My presentation at an Executive Career Management Talk at e2i Singapore.
Gain insider tips on interview skills and crucial insights on salary negotiation. Equip yourself with knowledge, skills to make the ultimate impression at the coveted job interview.
And find out why you should negotiate your salary no matter how good the offer is.
2. This is Me
HR Entrepreneur,
Public Speaker and
Career Coach
2013 Leading HR
Entrepreneur award
recipient
Former Managing
Director of RecruitPlus
Former President of
Singapore Professional
Recruitment
Organisation
11. A job interview is a meeting organised by a recruiter
used to evaluate a potential employee for
prospective employment at a company. Job
interviews typically precede a hiring decision and
often form part of the assessment centre process.
Source: https://www.wikijob.co.uk/wiki/job-interviews
12. This is a Step-by-step guide to a
successful interview
Research Create Story
Practice
Story
Dress
Smartly
Grab Food Be Punctual Pop a Mint
Consistent
Impression
Eye Contact
Positive Body
Language
Professional,
not Personal
Mind The
Language
Be Honest
Maintain
Emotion
Don’t Be
Modest
Follow Up
17. Constructed with3 ps
Passion
those things that
make you who
you are.
Previous
Experience
Relevant skills
you learned
through previous
experience and
education
Portable Skills
the skills you
bring with you to
any job
18. Complete the following sentences:
My career interest/dream is: _____________________________________
I am passionate about this area/industry
because:__________________________
My related experiences, relevant education or credentials for this
field include:
________________________________________________
My portable skills and personal assets (gained through any of
your life experiences) related to this field
are:_____________________________________
19. Write an outline or full
script of what you would
actually say, and
practice saying it.
34. To pass the receptionist test
The Receptionist Test is an unexpected assessment of
how the candidate deals with ordinary staff during the
interview.
It is effective because it is unexpected.
The key point to remember about the Receptionist
Test is:
…your interview starts as soon as you enter the building.
Companies can (and will) use every means to make sure
that you are the best qualified person for the role.
44. Hands are
clean and dry
Hands are soft
(use lotion if
necessary)
Finger nails are
well-manicured
Fingers are free
of large,
obtrusive rings
Breath is fresh
and clean (bad
breath can
broadcast at
arm's length)
Teeth are clean
of food
particles
How to do a good
handshake
45. Stand and
Deliver
Delivered from a standing,
face-to-face position and
should not be made from
a sitting position
Rising will show respect
for both yourself and the
other person.
Sit once the other person
has moved on or joined
you at sitting.
46. Easy steps to a positive handshake
Stand Firm smile Make contact
Shake 1 to 2 timesCompliment
48. 1. InformationalInterview
To fish for information, ask for advice and
learn more about a particular career field,
employer or particular job.
Interviewing experts in their field is one
more way to become more occupationally
literate.
The knowledge that you gain here will
make you a sharper and more informed.
49. 2. Screening or Telephone Interview
Last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. You
should prepare for it like an open book
exam.
Recommended that you have in front of
you your resume, the job description, a list
of references, some prepared answers to
challenging questions and perhaps
something about the company.
The vast majority of communication is non-
verbal. Because they can’t see your body
language, it is critically important to have
positive and polished answers with
energetic tone and inflection. Be sure to
ask what the next step is.
50. 3. IndividualInterview
One-on-one exchange at the
organizations offices.
Range from 30 to 90 minutes.
If the interview is 30 minutes you
have to be concise and have a high
impact with your answers.
If it is 60 or 90 minutes you will want
to go into much more depth and use
specific examples to support your
generalizations.
51. 4. Small Group or CommitteeInterview
This is where you will be meeting
with several decision-makers at
once. This can be an intimidating
experience if you are not prepared.
Be sure to make eye contact with
everyone, no matter who asked the
question.
It’s important to establish rapport
with each member of the interview
team.
Try to find out the names and job
titles of the participants.
52. 5. Behavioural-Based Interview
Argues that past handling of situation is
the best predictor of future performance.
Prepare by thinking of specific examples
that demonstrate your competence in core
behaviours such as teamwork, problem-
solving, communication, creativity,
flexibility and organizational skills.
Tell your story and structure it by stating
your answers in terms of the situation, the
task, what action you took, and what was
the result or outcome.
53. 6. Task Oriented or Testing Interview
This is a problem-solving interview
where you will be given some
exercises to demonstrate your
creative and analytical abilities.
A company may ask you to take a
short test to evaluate your
technical knowledge and skills.
Sometimes a presentation to a
group is necessary to determine
your communication skills.
54. 7. Stress Interview
During this rare type, the interviewer tries
to bait you, to see how you will respond.
The objective is to find your weaknesses
and test how you hold up to pressure.
Such tactics as weird silences, constant
interruptions and challenging interrogation
with antagonistic questions are designed
to push your boundaries.
The question you have to ask yourself is:
Do I want to work for a company that
treats me this way even before the offer is
made? Rethink the corporate culture.
56. What are your strengths?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
I can dunk crumpled paper in
trash can without looking at it
Smart answer
Here is my DISC/MBTI/RAISEC
report that list down all my
strengths.
57. What is your weakness?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
Beer.
Smart answer
I concentrate on one thing
at a time but I since learned
to overcome this.
58. Why should we hire you?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
I will be the first to like
your Facebook post
Smart answer
I have all the skills and
experience you are looking for
and I’m confident that I
would be a superstar in
this project management role.
59. Why have you been unemployed for such
a longtime?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
It was difficult to go to office
due to rainy season
Smart answer
After 10 years in the workforce
I decided to take a break to
take up a short course on
presentation to improve
myself in work.
60. How long will you expect to work with
us if hired?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
5 O’clock.
Smart answer
I will leave the day I realize
my boss do not have the spine
to make tough decisions.
61. Describe your managementstyle
REJECT
ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
Fire-fighting is my
management mantra
Smart answer
I think in general a good
manager gives clear
directions and actually stays
pretty hands-off, but is ready
and available to jump in to
offer guidance, expertise,
and help when needed. I try
my best to make that my
management style.
62. How do you see yourself in five years
time?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
Taking over your position
Smart answer
I am driven to be the best
at what I do and I want to
work somewhere where
I’ll have opportunities to
develop my skills and
work with people I can
really learn from. Some of
the most innovative
thinkers in the industry
work here and that’s a big
reason why I would love
to build a career here.
63. What irritates you aboutco-worker?
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
They smell weird
Smart answer
I believe it is of utmost
importance to stay
professional, especially
in the work
environment. We all
have differences in
opinion, but nothing
as adults we can’t
discuss and come to an
amicable agreement.
64. Tell me about your abilityto work under
pressure
REJECT ACCEPT
Over-smart answer
I will quickly finish my work
to answer nature’s call
Smart answer
In my current position, I
can be faced with
stressful situations that
require me to work under
pressure on a daily basis
and have since learned to
manage stress. Now it’s
just part of the job that I
do well.
65. Behavioral Interview Questions
These questions are being asked in order to understand
how you handled a situation in the past and then relate
this answer to your likely behaviour in the future.
• Explain how you handle a stressful situation?
• Explain how did you deal with a difficult team
member?
• How do you deal with consistently changing priorities?
Based on your answer, your interviewer will draw a
conclusion on how you will handle a similar situation in
the future. Behaviour questions are a quite common in
an interview, and you would need to prepare for it.
66. Share Response
S Situation: describe a specific
situation
H Hindrances: identify any
hindrances or challenges faced
A Action: explain the action(s) you
took in response
R Results: discuss the results or
outcomes from your action(s)
E Evaluate: explain and evaluate
what you learned from the
experience
77. “You’re right. I do not have experience selling HR
solutions, but I can assure you in my current and
previous roles I successfully sold products and
services that were new to me. My approach?
Learn what makes that service unique and how it
fills a void for the client; once I know that, I can
sell benefits which, rather than features, naturally
address the true concerns of the client.”
79. “I have met the challenges of employee
retention you are currently facing in your
department. As a VP of Human Resources at XY
Corporation, I made employee recognition
frequent and peer-driven by forming
committees and programs for employees to
recognize each other with various awards (such
as “above and beyond the call of duty”),
improving employee retention 15% in two
years.”
81. “During our fast-paced, exciting discussion, I
neglected to tell you I spent much of my
childhood in Hong Kong and have been back
many times as an adult. I am very
comfortable with international travel and
am in a place in my life where I would
welcome it. Given your aggressive goal to
double your current revenue in international
markets such as Hong Kong, I feel I would be
a natural fit.”
102. I would like to have some
time to think over your
offer. Can I give you a call
back by [Insert Deadline]?”
103. Express your interest in the
job
“I am really pleased that
you have offered me the job
and I am excited to have the
opportunity to contribute to
your company”.
112. End the request on a
positive note, however it
has been received by your
future employer
113. Get the offer in writing
Whatever your offer is,
never take a job without
the entire package being
signed off, in print. Go
forth you smart
negotiator, your new job
awaits!
114. I still have 149 pages of career tips for
you
RRP: SGD$20 (before GST)
Online price: SGD$18
It’s you selling yourself in a brief and concise manner, using a format that most people are familiar with.
Delivered verbally and thus should have a slightly different wording to be punchy and memorable.
John was a lot less level-headed. His task should’ve been the simplest of all — the receptionist couldn’t print a document. Totally understandable when the printer is turned off and all of the lights on its display were totally dark. First, he hit Control+P, selected the printer, and clicked “OK,” and confirmed it wasn’t working. His solution? Hit Control+P harder to make sure the printer really felt it. For 20 minutes, he kept increasing the force of his typing and mouse clicks, finally pounding his fist on the desk and giving up.
Leaning back is lazy or arrogant, leaning forward is aggressive and slouching is just lazy. Instead, experts say to aim for a neutral position, sitting tall as if a string were connecting your head to the ceiling.
Breaking Eye Contact
We tend to feel uncomfortable holding eye contact once a personal connection has been created.
Don't stare, but try to hold your interviewers gaze for one extra second before breaking away.
Do this especially when shaking hands
It's important to be confident and look the interviewer in the eye
But then break away. Locking eyes with someone for an extended period of time can be interpreted as aggressive, not to mention creepy.
Distracted or upward eye movements can suggest someone is lying or not sure of themselves.
It's important to look someone directly in the eye to convey confidence and certainty.
Arms crossed over your chest signal defensiveness and resistance
When they're open at your sides you appear more approachable.
We undermine how powerful or in focus we are by nodding like a bobble-head doll
Nod once or twice with a smile of agreement. But find your still centre and stay there.
Stop fidgeting!
The nervous energy will distract the interviewer.
You want [him or her] focused on what you have to say, not the coins jingling in your pocket or the hangnail on your finger.
If someone asks what you're most passionate about and your face is in deadpan while you answer, it's not going to translate well.
Easy steps to a positive handshake
Plant your feet in front of the other person and lean slightly forward
Lock onto the other person's eyes and share a smile while extending your hand. Important: Try to avoid looking at the hand. Hands know how to find each other without the help of your eyes. (Guys, remember never to look down at a woman's hand during a handshake since it may give the impression you're rudely looking at her breasts, making her uncomfortable…. Definitely not a way to score points in a business situation!)
The palm of each hand should make complete contact while the fingers create a firm (but not bone-breaking) grip.
Shake 1 to 2 times while eyes are engaged
Exchange pleasant small talk until the hands naturally move apart.
A poor match with corporate culture can mean an unhappy work experience. If you think about it, you’re spending most of your time during the week at work – as much as 40 hours in most cases for full-time workers. Ensure you’ll be working under an environment that you will enjoy and that you can be productive in.
Management style is a big deal because a poor match can hinder performance dramatically. If you are the creative, go-getter type who seeks freedom to work independently, a boss who is a micro-manager may not be the best fit. Managers with a tendency to look over your shoulder every moment and who want to give feedback on every aspect of your work may hinder your performance and make for an unpleasant work setting. On the other hand, if you are one who likes clear-cut plans and direction, and you have a boss who is a macro-manager and hardly present, that can also hinder performance.
This question will help determine what type of qualities are necessary and perceived as valuable to succeed on the job. If it matches up with what you have to offer, you know it’ll be a job with challenges you are ready for. At the same time, the response to this question allows you to customize your communications to further impress them.
Understanding the manager’s goals for you and for the position will offer insight on whether the job presents challenges you can realistically succeed in. You also want to know that the goals and expectations set are reasonable before accepting the job.
Someone who’s new to the job and someone who’s been around for a while can tell you several things. If they are new to the job, there may be a stronger bond you can form with the individual because you are both in a similar situation of being the “new hire.” If they have been on the job for a while, that can tell you this is potentially a stable employer to work with and one that employees are happy to work for. Understanding how long the individual has been on the job can also help you customize questions so you can get the most information out of the interview.
Know in advance how you'll react if the answer is a "no". Aim to be gracious but also try to think outside the square. Acknowledge that the employer came to the negotiating table in good faith.
Remind yourself that you are not your salary. This is not personal––it's business.
See the previous step for raising other non-monetary possibilities in the fact of a "no".
Even where it's a "no", well done for trying. You have just proven that you can ask questions and stand up for yourself. You're going to get on well in this job.
Last but not least, remember that a "no" could be a veiled "not now but we can't explain why to you"––namely, the economic times don't warrant it at the moment but the company isn't going to reveal its bottom line to you. However, if you stick with the firm as times upswing, it's possible that future pay rises can make up for the original "no".
Although personal to you, it's an impersonal issue for the company, which simply wants your backside on their chair as soon as possible now, for as good a price as they can get you. It's another chance to sell yourself to them in the comfort zone of knowing you already have the job, as well as a slight upper hand in being able to ask for a higher salary before accepting the job.
For the introvert, hipster or shy sort who feels a sense of panic and intense dislike at the thought of "selling" themselves, don't confuse selling your professional worth with your personal worth. Your personal worth isn't up for examination. It's your professional worth that you'll need to spend a little time polishing into a standard spiel. Treat this like the business transaction it is and keep everything professional; you're not selling out by promoting what is valuable about yourself.
Recognize that a high percentage of companies expect renegotiation of salary offers and set their salary offer lower than what they expect you to accept, on purpose. While this won't hold for all companies (and be careful with government organizations where set pay levels are published and clear) but why accept the chance that you've been offered less based on this rationale? Give it a go!
If you're the sort who gets the jitters when asking for something and find this matter of salary negotiating even harder than attending the actual interview that won you the job, then spend time practicing asking. Stand in front of the mirror and out loud, give your reason for asking for more, the suggested figure and your reaction to possible questions, including rejection. This is time to develop your "pitch", in the freedom of your own space. Have a trusted friend be the boss at the other end. Ask your friend to respond with different scenarios so that you can practice each one––the "yes, of course we'll increase your salary" scenario, the "no way" scenario" and the "we'll need to think about this" scenario.
This is about establishing your professional worth, and is about clarifying and confirming to yourself the reason for asking for more. Compare yourskills and experience against others in the same field and write down key factors that demonstrate why you're a cut above these others. In particular, select your strengths that are outstanding and demonstrate your unique style, talent and draw card elements. While some of this will have come out through your CV and interview, there will always be more concrete facts you can present to win over your future employer, and this is a chance to show expanded, detailed evidence of your worth when stacked up against peers. Consider:your level and extent of experience in the field
your educational background, including ongoing education and expected future education
your ability to draw new clients or use your contacts/network
your level of knowledge about your new employer, along with knowledge of competitors and how to take advantage of this knowledge for your new employer's sake.
You can't negotiate without the facts. Moreover, you can never assume your new employer has them all at hand––they're not paid to watch out for your interests! Once it becomes clear to you that you've got the job, now is the time to know what others in your position are earning in the industry. Coupled with your specific expertise and experience, this should give you a fair and objective idea of what is a good salary for your position and to know whether the offer is reasonable, well under, or awesome (it being presumed that "awesome" is a fairly rare reaction to a salary offer!). Look for hard facts that back up your statements. Some important things to do are:Check salary guides (many exist online but ask at the local library if in doubt)
Talk to your mentors and former bosses
Talk to colleagues to see if they can point out skills that really stand out for them in their experience and ask who has demonstrated these skills in the past
Talk with clients if relevant and get their feedback on your value
Look into what the company has traditionally paid employees in your role.
It's recommended that you reach a reasonable figure to give as a suggestion to your future employer. It's harder to say no to a specified, thoughtful and fair figure than to an unknown and possibly "sky's the limit" request.
After conducting market research on your potential job and an evaluation of your previous company’s compensation, define a good counteroffer. For negotiation purposes, it is best to determine a number that will make you ecstatic and a baseline number that you will accept, given the value of the entire compensation package. This is your salary range.
You can then use this range to set your counteroffer.
Having these numbers will help you be prepared to make your counteroffer and either accept or decline the employer's final offer.
Don't expect the stars when you have just been given the moon. A higher salary is a good goal but an astronomical one is edging on greedy or an impossible promise to live up to. Never ask for an amount above the top end of your position's market worth unless you have an exceptional reason to do so. Again, this is about doing thorough research but it is also about using your intuition, general knowledge and knowing how to pitch this just right. Accept the fact that you have been given the job as an important part of your negotiation process. It's precisely what your future employer is thinking constantly and pushing too far can hurt your cause.
Accept the reality that some companies can only afford so much before your "unique factor" is out of their league. Do bear in mind that even large, wealthy companies need to remain profitable by not bloating employee salaries to any ridiculous extent. Indeed, increasingly outrageous salary packages are viewed by a majority of citizens now as an unhealthy evolution in employment and the next decade will undoubtedly see reasonableness becoming a key element of salary determination, even for top CEOs.
Ask for a breakdown (in writing) of the full compensation package including costs of offered benefits (dental, medical, etc.). A full compensation package includes not only your salary, but other benefits including vacation or paid time off, company phone and medical, dental, vision, wellness and life insurance. Once you have received this information, you can include increases to these benefits as a part of your counteroffer.
For example, you can ask for increased salary specifically to compensate for spending more on medical benefits. Or, you could ask for another week of paid vacation. Remember, sometimes asking for non-monetary compensation can give you more leverage when making your counteroffer.
If you can comfortably make a counteroffer after the initial offer is made, by all means go ahead.
If you need more time to evaluate information and determine a counteroffer, say (as mentioned above) “I would like to have some time to think over your offer”. Then, provide a time of when they should hear back from you.
For example, “Can I give you a call back by noon tomorrow?”
Asking to think things over will show that you will not accept any offer and that you put thought into your employment decisions. This should not be perceived as a bad thing to potential employers.
Based on your research as described above, provide your ideal salary followed by an acceptable range. It can be a good idea to state your ideal salary as the maximum upper limit of a reasonable range.
For example, if you think it is fair for you to be paid $90,000, ask for a bit more when stating your ideal salary.
Try saying, “My ideal salary is $95,000 with a range of $84,000-95,000”. Your ideal salary explains what you would love to make, and your range shows what is acceptable. Given this example, you would accept no less than $84,000.
Let the recruiter know you did not just make up these numbers in your head. Explain that you have done research on acceptable salary ranges for the position in your area.
Also explain where you believe you fit in this given range based on the value you bring to the company.
Factors of why you feel you deserve your ideal salary could include:
Experience.
Education.
Skills.
Abilities.
Personality.
If you did your research and used it as a guideline, your counteroffer should be reasonable. When making your counteroffer, it is best to sound firm and confident without mumbling, apologizing, or avoiding a number. This will show the employer that you truly believe in your ability to do the job, understand what you are worth, and have a minimum salary that you will accept.
Standing firm places you at an advantage at this point because the company clearly wants to hire you and does not want to spend the additional time and money to find someone else.
The employer may need some time to think before making another counteroffer. If this happens and you are not yet ready to settle, it is important to let the employer know you are serious about the job.
If you're asked questions, answer them calmly and with patience even if you feel you're being re-interviewed. Your future employer may be probing you for more details to help the decision.
Sometimes your commitment to the company may be tested. Provided you've done your homework for both the interview and this request, you should pass this test with flying colors. Just be careful not to suggest that your commitment is commensurate to your pay level––this is a fairly delicate dance, so simply stick with reassuring how keen you are to be a part of a company that recognizes your skills and experience.
“I would like to settle on something that makes us both comfortable as soon as possible”. This shows your sincerity and that they are not wasting their time with you.
Expect your future employer to want time to consider and to perhaps ask for more negotiation with you. One possibility is the open-ended but potentially positive request for time for reflection, followed by "let's negotiate some more". Your future employer may not meet all of your request (very likely) but may be willing to compromise. See these reactions as good signs and be ready to negotiate if needed.
If you've done your research and judged that it's appropriate to do so, you can make suggestions of compromise during a negotiation that open up the possibility of different types of reward, such as additional leave, time off to volunteer, annual bonuses or stocks, a larger office, flights home if you're working interstate, a personal development course, membership to a club, a car park space, etc. In many cases, the company may have leeway on non-monetary recompense that they'll be happy to add to your package.
Whether or not you've been successful (and in many cases, you may not know as many employers will ask for time to consider your request), end everything politely and without begging. A simple "Great, thanks" to the employer's response is a good and neutral way to respond. Keep smiling––your friendly and easy-to-negotiate-with approach matters. Don't gush and thank them for considering it with oodles of superlatives. It sounds desperate.
Never turn a "no" into a backlash, such as pointing out you know that everyone else in the new firm is getting paid heaps more than you, blah, blah. This is an invitation to withdrawing the job offer!