So, You Want a Job at My Company?
I’m the President and CEO of a high-tech company and I like to interview everybody who applies for a job here, regardless of the position being filled. I do that because our company culture is binary. You’re a 0 or a 1. If you’re a .95 then you’re not a fit for us. I act as that filter, because when we hire a .95, all the others 1’s in our company recognize it almost immediately. Sometimes .95’s slip through the cracks, but we figure it out eventually and make the necessary adjustment.
So, here’s what I’m looking for in a job candidate. Although I didn’t intend this to be a primer on job interviewing, some of this is admittedly basic, yet it still goes unheeded by many applicants:
1. Be five minutes early
If you’re going to be unavoidably late, call me 30 minutes in advance to let me know. Anything less than that signals that we will have a problem with your punctuality in the future.
2. Don’t overdress
It reeks of desperation, and a lack of confidence. Male applicants should wear a nice sport coat and open-collared shirt, with no tie. Female applicants should wear something professional looking, but not anything flashy or revealing.
3. Display confidence
When we meet, shake my hand with a firm grip, and let me know how pleased you are to be able to interview. Ask for water if you need it. I’m always impressed with people who aren’t afraid to ask for what they want.
4. Make eye contact when talking
Not making eye contact makes you appear to be evasive, and I’ll discount everything that you tell me about yourself.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of what the company does
Do your homework and let me know that you’ve done it. Access the company website and learn more about what we do and how your skills fit into our environment. It shows me that you care.
6. Carefully review the company mission statement, vision and values
Make sure to review these statements, in order to understand what’s most important to us as a company. These are not just words concocted by the marketing department. This is who we are, and you need to let me know that you’re totally on board with that.
7. Be positive
I can teach you about our products and services, I can tell you all about our customers, and I can teach you new job skills. But I can’t teach you how to be positive, and we don’t have an opening for negative people.
8. Ask questions
Convince me with your positive energy and your questions that we would be stupid not to hire you. Make it clear to me how your skills and qualities will add value to our business.
9. Proof Read Resumes
I carefully scan every resume, and if there are any noticeable typos, grammar or formatting problems, I’ll assume that you don’t care very much about your own image, so you’ll likely not care very much about ours.
10. Sell Yourself
Tell me why you think that you’ll be a better fit for us than the other candidates. If you can get me revved up about you, then half your battle is over.
If you’re successful in doing these ten things with each of your interviews, I can assure you that your job search will be a short one.
Written by Doug Deane, President & CEO of DSD Business Systems
