| In an optimistic economy, an average technology | | | | support professionals would approach a similar |
| professional generates about one to ten interviews for | | | | question: "Tell me about your troubleshooting skills." |
| every hundred applications. While a candidate's | | | | Weak strategy: "I offer very strong troubleshooting |
| background, industry, and geographic location influence | | | | skills and am able to quickly and effectively resolve |
| this number, on average the response rate for | | | | complex technical problems." |
| technology resumes tends to be less than ten percent. | | | | Better: "My seniors have often recommended me as |
| As of July 2010, unemployment rates touched nearly | | | | an ace troubleshooter who went the extra mile to |
| 9.5% and the number of unemployed individuals now | | | | maximize customer satisfaction. In addition to resolving |
| peaks at 14.6 million. What's worse? The average | | | | over 90% of tickets within the first call, I was often |
| workweek is approximately 34.1 hours, leaving many | | | | complimented about my people skills. Within a short |
| candidates the option to pursue a second job. With so | | | | duration of four months at ABC Corp., many callers |
| many qualified professionals looking for work, the | | | | started asking for me by name." |
| competition is undeniably intense and response rates | | | | Highlight benefits for the employer |
| could fall even further down the curve. In such an | | | | Allowing the employer to draw conclusions about your |
| environment, every interview is a priceless opportunity | | | | candidacy can prove to be a self-defeating exercise. |
| that cannot be compromised. | | | | Do the work for them. Instead of just addressing |
| Consider the following tips to ace your interview: | | | | questions, respond in a manner that helps the |
| Focus on accomplishments | | | | employer understand how you will benefit the |
| Behavioral interview strategies leverage past | | | | organization. |
| performance to predict a candidate's future potential | | | | Weak Example: "I am an experienced network |
| and the selection process is as challenging for | | | | administration." |
| employers, as it is for potential hires. Acing behavioral | | | | Better: "My ten years' networking experience with |
| interviews is not as hard as it appears. Showcasing | | | | nationally-reputed franchise operations have honed and |
| past accomplishments is a powerful antidote to | | | | developed my networking skills to such an extent that I |
| challenging behavioral interview questions and the | | | | can single-handedly manage and administer large |
| strategy can catapult even an ordinary candidate to | | | | networks with hundreds of users. As a result of my |
| the "most promising" shortlist. | | | | efficiency and productivity, my past employer was |
| During interview coaching sessions, I often find that | | | | able to reduce overtime manpower needs and save |
| technology professionals deliver modest responses to | | | | at least $40,000 every year. My networking skills have |
| important questions. Modesty is an admirable quality | | | | benefited my past employers, and I am confident I can |
| but a competitive process such as an interview is | | | | save costs for your company as well." |
| certainly not the place to exercise this value. | | | | Research, research, research |
| When asked about leadership skills, for example, a | | | | Preparation is absolutely the key when it comes to |
| chief information officer (CIO) may deliver the following | | | | interview success. Dig into as many resources as you |
| response: | | | | possibly can to learn everything about your employer |
| Weak Strategy: "I am an excellent leader with over | | | | and her needs. This knowledge can be very |
| ten years' experience." | | | | empowering as you can raise valid issues that may be |
| Better: "As CIO for XYZ, Inc., a Fortune 100 company, I | | | | very specific to the company you are interviewing |
| had the ability to demonstrate a solid synergy of | | | | with. |
| technical and leadership skills. Under my leadership, the | | | | Position yourself as the "best solution" for the position |
| IT organization at XYZ evolved from an isolated | | | | Demonstrate how you are the perfect solution for the |
| technology department to a cutting-edge, | | | | employer's needs. Develop a compelling value |
| solutions-driven business partner supporting the | | | | proposition that showcases you as the best person |
| company's business needs in 90 countries. I developed | | | | for the company's needs. Kim leveraged this strategy |
| state-of-the-art IT strategies that eventually became a | | | | to her advantage. |
| model for the rest of the industry to emulate and | | | | Kim was interviewing for an E-commerce position. |
| enabled XYZ to win twelve Best Practice awards. I | | | | During her research she had uncovered some |
| also managed, developed, and groomed over 600 IT | | | | pressing technology needs that her new employer |
| professionals worldwide." | | | | needed to address immediately. She formulated a |
| Differentiate yourself from the competition | | | | possible response and outlined some strategies she |
| Until recently, branding was considered a marketing | | | | could use to resolve the crisis. She was able to create |
| concept that was the exclusive domain of products | | | | a very promising solution that would benefit the |
| and services. In recent years, though, the principles of | | | | company tremendously. Needless to say, she was |
| branding have proliferated to the individual level and | | | | offered a position at the first interview. |
| professionals and executives are now being | | | | Develop written scripts for key interview questions |
| considered brands in their own right. Most technology | | | | Prepare responses and scripts for common interview |
| professionals would go the extra mile to showcase | | | | questions. It may not be such a good idea to |
| their technical proficiencies, but if everyone is | | | | memorize the answers, but a little preparation can |
| technically proficient, who should be hired? The | | | | certainly go a long way. |
| following illustrations describe how two technical | | | | |