Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?: A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job (36 page)

Why do you want this job?

One candidate, asked why she wanted a job at the publishing company where I worked, said she needed health insurance for herself and her husband while she finished her novel. She might have talked about our mission or the titles or authors we published, but instead she put herself out of the running by admitting that all she cared about were the benefits.

Here’s another bad answer:
I just graduated and I need a way to pay the bills.

Based on your research and interests, you should have a compelling and real answer to this question. If you don’t, you may be applying for the wrong job.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Here are two inadvisable extremes: “In your job” or “I don’t know.” Say that you hope to stay in the industry and ask about the usual course of advancement. Don’t reveal that you have a plan all mapped out for yourself, even if you do. (Especially if that plan involves applying to grad school or moving to another state.) Be honest but don’t share too much:
I’m excited to start in this position, because I see it as a place where I can learn and grow.

Do you have any concerns about the job?

Among the many jobs I didn’t get as a young job-hunter was a position as an admissions officer at Harvard. Friends of mine were applying for similar jobs, so I decided I would go for it. I figured I had lots of experience: I had helped plenty of my friends with their entrance essays. I “researched” the job by talking to my roommate, who had worked in the admissions office as an undergraduate. She told me all about the admissions season and how at its peak you had to take home dozens of folders to read. So when the interviewer asked me if I had any questions or concerns, I more than willingly shared mine. I told him I wasn’t sure I was going to have time to focus on my own writing, which was what I really wanted to do, if I had to take home work every night. The scary thing is, I was actually proud of this concern. I felt it revealed that I had thoroughly researched the position, was being realistic about trying to balance the demands of a job with my perceived vocation, and so on. Really, what it revealed was that I was completely naive. When I told my parents about the interview, my dad said, “I guess you didn’t really want that job, did you?” Needless to say, I did not get it.

Bottom line: Save concerns for
after
you’ve been offered the job, and run them by an outside advisor before asking about them. Try to find answers to such questions through your network or, if possible, by speaking with the person who previously held the job.

We use Access. Are you familiar with it?

If you don’t know a particular program or language, don’t ever lie and say you do. Your knowledge may be tested on the spot. But don’t just give a resigned “no.” Assuming you feel comfortable with computers and languages, you can say, “I don’t know Access, but I’ve used Filemaker Pro and I’m sure I could learn with training,” or “I don’t speak French but I’m fluent in Italian; I’d be eager to take an intensive course.” Be careful not to go too far—“I’m sure I could pick it up in a few hours.” Even if that’s the case, perhaps the interviewer has been struggling with the program for weeks! You might ask whether the company provides computer training for employees, or if you could seek it on your own. (The subtext here is whether or not the company offers or will pay for this kind of training—but you don’t want to ask that outright in an interview.) Same goes for any part of the job description in which
you haven’t had experience—be honest, but present yourself as a quick study and motivated learner.

Will you take the job if it’s offered to you?

There is only one answer to this question: Yes. If, based on the interview you’ve just had, you realize the job isn’t for you or that you could never work for the person or company in question, then an equivocal answer is fine—“It would depend on the offer”—but if the employer gets the slightest hint that you don’t really want the job, he probably won’t offer it to you. Don’t worry about saying yes when you’re not sure; you aren’t committing yourself to taking the job until terms have been discussed and an actual offer is on the table (see
chapter 7
for more on that).

What really pisses you off?

Here’s one of my favorite interviewing techniques. I am not an intimidating person, and I appear friendly and casual. Near the end of the interview, after a candidate is all loosened up and we’re “friends,” I lean over, look her in the eye, and ask, “What really pisses you off in a job? What did your last boss do that really ticked you off?” The naive interviewee misreads my casual language and lets her guard down. She may start using slang or complaining about her boss and other colleagues.

This will cost her the job.

Here’s what I’m really testing: Do you understand how to behave in a professional situation? You must remain on guard at all times, even if I use language like “pissed off” and “ticked off.” You do need to answer the question, but you shouldn’t change your tone or register just because I changed mine. Give an even, considered answer that does not reflect negatively on you or your boss. If possible, in fact, your answer should reflect positively on you:
Well, during our busy season, there were a few times when my boss asked me to stay late to finish a project. She would usually let me know in advance, but a few times she really couldn’t; things came up at the end of the day. I try to go to a yoga class every day after work, and those days I couldn’t, but at least we got the job done.
This kind of answer shows that while you’re not a pushover, you understand the importance of getting the job done and are willing to make sacrifices when necessary.

A classic in the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” category, this question has stymied many an interviewee. Interviewers know it, and they ask it in part to see how you handle yourself in stressful situations demanding diplomacy. Candidates who remain calm and answer with tact come out ahead.

Here’s the key to this scenario: You should never reveal a real weakness. Interviewers aren’t really expecting you to, either—if you do, don’t be surprised if an offer isn’t forthcoming. But you need to answer. (“Well, I can’t really think of any weaknesses” can only sound arrogant.)

Here are some unfortunate weaknesses I’ve heard in interviews: “I’m always late. I’m lazy. I can’t prioritize. I don’t like staying late. I’m a perfectionist. I’m impatient. I have time-management issues. I’m a procrastinator. I don’t tolerate stupidity well. I can’t do math (it’s a component of almost every job). I make snap judgments.” Would you hire someone who admitted to these faults? Not only are they telling you why they’d be a poor choice for the job, they are also revealing their guilelessness.

The best strategy is to couch a weakness as a mistake made in the past. Or call on a trait that’s a virtue in moderation and only becomes a flaw when exhibited in excess. Or both!
“I used to take on too much until I learned how to delegate. I’ve become better at managing my time, asking for help when I need it, and taking the proper measures if I feel I am in danger of missing a deadline.”

Choose a weakness unrelated to the job you’re applying for: “I’m learning to be more confident in my public-speaking skills.” Most people are afraid of public speaking, and most entry-level jobs don’t require it. (Don’t use this line if the job you’re applying for has a public-speaking component.) Here’s a real answer I loved:
“I used to find it more difficult to say no to people. When I was working at a homeless shelter, I found it difficult to turn away those who didn’t qualify for our services, but I needed to follow city policy. I learned to steer those seeking shelter to other resources, and I’ve since found it easier to be clear and decisive when faced with difficult decisions.”

Show how you learned from or fixed a mistake.
“I once had an experience that became difficult when I didn’t seek adequate help. I learned all I had to do was ask. Now I request clarification at the outset.”

Or choose a weakness that’s really a virtue:
“I tend to be highly analytical. I was a philosophy major, so I learned to think about things deeply, but in my insurance job I saw that I needed to execute things quickly, so I’ve gotten much better at making sound but faster decisions.” “I have very high standards for myself. I used to take forever to get certain tasks done, but I’ve learned to balance accuracy and time sensitivity, and am now able to get my work done much more quickly and efficiently.”

If you’re asked about both strengths and weaknesses, lead with your strengths. Spend more time on those, and run through your “weaknesses” fairly quickly. (P.S. One is enough, even if they ask for several.)

Now on to the strengths. Choose qualities that relate to the job description, drawing on concrete experience to illustrate your points. Try to let the voices of others speak to your strengths: “When I did X, my supervisor told me …” Take it one step further by stating how you feel your strengths will be useful in the job.