The hour of babble?

• Author: Merman, Steve
• Position: Managing job interviews - Career Development

During a job interview, do you make the right impression? Or do you often have trouble explaining what a catch you are? Here are some ways to take control of the meeting.

During a recent discussion about job interviewing, a president of a large corporate subsidiary commented that one of the most irritating habits of senior-level job candidates at his company is their lack of preparation before the interview, their ignorance about his business. He doesn't want to take the time to explain his industry or his products and services during the interview. Instead, he wants to focus on business issues and how the person he's interviewing can help him deliver higher levels of performance. He expects interviewees to come prepared, already understanding his business and products.

We're seeing many dramatic changes in our businesses, and the way executives interview is among them. If you're in a job search today, you need to come up with innovative approaches to demonstrate to a prospective employer that you're the right person in the right place at the right time for the job. But how do you do that? How do you demonstrate your value in a world that's constantly seeking high performers and customer-oriented approaches in increasingly competitive global markets? How do you convince corporate executives you're worth top dollar?

THE GREAT DIVIDERS

Interviewing for a job is similar to selling any product or service. One of your most important selling tools is your ability to create a distinction that separates you from your competitors. How are you different, and, more importantly, how are you "value added" to a business? You must carefully and completely assess yourself to answer these questions.

Here are two ways to set you apart from the crowd.

* Research the company before the first interview. As the president of the corporate subsidiary said, preparation is key. It's always been critical to successful interviewing, but it's taken on a more important role in this new economy. Doing your homework demonstrates a sincere and genuine interest in the interviewer's business. This type of enthusiasm impresses interviewers and says you really care about them and the business issues they face.

Getting prepared is easy. You can readily find information on any organization, public or private, through such publications as Value-Lines, a service that details financial data on organizations. You can also gather intelligence about a company by networking with people familiar with the organization or by reading industry publications that profile the company and individuals in it. A few hours of reading and research can pay handsomely during an interview.

* Know how and where you add value to the company. As...