Tag: preparing for an interview

Selling yourself in an Interview

During the interview it is essential that you SELL YOURSELF.  Feature-Example-Benefit Selling, also known as FEB selling, is a fabulous way to do this!  FEB selling teaches you to effectively sell yourself by using personal examples.

FEATURE:        a fact that sets you apart from other people.
EXAMPLE:       a specific, personal example that supports your fact.
BENEFIT:          how your fact and example benefit the employer.

For example:

Feature: I have a strong work ethic

Example: While attending college full-time, I worked 40 hours a week to finance my education.

Benefit: I’m used to working hard in order to achieve positive results.

By using the examples above, we come up with this statement

“I have a strong work ethic.  For example, while attending college full-time I worked 40 hours a week to finance my education.  What this means for [XYZ Company] is that I’m used to working hard in order to achieve positive results.”

Read the job description and pick out buzz words and incorporate them in your FEB.’s.  Examine your background and consider what your Example would be for each Feature and how you think it will Benefit that company

Take the following opening from an actual job listing:

As the leader of the team, you will ensure maximum reliability and effectiveness of information produced, enabling leadership to make well-informed decisions. The successful [candidate] is a clear communicator, highly analytical, and possesses the necessary skills and experience to develop a world-class finance team. The ideal candidate has a collaborative attitude, makes thoughtful decisions in a timely manner and never hesitates to roll up their sleeves to execute a broad range of financial management responsibilities.  You have an eye for detail, hold yourself to the highest standard and are obsessed with coaching others to success.

The emphasized phrases represents the features this employer desires.  These should be a focus of your interview and your key selling points.

Other Features that employers’ desire are: Resilient, Goal-Oriented, Motivated, Persistent.  Having solid examples of such features and reasons that they are beneficial and you will have a successful interview!

Don’t for get to follow us on LinkedIn

Before You Leave For an Interview

We emphasize being prepared for an interview because it is so important.  Being Prepared = Confidence and that will help you present your best you!

Here are some tips to before you even step out of the door:

Dress for Success Whether you know it or not, even before you open your mouth for the first time, a hiring manager will notice what you are wearing and will form some sort of opinion about you.  Nobody says it’s fair, but that is an undeniable fact.  Don’t let your first impression be a negative one.

Even in the casual work environment of Silicon Valley, many hiring managers like it when candidates dress professionally for their interviews.  And, yes, you will be better dressed than anybody that interviews you, but it shows you care and are eager to impress.  Again, this is another way to differentiate yourself from your competition.

  • DO wear a suit (everyone should have at least one)
  • DON’T over accessorize. one set of small earrings; one ring
  • DO be conservative – No Stilettos or Cowboy Boots
  • DON’T wear too much cologne/perfume

Your personality should come out of your mouth, not your appearance.

Get the directions before you leave.  Yes, I know, your phone has GPS and you can map it when you get in your car.  Well, think of it this way, what happens when you look at the estimated time to get there and it is 10 minutes after your interview should start?  Be familiar with where you are going before you head out the door so as to avoid the next tip…

DO NOT BE LATE.  You should be there 10 – 15 minutes before your interview.  When you map your destination see how long it takes to get there and add 5 minutes per every 15 minutes to your travel time.  You never know about traffic in the Bay Area (except for the fact that you can usually expect it to be bad).  If you use public transportation, look at the schedule and find the train/bus that will get you there on time and pick the one before.  If you show up a half hour early, take a stroll to clear your head.

Tell your Friends and Family about your interview.  The best advice is to LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE IN THE CAR.  But with many of us being dependent on our cell phones, we find that we have a hard time doing that.  If you fall into that category, give your friends and family a heads up.  You do not want a call to interrupt your interview.  When you walk into the interview, turn it OFF.  If for some reason you fail to heed this advice and your phone does, in fact, ring during your interview, quickly turn the phone off without looking to see who is calling and apologize.  Not once, apologize twice.  And if you’re dumb enough to actually answer the phone during the middle of an interview, you may as well stand up and head for the door.

Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn!