位于达拉斯的一个工业零件分销公司Hi-Line的人力资源助理Felix Heimberg说:“只因为面试不是某些人的强项并不能说明他们不是多产的员工,但他们确实需要展示一些东西。”
面试是你赢得雇主并展示你有“本事”的机会。谁还会比一个招聘者更有资格来提供建议呢?
Heimberg每四周中就有三周是在路上,在全国面试未来的区域经理。我们最近有机会邀请到他来给我们讲一讲面试的问题。
Monster:作为一个因面试过足够多的人而成为该领域的专家,您认为大家犯的最常见的错误是什么?
Felix Heimberg:我会这样来描述:你当然需要表现自己最好的一面,而经常有人状态不佳的时候就去面试。如果某人看重一项工作,我认为他们就应该在进门时有正当的表现;他们应该表现得有一点活力,面带微笑,试图通过沟通表现出一些个性。但是有些时候我面试的人们处在失业状态中,有一种受挫的表情……我很同情这些人。我知道总是被拒绝不是件好事,但是如果你表现出自己被击败了,那对你并没有什么好处。
当一个人在应当拿出最好的表现的时候他却表现平平,那么他在不顺利的时候又会怎样呢?
M:我曾经读到过,人们通常在刚见面的最初一分钟内,或者甚至是二十秒钟之内产生第一印象。你认为这是真的吗?
FH:是的,我能举出很多在三十秒钟之内产生第一印象的例子。这就象是看简历——你有一个明确的“不行”、一个明确的“行”,或是一个“可能”。这也正式面试所经历的。你有明确的“行”、明确的“不行”和一些“可能”。那些“可能”也许会加深你的印象,有时候他们会变成成功的招聘。
有时候你可以判断出他们的形象不对或是他们不适合企业文化。当我很快就看出来(不适合企业文化)的时候,我会表现的友好,但我不会全面展开面试了。第一印象通常都会被证实是准确的。我认识到你是不能忽视人们内在的一些怪癖的。
M:你是否觉得有些问题是求职者们在面试时应该问的?
FH:并不尽然,因为我觉得每个公司都是不一样的。但是我要说:无论如何,不管是最终的面试还是最初的面试,如果有人问你有没有问题,你都是要问一个问题的。
M:那是为什么呢?
FH:如果他们没有问题,我会觉得他们没有真正地思考。当然,如果思考过的人有一个机会能学到一些东西,他们是会提出问题的……如果他们没提,那也不是死神之吻,但是他们本可以表现的更好一些。我强烈建议准备一些聪明的、经过事先慎重考虑的问题,并在面试过程中整理出来。可以是关于有多少营业额,或是最初的一年最困难的是什么,或是人们为什么失败。有很多问题你可以问的。
M:面试者在面试中做什么才能够真正地脱颖而出?
FH:这不是一个新的概念,但是沟通确实很重要,而且一封细微的追踪电子邮件说“我非常感激您所给与我的时间”——这会略微提升你的地位。这并不能保证你被聘用,但是它是有益无害的。
Stand Out at the Interview with Tips from an Expert
"Just because somebody's strength is not interviewing doesn't mean they can't be productive employees, but they do need to show something," says Felix Heimberg, recruiting and staffing coordinator for Hi-Line, an industrial parts distribution company based in Dallas.
The interview is your chance to win the employer over and show that you do possess that "something." And who better to offer advice on this than a recruiter?
Heimberg spends about three out of every four weeks on the road, interviewing prospective territory managers all over the country. We recently had the chance to turn the tables and interview him -- about interviewing, of course.
Monster: As somebody who's interviewed enough people to be something of an expert on the subject, what would you say are some of the most common mistakes people make?
Felix Heimberg: I would characterize it this way: You certainly need to put your best foot forward, and there are often individuals who are not at their best when they're coming into an interview. If someone's serious about a job, it seems to me that they're going to have the right appearance when they come in; they're going to walk in with a little bit of bounce and energy and a smile and try to communicate a little bit of personality. But sometimes I'll interview guys who are mid-career guys, and they have a little bit of a beaten-dog look.... My heart goes out to these folks. I know it's no fun getting a lot of rejection, but you're not doing yourself a favor if you communicate that you're beaten down.
At a time when somebody ought to be at their best and they're mediocre, what are they going to do on a bad day out there?
M: I've read that people often get a first impression of someone new within the first minute -- or even 20 seconds -- of meeting him. Do you think that's true?
FH: Yes, I can tell in many cases within the first 30 seconds. It's like looking at resumes -- you have a clear "no," a clear "yes" or you have a "maybe." That's exactly how interviews go. You have clear yeses, clear nos and some maybes. Those maybes might grow on you, and sometimes they turn out to be good hires.
Sometimes you can just tell that their image isn't right or they're not going to be a fit with the corporate culture. When I can see that [the fit isn't good] right away, I'll be neighborly, but I won't even do the full-blown interview. That first impression so often turns out to be accurate. I've learned that you cannot ignore the little oddities within people.
M: Do you feel there are certain questions job seekers should always ask at the interview?
FH: Not really, because I think that every company is different. But here's what I would say: At any point -?whether it's final interviews or initial interviews -?if somebody asks you if you have any questions, always have a question to ask.
M: Why's that?
FH: If they don't have a question, I think they're not really thinking. Surely, if the thinking person has an opportunity to learn something, they're going to come up with a question.... If they don't, it's not the kiss of death, but they could represent themselves better. I would strongly recommend having some intelligent, prethought-out question that you begin to put together throughout the process of the interview. It might have to do with how much turnover there is or what the most difficult aspect of the first year is or why people fail. There are just so many things that you could ask.
M: Any one thing people can do to really distinguish themselves at an interview?
FH: It's not a new concept, but communication is important, and that little follow-up email saying, "I really enjoyed and appreciated the time that you gave me" -- that elevates your stock just a little bit. It won't guarantee you get hired, but it's one of those little things that can never hurt; it can only help.
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