and interject what you want to say. Hear them out completely. Is there a subtle nuance, new direction or emphasis?
3. Know, don't memorize. Being effective in an interview is like being on stage. The beauty and excitement of a live performance is that it is NEW EVERY TIME. A good actor keeps the performance fresh, as if they had never done it before and they are there, performing for this audience alone. The actor feeds off the energy in the room, from the other players and the audience itself. If you are speaking from rote memory it comes across as passive, rehearsed and uninterested, as if you have switched to autopilot. Many people go to films in movie theaters because they think the audience reaction enhances their enjoyment; however, the film never changes. It is exactly the same every time. As you may be asked the same questions by a variety of people during the interview process, your response needs to be as lively and committed the third time as it was the first. You can do that by realizing each time is a new LIVE performance.
By the way, sometimes the interviewer may not be as involved in the interview as you are. It will be hard to be persuasive when they are just perhaps "going through the motions." Realize that the interviewer may:
• not like to interview (judge people or even be a people - person),
• not know how to interview (fairly likely, unless the group for which they interview has a structured process) or
• have other, more pressing, things on their mind, related to work or their personal life or health.
Stay actively "in the moment" and you will have an easier time showing your best self to the interviewer as you step on stage during your command performance.
Your selection for the next step, the interview, is terrific news. They think that you have the skills and experience on paper and want to find out whether you will be a "fit" for them?
1. Be committed to the moment. You are there - now! Be totally present and focused on THEM, not yourself. Many people get so caught up in planning to get in what they want to say that they miss the connection of being actively present with the person with whom they are interviewing. This goes both ways, of course. You can be committed to being "in the moment" and you can influence their concentration by being persuasive.
2. Listen actively to make sure you understand what they say - or don't say. They will give you clues from which you can try to understand the question behind the question. What is their true business-related concern? Do not just listen waiting to break in and interject what you want to say. Hear them out completely. Is there a subtle nuance, new direction or emphasis?
3. Know, don't memorize. Being effective in an interview is like being on stage. The beauty and excitement of a live performance is that it is NEW EVERY TIME. A good actor keeps the performance fresh, as if they had never done it before and they are there, performing for this audience alone. The actor feeds off the energy in the room, from the other players and the audience itself. If you are speaking from rote memory it comes across as passive, rehearsed and uninterested, as if you have switched to autopilot. Many people go to films in movie theaters because they think the audience reaction enhances their enjoyment; however, the film never changes. It is exactly the same every time. As you may be asked the same questions by a variety of people during the interview process, your response needs to be as lively and committed the third time as it was the first. You can do that by realizing each time is a new LIVE performance.
By the way, sometimes the interviewer may not be as involved in the interview as you are. It will be hard to be persuasive when they are just perhaps "going through the motions." Realize that the interviewer may:
• not like to interview (judge people or even be a people - person),
• not know how to interview (fairly likely, unless the group for which they interview has a structured process) or
• have other, more pressing, things on their mind, related to work or their personal life or health.
Stay actively "in the moment" and you will have an easier time showing your best self to the interviewer as you step on stage during your command performance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
