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    Interview Action: The Complete Set [Books 1-3]
    Interview Action: The Complete Set [Books 1-3]
    Interview Action: The Complete Set [Books 1-3]
    Ebook229 pages2 hours

    Interview Action: The Complete Set [Books 1-3]

    By Richard N. Stephenson

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    About this ebook

    If you're looking for a job, you want things to go smoothly, right? You want to do the work it takes to get your name out there and you want some good responses back.

    But what if you're not sure about the next step to take?
    What if you've been out of the job market for more than five years, employed or not?
    What if you've tried over and over again and just can't seem to get a phone call?

    It's tough. This whole interviewing process is a complex, cold, and frustrating experience that most people can't stand. This is exactly the reason I decided to tackle it, systematize it, and bring it to you.

    I'm coming to you with career development tools, interview tips, and job grabbing processes to help you get the interview flow down pat. And don't worry, this is not PhD level confusing tactics (though there are ninja-nuggets of goodness inside).

    =

    Book 1: Build Your Foundation:

    1) Know the reasons: This interview mindset preparation section will help destroy the fear of the unknown and get you confidently ready to start your interviewing journey.

    2) Show Your Skills: Here you'll align everything you've ever done with what matters most to interviewers. Show what you've got and the value you will add.

    3) Beat The Competition: The market is a snarling bear and if you don't figure out how to beat the competition, you'll be just another "rejection email" in a company's huge pile of submissions.

    =

    Book 2: Enter The Market:

    1) Discovering Openings:This section turns years of "old-school" advice into updated and practical tips you can use in today's challenging market.

    2) Do Your Research: Times have changed and researching what you're going for is powerful for you and the interviewer. Be ready leave a lasting impression or know when to walk away.

    3) Planning the Interview: Not enough time, effort, and preparation is spent in the steps leading up to the actual interview. Get your job hunting efforts focused and boosted here.

    =

    Book 3: WIN-terviewing:

    1) Hone Your Mind: Here you will become a master of your emotions, confidence, and motivation. This whole process is a mind game and you're the controller of your actions.

    2) Talk Without Talking: Over half of all communication is done without actual spoken words. Learn how to overcome self-sabotaging body language and interview with confidence.

    3) Master Tough Questions: You know they're coming. You know those tough questions every hates to answer will be thrown your way. Work through the good answers now and be prepared.

    4) Negotiating The Win: Your life and time is the most valuable resource. Make sure you are getting what you're worth. Get the most out of your time, income, and freedom.

    =

    This is simple, straightforward, and practical techniques for the following people:
    * In a job that no longer satisfies you
    * Never had a job before
    * Haven't looked for a new job in over 5 years
    * Are an expert and are looking for 5-10% improvement tips

    I took an experimenter's role when researching this Interview Action series of books. Yes, I made cold-calls to recruiters to get advice. Yes, I applied for positions I was not "qualified" for (and still got the interviews). Yes, I used my years of psychometric testing data and surveys from richardstep.com to refine my approaches.

    And yes, you will get at least 1 big 'ah-ha' from this series of books that will make a difference in your interview mastery skill-set. You just have to be willing to look for it.

    This series of books will help you prepare for, find, get, and win at the interviewing process to make getting your next job that much more attainable. Think of it as personal interview training on your favorite ereader device.

    If you're ready to get up and learn some new interview methods, get what works best for you, and start applying it to the interview process, then let's go.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRichard N. Stephenson
    Release dateAug 14, 2013
    ISBN9781301759590
    Interview Action: The Complete Set [Books 1-3]

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      Book preview

      Interview Action - Richard N. Stephenson

      [BOOK 1]

      BUILD

      YOUR

      FOUNDATION

      ~~~

      INTRODUCTION

      If you're looking for a job, you want things to go smoothly, right? You want to do the work it takes to get your name out there and you want some good responses back.

      But what if you're not sure about the next step to take? What if you've been out of the job market for more than five years, employed or not? What if you've tried over and over again and just can't seem to get a phone call?

      It's tough. This whole interviewing process is a complex, cold, and frustrating experience that most people can't stand. This is exactly the reason I decided to tackle it, systematize it, and bring it to you.

      Here is a breakdown of what Book 1: Build Your Foundation will do for you:

      Know the reasons: This mindset section will help destroy the fear of the unknown and get you confidently ready to start your interviewing journey.

      Show Your Skills: Here you'll align everything you've ever done with what matters most to interviewers. Show what you've got and the value you will add.

      Beat The Competition: The market is a snarling bear and if you don't figure out how to beat the competition, you'll be just another rejection email in a company's huge pile of submissions.

      I'm coming to you with tools, tips, and processes to help you get the interview flow down pat. And don't worry, this is not PhD level confusing tactics (though there are ninja-nuggets of goodness inside). This is simple, straightforward, and practical advice for the following people:

      - In a job that no longer satisfies you

      - Never had a job before

      - Haven't looked for a new job in over 5 years

      - Are an expert and are looking for 5-10% improvement tips

      I took an experimenter's role when researching this Interview Action series of books. Yes, I made cold-calls to recruiters to get advice. Yes, I applied for positions I was not qualified for (and still got the interviews). Yes, I used my years of psychometric testing data and surveys from richardstep.com to refine my approaches.

      And yes, you will get at least 1 big 'ah-ha' from this series of books that will make a difference in your interview mastery skillset. You just have to be willing to look for it.

      This series of books will help you prepare for, find, get, and win at the interviewing process to make getting your next job that much more attainable.

      If you're ready to get up, get what works best for you, and start applying it to the interview process, then let's go. It's time to start making interviews work for you!

      Interview Action - Make Interviews Work For You

      ~~~

      PART 1

      KNOW THE REASONS WHY

      ~~~

      CHAPTER 1

      Succeed By Knowing Why A Job Interview Is Important To You

      This is something which is usually on everyone's mind. Why do I want to go on this interview? Why do I want this job? Why do I want this new opportunity? Yes, the typical response is probably money, greater growth, or the opportunity for leadership service.

      That's all well and good, but it really can be boiled down into four main reasons why an interview is important to you. Keep these four reasons in mind and you'll be able to effectively focus your job searching efforts, your resume and cover letter creation efforts, and your communication efforts during the interview. Let's jump through those four things right now.

      More Career Advancement

      There are companies and positions that really will hold you back by glass ceilings. This is where you get to a certain status level in name alone, but there's no money, no more responsibility, and basically you're stuck in the same place with greater requirements. Nothing else has changed: the same amount of work, same amount of compensation, and more people yelling at you.

      There are other companies where there is a good-old-boy-system in place. This is where unless you started with that company 15 years ago and know everyone above you, sideways, and all around you, there's no chance for advancement for you.

      You will be able to do what you do and do it well, as long as you don't step out of your bounds. Stay in your box and no one's going to bug you. But as soon as you step out of that box, something bad happens.

      Maybe that sounds just about right for what you've experienced in the past? I've had these kinds of work environments in the past and it's not fun.

      One of the reasons that an interview is important to you is so that you can legitimately seek greater room for growth. Now you wouldn't want to mention any negative things that exist in your current position, but you can say a few things that will show the positive side of your experiences.

      When asked why you're leaving, consider mentioning something like the responsibilities of the position aren't aligned with where I see myself in three to five years.

      For example, if you're seeking a position with more leadership, or customer facing responsibilities, make that known. These types of positions are for career advancement and you have your future in mind. If you put in your two or three years at that company and honestly seek advancement, it's legitimate.

      New Industry Opportunities

      There are certain industries, like the very close to my history industry of aerospace, that have very old hardware, very old methods, and tons of procedures to navigate through in order to get anything done. It is perfectly fine and understood that a more agile, adaptable, and current industry is more rewarding for people that are not approaching retirement or set in their career advancement ways.

      You can usually tactfully and professionally say you are looking for a company that's dealing closer with the cutting edge. You like to learn, you like to dip your hands into the newest of the new, you like to sell this information to people, and you like to use it to do what you do best. This is showing that you want to add value and you're interested in growth. These are things that companies really appreciate.

      Time To Prove Yourself

      This is where you're on the interview for this company and you're saying, hey my resume might not have been perfect, my cover letter may not be perfect, and maybe you can't quite directly see how I fit. But since I got this interview, you called me, right? You wanted to see me anyway. I'm going to prove to you, take out all the stops, and just straight up show you I am the right person for this position.

      These are things you're telling yourself in your head, of course. You'll show them to the interviewer in practice, but using more professional and tactful ways. This is your chance to show the things that you can't quite communicate in a resume or on a phone call. You want to prove you are the most valuable and relevant person for this position.

      Time To See What It's About: Really

      Sometimes a job description just isn't that detailed, or doesn't give you a good feel for what's going on. I've done real interviews, as well as mock interviews (well, *I* knew they were mock interviews), to just see what the position is really about and to get a greater feel for the company.

      For example, I've asked certain CEOs whether or not they could see growth in their business, because it seemed like they only had one main focus or product. It doesn't make sense to me that an employee should make a gigantic leap in their careers and future into a company that only has one main offering, service, or product. Security and longevity are important to you, right?

      Now, you have to be very tactful in that line of questioning because it can be an interesting conversation that ensues if not handled well (especially if done by video-conferencing!). But, this is an interview for both you and the other person.

      You have to figure out if that position is going to be right for you. If it's not, they don't want you to waste your time, because it will show in your output no matter how ethically you do your work.

      They are interested in you doing what you do best and what you want to do. So use it as an opportunity to ask the questions you need to ask. It's okay to figure out, hey, is this a good match for me?

      Keep What's In It For You In Mind

      You really can succeed by knowing what an interviewer has in store for you and how an interview is important for your future. Make sure you are doing your interviews for more career advancement, for new industry opportunities, for proving just how great of a candidate you are, and to dive into more details on what actually is being offered. Do this and you'll be on the right path to success for this new position.

      It's an interview for both you and the company, always keep that in mind. It really will be a win-win situation if both parties are satisfied in as many ways possible.

      ~~~

      CHAPTER 2

      Fail By Not Knowing Why A Company Wants To Interview You

      I know I didn't first start thinking about this when I was interviewing some time ago. I even forgot about it during some of the more recent test interviews I did for this topic I am sharing with you. But, it really is important to consider why a company is actually interviewing you.

      Think about this for a minute. It costs a company a lot of time, money, and resources to dedicate 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, or several days on determining whether or not you're a good fit. Now, they have to prove to everyone in the chain of command that this hiring effort is a good return on investment (ROI). There are thousands of dollars sunk on an employee within the first couple of weeks of being hired in the form of training, setting things up, and getting things working properly.

      They really do have to make sure they pick the right candidate because it can either make or break a position. If the company is particularly small (<100 people), it can affect the entire organization. One bad apple in a company of 10,000 is just a ~0.01% performance hit. One junky employee in a company of 10 is a 10% performance hit. There is a HUGE difference between the two.

      Understand that if you don't know the four reasons why a company is interviewing you, you just might be setting yourself up for failure. Let's go through them so you can succeed.

      They Want To Test Your Qualifications

      If you are applying for a position that requires specific knowledge in a certain type of electronic or mechanical doodad, but you don't specifically have experience with it, you are going to have some difficulties. Chances are when they ask you about it, you won't be able to answer their questions in detail.

      Also, you'll probably be fumbling around with the words and you just won't be able to prove you've had legitimate experience with that particular hardware. In some positions, this might not matter, but it's a great way for a company to screen for people that aren't actually experts on a particular product line.

      In some industries, it's very important and for others it may not be as critical to have a PhD subject matter expert. But testing for qualifications on those specific types of questions is one excellent way that an interviewer can screen on the phone or in person.

      They Want to Test Your Communication Skills

      I've had many interviewers say one of the reasons they interview is actually to just get you on the phone so they can test whether or not you can communicate well. This is especially true if it's a very important skill for the position, like sales, technical support, or any customer / client facing position.

      If you can't communicate well with the interviewer in a nervous, high stakes, and basically unknown condition (like an interview), chances are you might not be able to do it with clients very well either. They test this and it is

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