This document summarizes Marianne Grady's presentation on interview skills. It provides insights from her experience conducting thousands of interviews as a VP of HR. She shares tips for making a strong first impression with an elevator pitch, and recommends treating any interaction with a recruiter as seriously as an actual job interview. The presentation emphasizes communicating your value, establishing rapport, projecting confidence with a positive attitude, and dressing appropriately.
In-Transition Boot Camp at the Rutgers Club 9.14.2016
1. In Transition Boot Camp
INTERVIEW INTENSIVE
with
Marianne Grady, SPHR,
SHRM-SCP
Rise Above Resources, LLC
STAFFING MANAGEMENT ASSOC.
OF NEW JERSEY
9.14.2016
2. Get The Inside Scoop
from Marianne Grady
As VP of HR for a multi-billion private equity firm
with over 18 years of HR experience, her
knowledge includes managing all facets of talent
acquisition, candidate interviewing and screening.
Marianne offers insights to candidates on
decision-makers' perceptions. She understands
the processes HR professionals follow to
determine who will get that interview and
ultimately who will receive the coveted job offer.
Marianne has conducted thousands of interviews
throughout her career and will share insights from
the other side of the interviewer's desk. Her years
of corporate interviewing experience will give you
the knowledge and tools necessary to make you
feel confident and comfortable answering even the
most difficult interview questions.
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3. MINDSET
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4. Start with a positive mindset – it
will help you find a job faster
Keep desperation out of your
story
Believe what you have to offer is
valuable
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4
Be Positive!
5. Socialize with Family & Friends
Network
Exercise
Network
Pray
Network
Medidate
Network
Focus on the Good – Be Grateful
Network
Talk
Network
Join Job Networking GroupsThe contents of this document may not be reproduced or copied in any way without prior written authorization by Marianne Grady 5
6. SET REALISTIC
GOALS & PLAN
YOUR STRATEGY!
DAILY
Research one company per day
WEEKLY
Meet with 3-5 people per week
who can help your job search
MONTHLY
Schedule 1 interview per month
CHALLENGE GOALS
Unrelated to job search
7. YOUR RESUME
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authorization by Marianne Grady 7
8. HOW CAN YOU STAND OUT?
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9. Resumé Tips
Keep some white space.
Pass the 6/10 second rule.
Font should be modern (Arial, Cambria, Verdana, or
Calibri not Times New Roman).
No fancy formatting or special characters or graphics
(unless you are a graphic designer).
Use industry key words.
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10
1. Contact Info
Leave out street
address
2. Professional Summary
Objective is obsolete
3. Skills, Highlights or Areas
of Expertise)
4. Accomplishments
Quantify whenever
possible
5. Work Experience
Did you save money?
Use Active Verbs
6. Education
Year
GPA
Top XX %
11. Resumé Tips Part 2
Please be selective and tailor your resumé for each job you
apply for.
Resumés in paragraph form or read like auto-biographies
will rarely generate interest or trigger hires. Use clear bullet
points.
Know your resumé. Be able to speak about EVERYTHING!
When emailing a recruiter or responding to a posting, have
a clear subject line.
If you give a recruiter permission to submit your resumé to
a client, be prepared to go on an interview. There is
nothing more embarrassing to a recruiter than to submit a
resumé to a client and then not be able to deliver the
candidate for an interview.
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12. LEVERAGING LINKEDIN IN
YOUR JOB SEARCH
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13. Just what is LinkedIn?
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14. LinkedIn
The world’s largest professional network
300 million strong
Establish your professional
identity
Allows you to be
discovered by recruiters
Learn about business deals
& new ventures
91% of Fortune 100
companies use LI Talent
Solutions to hire
Show off your expertise by
publishing on LI
Stay on top of the latest
news
Get inspired and gain
insights to be great at
what you do
Stay in touch with
colleagues and classmates
Discover professional
opportunities
There are more than 3M
company pages
Learn and share
LinkedIn’s mission is to connect the world’s
professionals to make them more productive and
15. It’s not the same as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram! It’s a place to express yourself
as a professional and be viewed as a professional and/or expert in your field. Ultimately, this
leads to higher paying jobs and a brighter future.
HOW DO YOU START?
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www.RiseAboveResources.com
Create a Profile
17. • Connect with reputable people that you know.
• Connect with former and current bosses, coworkers and people who are
familiar with you and your work.
• Connect with people whose profile intrigues you… perhaps in an industry
you aim to be in.
• Connect whose work you admire and respect.
• Connect with people who are introduced to you through common
connections.
• Connect with people who have sent personalized connection requests that
tell you a valid reason for connecting with them.
• When you connect with others, always personalize the request.
Building Your Network
19. Think of LinkedIn as your online business
card… marketing YOU!
Let this mindset drive your profile content.
Customize your
URL
Use a
professional
photo
Create a
Descriptive
Headline
20. Be sure your profile is
rich in ATS keywords
Use keywords that
would apply to your
ideal job description
Make sure your core
competencies are easy
to ascertain by looking
at your profile
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ATS Key Words are Key
21. Further Optimize Your Profile
Curate, create and share
information to cast
yourself as a thought
leader
What are you up to? Do you have
anything you want to highlight?
22. Give Some Color to Your
Experience
Talk about what you
do.
Watch your
security
settings
23. HOW DO RECRUITERS USE LI?
Important tool to find
both active and
passive candidates
They use:
- Advanced Search
- Reference Checks
- Networking to
Source
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Strive to Stand Out
Strong Summary – Quantification of Achievements –
Recommendations
Contact Information
25. Find new job opportunities
LinkedIn will suggest jobs based on your settings and your current
role.
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LLC 31
Q & A
32. USING A RECRUITER
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authorization by Marianne Grady 32
33. About using
Recruiters…
A waste of time….
Not worth the effort.
They are middlemen… I’d
rather apply directly to the
company!
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34. RECRUITERS DON’T FIND
JOBS FOR PEOPLE
RECRUITERS FIND PEOPLE
FOR JOBS
RECRUITERS ARE PAID BY THE EMPLOYER
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35. Why Do Employers Use Recruiters?
The “attraction” upfront sales pitch and subsequent
follow up conversations are taken care of.
They save time by identifying qualified candidates.
Recruiters can handle reference checking.
They’ve posted the position and not received responses.
No internal recruiter or HR department or no experience
hiring.
They experienced turnover for a particular position and
want help identifying candidates.
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36. Things to think about when
working with a recruiter
Working with a recruiter should not be your only job
seeking activity.
Recruiters are not career coaches.
You should know your worth and salary requirements
prior to talking to the recruiter.
Recruiters match experienced candidates to their clients
job descriptions.
Recruiters are not resumé writers.
Your recruiter should negotiate your compensation
package for you.
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37. 2 Most Common Types of Recruiting
Agreements
CONTINGENCY SEARCH
Pay only when suitable
candidate is placed
The recruiter works on
many searches
simultaneosly
Fee typically a % of
employee’s 1st year
base salary (15%-30%)
RETAINED SEARCH
Pay up front,
guaranteed fee (up to
35% of total comp)
Often used when
hiring for high level
execs/niche positions
Exclusive
Gives your search
priority
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38. How To Tell The Difference
Between Good Recruiters and Bad
Recruiters
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39. GOOD RECRUITER
Will have a very clear
understanding of their
client’s needs
Will interview you before
sending you
Will prep you before your
interview
Know your requirements
prior your interview
Value your time
Will help you negotiate a
fair offer
BAD RECRUITER
Will push you to any
opening they have (even if
its not a fit)
Send you on interviews that
clearly do not meet your
criteria
Throw as many resumés at
a job as they can find
Try to get you to accept
whatever is offered
Can damage your rep by
sending your info to jobs
that do not meet the criteria.
Wastes time!
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40. GET REFERRALS &
JUST ASK!
• How many “accountants” have
you placed in the past 12 months?
• Tell me about your history with
this employer.
• What are the key qualifications
the employer is focused on?
• Describe the entire compensation
package.
• Tell me about the “reports to”
manager for this position.
• If you are a high level exec, you
may wish to work with the
managing partner of the
recruiting company who will most
likely be a very experienced
recruiter.
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41. MISTAKE #1
HEY, YA GOT SOMETHING FOR ME?
Understand the recruiter relationship.
It is the employer who pays the recruiter their fee.
Recruiters DO NOT spend their time finding a job for you.
Recruiters DO spend their time trying to find a good match
to their paying clients’ job descriptions
This presentation may be used only with credit to Marianne Grady & www.RiseAboveResources.com
42. MISTAKE #2
CANDIDATES DO NOT TAKE THE RECRUITER INTERVIEW
AS SERIOUSLY AS A REGULAR JOB INTERVIEW
Treat the recruiter as you would treat a hiring
manager – be on time, be prepared, dress
appropriately.
You should not approach a meeting with a
staffing agency as “just meeting another
recruiter”.
Candidates represent the reputation of the
recruiters.
Recruiters will not want to represent you if they
do not trust you to represent them well.
Clients trust that recruiters are presenting them
with the best possible candidates, that we have
already prescreened.
Your reputation with agencies can follow you to
other firms in the area.
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43. MISTAKE #3
Using an old school
resumé
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• Home Address
• Times New Roman font
• Objective
• References Upon Request
• Doesn’t pass the 10 second rule
• Rambles on
• No key words
• Graphics
44. A spreadsheet
ninja
He balanced our books like a double
jointed gymnast… like the kind that
bend over backwards while spinning
plates… how do they do that?
He not only raises the
bar,
He sets it on FIRE… I
mean
FLAMES!
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45. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BOBS IN THE JOB MARKET, WILLING TO DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET NOTICED
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46. RECRUITERS WANT
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Honest relationships
Candidates with a clean online presence
Candidates to be responsive
Candidates to be prepared
Candidates that give feedback
Candidates that know how to network and use those LI connections for warm intros
Candidates who trust them
Candidates to dress for success and represent them well
Candidates to check in, not nag
47. Your Resumé Should Help the
Recruiter Answer These Questions
from Elisa Sheftic, Managing Partner of Right Executive Search
What are your core competencies?
Do you meet the basic job requirements?
Do you show career progression?
Are you a job-hopper? If not, why do you
have short tenures?
What is your educational background?
What insights can be gleaned from your
professional and educational experience.
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48. The key to successful
recruiter relationships, is
you need to make it
EASY
for the recruiter to work
with you!
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49. IN CONCLUSION
FIND A GOOD RECRUITER
UNDERSTAND THE RECRUITER
RELATIONSHIP AND HAVE REALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS
AVOID COMMON MISTAKES
OPTIMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
MAKE IT EASY FOR THE RECRUITER
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LLC 50
Q & A
51. INTERVIEW SKILLS
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52. Your Elevator Pitch
CONVEY YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION
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53. Can you communicate?
Can you establish rapport?
Are you confident?
With a positive attitude?
Are you dressed for the part?
Are you intelligent?
Are you prepared?
Will you fit in the position?
Will you fit in our organization?
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53
Interviewers need to find out
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54
Is it a trick?
55. 3 Types of Interview
Questions
General
Basic Questions
Where do you see
yourself in 5 yrs?
What did you like
best about your
job?
What are your
greatest
strengths?
Situational
Focuses on how
you will react to a
particular future
situation.
Situation
presented and
you describe how
you would handle
it.
You will likely face all 3 types of questions in one
interview.
Behavioral
• Refers to previous
experiences.
• Can often be
identified by “tell me
about a time when
you” at the
beginning of the
sentence.
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56
How Do You Stand Out?
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What is the most common
interview question?
Tell me about yourself.
Respond with a passion statement, an
anecdote and a chronology that brings
you up to date for this job.
SMILE
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58
Learn how to connect the
dots for the employer
• Connect your specific
experience to the job
description
• Describe your qualifications
for tasks in the job
description
• Help the employer see you
in the role
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59
Honesty is the best policy
60. Ask what type of
interview it will be
How long it will take
Who will you be
interviewing with
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60
You got the call!
61. Google and LinkedIn are your friends
Research the company
Mission & Vision
Culture
Public Financials
Articles
Competitors
Issues
Active Projects
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61
Do Your Homework!
62. Sit up straight
You never have a 2nd
chance to make a 1st
impression
If you don’t have
anything nice to say,
don’t say anything at
all
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62
Mother Knows Best!
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63
Good Eye Contact is NOT a
death stare!
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64
Questions for the
Interviewer
65. Extreme responses can
get you ruled out.
Make sure your
answers are balanced. The Leaning Tower of Pisa
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65
Don’t Lean
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66
ExecuNet reports that it takes 20% longer for a VP over 50
to find work than their 45 year old counterpart.
Show off your techie skills in the interview. Have a strong
online presence and know how to use the latest Iphone and
latest software used in our industry.
Unless it’s extremely relevant, eliminate experience more
than 15 years old.
Take away the years you attended college.
Match your skills to the job description with quantified
examples.
Interview skills can be rusty… make sure you practice. If you
can, hire a coach to give you a high level of confidence.
Over 50 Job Search – Part 1
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67
Take some online classes to sharpen your skills.
Identify issues the company is facing and offer your ideas on how to
fix/improve the situation. This a point where your experience can shine.
Don’t be defensive about your age, know how to present your
experience as an asset.
Focus on your team player image. Be careful not to come across as
someone who is set in their ways.
RetirementJobs.com said in a recent study that many employers face
problems with turnover.
“Data shows that people who are older stay on the job three times as
long as people who are younger,” he said. “If you can be smart about
finding companies that are facing problems with turnover, you have a
solution for those companies.”
Stay positive and your hard work will pay off. There are jobs out there!
Over 50 Job Search – Part 2
68. RACE
GENDER
MARITAL STATUS
DISABILITIES
ETHNIC
BACKGROUND
COUNTRY OF
ORIGIN
SEXUAL
PREFERENCE
AGE
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68
Illegal Interview Questions
69. I am looking at the
entire opportunity, so
I’d need to hear more
I am focused more on
the opportunity
A range between XXX
and XXX would be
appropriate based on
my research
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69
The Dreaded Salary
Question
70. THINK VALUE
ADD
KEEP IT SHORT
(AS A RULE, 1
MINUTE OR
LESS)
NO WIIFM -
WHAT’S IN IT
FOR ME?
NO SALARY,
BENEFITS, TIME
OFF QUESTIONS
IN 1ST INTERVIEW
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Your Answers
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71
Your Body Speaks
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72
First and Last Impressions
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Thank the interviewer for their time and
consideration.
Reiterate your interest for the position.
Ask about the next step.
Ask when you will hear back.
All Good Things Must Come
To An End
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Don’t Forget Your Manners!
75. Ask about the interview
on the scheduling call
Prepare your elevator
speech
Download and practice
answering questions
Dress for success
Arrive Early
Strong greeting
Overcome objections
Think value add, NO
WIIFM
Think of the motives
behind the questions
Don’t lean to far one way
or the other
Ask questions
Thank the interviewer
Ask about the next step
Remember the Thank You
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Let’s Review!
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Finally, Get The Job!
77. Do a dry run
Arrive one half-hour
early
All eyes are upon
you
Dress appropriately
Don’t forget the
details
Have several copies
of your resume
Cell phone off
Firm handshake
Listen carefully to
the questions
Stay on topic and
don’t ramble
Be confident
Shake off any
mistakes
Good eye contact
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77
Final Checklist
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Q & A