How to Answer: 'Why Should I Hire You?'

By Joe Turner, author of "Job Search Secrets Unlocked"

"Why should I hire you?"

This is the classic question most of us hear during an interview. It's often preceded by the phrase, "I've already interviewed another person for this position who looks perfect." Then comes the killer question, "Why should I hire YOU?"

Sometimes the most innocent interview question can prove to be the key to the empire for some, while it can be the swan song for others.

The next time an employer asks, "Why should I hire you?" see the question in a new light -- as an opportunity to shine and pull ahead of your competitors.

Be careful to avoid clever retorts or comedic one-liners here. Your interview is serious business and a wrong answer will send you packing. This is the one question that interviewers like to ask because the answer can separate the contenders from the also-rans. Give a wrong answer and the large "game over" sign flashes above your head.

What hiring managers really want to know is, "What's special or different about you?" or "How are you different than all the other candidates who have applied for this position?" With this in mind, a good way to approach your answer here is to launch into your best "story" that answers this question: "Will you go the extra mile?"

Why is the employer asking why he or she should hire you? Because there are only five areas of interest he or she is concerned with:

1. Your skills2. Your knowledge about the company3. Your manageability4. Your affordability5. Whether you can go above and beyond your job description.

In this day of "lean and mean" operations philosophy, employers are looking for employees who can think bigger and perform duties beyond their jobs.

Realize that there will always be competing candidates with a higher skill level, more experience, more education and training or even a smoother interviewing style. The one equalizer though, is the ability to demonstrate how you have risen above and gone that extra mile to accomplish an important task, complete the job or realize an important goal.

Here, you recount that story of exactly how you worked 60-hour weeks, acquired new skills or did whatever it took to distinguish yourself and meet the challenge head on to successfully make the sale, save the project or rescue a client. If you can put a dollar value on the result, your story will only be that much more dramatic.

Knowing this ahead of time, it's wise to put in the time beforehand to work on your answer to this question. Pick your best example of how you went above and beyond in your job. Work on your story to perfect it. Set the scene, describe the challenge and describe your role and the successful conclusion. Use this as an example of how you use your particular set of skills in an extraordinary time to "give it your all" and produce a clear benefit to your employer.

Since no other candidate can duplicate your own personal story here, you'll make a memorable impression. Not only that, but quite possibly you'll pull yourself ahead of that "perfect" candidate who preceded you.

As a recruiter, Joe Turner has spent the past 15 years finding and placing top candidates in some of the best jobs of their careers. Author of "Job Search Secrets Unlocked," Turner has been interviewed on radio talk shows and offers free insider job search secrets at: http://www.jobchangesecrets.com/

How To Handle a Panel of Interviewers During a Job Interview

By Carole Martin

The best way is to handle a panel of interviewers is to take them on one at a time. The board or panel is not one entity, but several individuals coming together with the common goal of hiring the best candidate for the job. At the same time, each person has his own agenda or department's interest at heart. For example, the HR manager will be checking to make sure you are a good fit with the culture and people working at this company. The hiring manager will want to know about your technical skills or business know-how. And the person from accounting will want to know if you are savvy enough to operate a business budget.

Board or panel interviews are usually rather formal and organized, using a standard set of questions for all applicants. This type of interview is typically used in academia, government or for high-level executives but can be used for any other type of position in any company.

Another multiple-type interview is the team or "good cop/bad cop" interview. The team is usually made up of two interviewers, one who asks the questions and one who takes notes. The two typically trade roles, which can be confusing if they have different styles. In fact, one person may be kind and gentle and the other more harsh or pushy. Just remember, these inquisitors are working together toward the same end. Treat them equally, not favoring one over the other.

Regardless of the type of interview, the best advice is to prepare and practice beforehand. When you have your script written and rehearsed your answers, you will feel prepared and more confident no matter how many people you have to face.

A good tip is to try to shake hands with each member of the panel before and/or after the interview if at all logistically possible.

Lastly, remember to make sure you get each person's business card, hopefully at the beginning of the interview, so you can address each person by name. And, when you write your follow-up/thank you note/email you can address each person correctly. When responding to an individual, try to remember what he or she was particularly interested in when they asked questions or received your answer.

Remember each person has an agenda - it is up to you to zero in on that interest and make the most of it.

Carole Martin is a celebrated author, trainer, and mentor. Carole can give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy of her FREE 9-part "Interview Success Tips" report by visiting Carole on the web at The Interview Coach

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carole_Martin

Finishing and Leaving Your Job Interview

By Stephen Whelan

If you are offered the interviewers hand, end with a firm, confident handshake (ensure you don’t grip too hard) and a self-assured smile. Even if you feel you could have improved on some aspects of the interview, a self-confident exit could go some way to salvaging the interview for you. Whether you think it or not you will convey this confidence to the interviewer and you will leave a positive lasting impression.

Remain as professional as possible; remember the job is not yours until you have been offered the post and signed your return copy of the contract! Thank the interviewer for the time that they have afforded to you, say goodbye in a friendly manner and leave the room. Leave the interview as if it was an absolute success.

Whether or not you feel that the interview was a success or not, I suggest that you put it completely out of your mind when you leave the room and only reflect on your performance at a later date. I’ve done this myself and when you occupy your mind too much on what you said or could have said it can have a destructive impact on later job interviews you may have. At the very least you should be confident that it has provided you with tremendous preparation for the next one. Like all interviews I suggest you prepare in exactly the same way for any further interviews to follow.

I suggest that you go back and reflect on the interview a few days later to determine how you performed on the day. I always went over the particular areas where I felt I mentioned the wrong thing, gave an incomplete answer or there were things I wished I had said but left out.

Don’t worry about this, many people do this after the interview and needlessly beat themselves up and over analyze every aspect of what was said, or what was not. Remember you may have mentioned numerous, valid and relevant points and hit on the main acceptable answers and these are the positive aspects that you should dwell upon. Just take a note of the plus points of your interview, for example, how well you prepared, your interview technique, positive answers you delivered and how you could improve in the future. By doing this you have reflected this on paper and ensures that you don’t forget these aspects for any future interviews

Waiting to hear about the job – The long wait

It's all over! All the hard work is completed and any nerves and tension of the whole process begin to drift away. After you have made and received those well wishing calls from your family and friends to find out how it went you begin to relax and you are glad it is all over.

Well it is not. You have one final task to complete and then it’s all over.

Write your thank you note to the employer outlining your thanks for their time and effort. I suggest you do this as quickly as possible for three reasons. It shows you are professional, well mannered and shows that the job is important to you. While these are all admirable qualities that the employer will look for, in most cases, it will not influence the final interview decision, but you never know. On a more practical level the purpose of writing a thank you letter is that you may be the only one who has made the effort to do so and therefore raise your profile within that organization.

In turn, your name will unquestionably leave a long-lasting impact in the interviewers mind and give you a potential competitive edge over others in the future. So, take the time to write a short thank you letter the advantages for you are obvious.

Stephen Whelan is a Senior Manager in the largest Health Trust in Northern Ireland. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the recruitment process.

As part of his remit as a senior manager and in his previous posts leading up to his current appointment he has interviewed hundreds of candidates for innumerable vacancies. In this respect he has invaluable knowledge of the selection and recruitment processes from both sides of the table.

Stephen is also a qualified coach and obtained his Coaching in Work Certificate in 2007 which fits perfectly with helping people achieve their highest potential in the job interview process.

Accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management he has excellent skills and abilities that develop others in their pursuit of excellence and brings all of this experience to the table in helping people through the job interview process.

Stephen is currently constructing his website and offers amazing resources for job interview success at http://www.job-interview-success-guide.com

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Job

By Kalandra Robinson

There is much more that comes with applying for a job than simply submitting a Cover Letter and a Résumé. Here are 5 of biggest mistakes employers have found when selecting potential candidates: Not researching the potential employer. Performing a simple research on the company you may find interesting will not only show what positions are available in the career section, but it will also reveal the specific type of people they are interested in. Employers look for specific ethics and professional understandings in people. Performing a research is not difficult. Simply visit their company website and briefly review each and every tab and link you can find. Take note of all their various locations, whether national or international. If the website has financial information, take a long glance at that. The financial information will give you a good idea of how much money they make and/or lose in a given period. This will help you learn how stable or unstable the company is. Review the company's Mission Statement. Determine what their ethic is, if they even have one. Employer's perform various types of research on potential employees; why not protect yourself as well.

Failing to accurately communicate your professional expectations is another area employer's have found employees are unable to do. Employer's hire to solve problems. It is very important that you are able to effectively communicate why you are the best candidate by clearly identifying your experience.

Interviews are the time to reflect your absolute best characteristics and professional attributes. Do not bring food to an interview; if you have eaten right before, make certain you are clean and show no signs of it. Do not bring cell phones; if you do, turn them off. Do not share irrelevant information during interviews and it is an absolute no-no to speak negatively about a past employer.

As mentioned earlier, it is very important that you are able to effectively communicate all your best professional efforts. Poor communication skills are high on the list of non-desirables for employers. Speak with confidence and demonstrate your expertise with grace. Speak high about who you are and why you are the best fit for the position. Practice an interview with family or friends, people you can trust and will be honest with you on areas you may need to improve on.
Don’t be afraid of showing enthusiasm. Along with professionalism and a clear ability to perform the job, employers look for people that are enthusiastic and upbeat.

Whatever phone number you leave as a contact, make sure the voice mail message is professional. There are many people that have 1 cell phone that is used for their home and entertainment purpose. Nevertheless, be sure the voice mail message is professional. Use a professional email address if you leave one, also for contact. An email address with your name attached is professional. Use professional providers.

Kalandra Robinson writes articles and ebooks on subjects including Employment and Careers, Motivational and Self-help, and Credit Management. Visit http://www.robinwords.com

A Rough Guide to Surviving the Dreaded Interview

By Ian F Harris

Jobs are often lost at what a jockey would call the ‘first fence’. The interview. One simple act of thoughtlessness or carelessness, caused by being unprepared could see that much wanted position in a high-flying company, lost forever. Not only that, confidence damaged beyond repair. But have no fear, I am here, with five important ‘Do’s’ that should have you sailing through the interrogation and into your own office with comfy adjustable chair with secretary.

• Scrub up good.
It’s a complete waste of time turning up like you’re off to the Glastonbury festival. No matter how ‘cool’ you think you look you will not be taken seriously. Make an effort. Comb your hair.
Clean your shoes –no trainers. And yes, swallow your disgust and buy that most useless of objects, a tie.

• Do your research (or at the very least, sound like you have).
You’ve applied for the job so sound like you know what you are talking about. If need be pretend you know about the company. Be confident. Remember this is not a one-way conversation. This is your chance to show interest and ask questions. Stick with questions about the business, don’t ask about holidays or time off. Sound authoritative, almost like it’s second nature but don’t get too cocky. It is not advisable to offer your opinion on how the business ought to be run or restructured.

• Be humble.
Give the impression that you are willing to learn and are in fact excited about the prospect being taught by such a well known figure (the interviewer) in the business, but don’t go too far, no-one likes a brown-noser.

• Nod and stare.
There’s nothing wrong with showing that the interviewer has your attention, so concentrate on nodding at the right moment or dropping in an odd ‘I see’ accompanied by an occasional chin rub which will help. This is the equivalent of giving a horse a lump of sugar, with the interviewer convinced he/she is the most interesting person in the world. As for the stare, this is quite an art and takes practice. What is wanted is an ‘interested stare’ not a ‘mad or crazy stare’. Once again showing that the interviewer has your undivided attention. Word of warning. If your interviewer is a woman resist the urge to stare at her breasts.

• Bathroom.
Before the interview begins go the bathroom, where you should take a leak or a dump. Empty your bowel. Then wash your hands and face and (this is most important) take time out to expel all bodily gases (try to do this when the bathroom is empty).

So there you are, five important must – do’s before what could be the biggest life changing event of your life. So good luck, deep breaths and remember, if you don’t get the job, it’s not the end of the world. Go to pub, get drunk, go home, go to bed.

Ian Harris. http://www.theacmesunshinecompany.com
Ian Harris lives in Shakespeare country (Stratford upon Avon) in the UK and loves to write, unfortunately not to William's standard, although he believes when he dies, like Will his work will be rediscovered and he will be recognized at last.

Don't Be An Interview Idiot!

By Raymond Sahley

As a recruiter in the restaurant industry, I see candidates or job seekers do stupid things in the interview all day long. Obviously, we all have an idiot gene hidden in our bodies waiting to emerge somewhere down the road. If you really want to be an idiot and NOT get that new position or career opportunity you dream of follow these actions.

The first step in being a complete idiot is to arrive late. This could be 5 minutes or an hour just make sure you’re late. Nothing says, “I don’t care about this position”, like being late.

Step two is to be rude to everyone at the interview. This could be the host or server who greets you as you enter or anyone else employed by the company. To be effective just be mean to everyone, which will really tell them that you’re a complete idiot who can’t get along with anyone!

Third, please make sure you answer all interview questions with very short and abrupt responses. Don’t take anytime to go into your answers. Pretend you are on Jeopardy and answer all questions with questions. That could be fun and that will surely tell them you are an idiot who always runs with the pack and has no leadership potential whatsoever.

Fourth, for the sake of being an idiot, make sure you don’t ask any questions about the position or the company. Don’t bring up goals or plans in the future because you will have plenty of time to think about those things later. Really show them you don’t care about their company by saying you dined at a competitor the other day and loved it!

In the fifth step, when they ask about yourself pretend you’re in a holding cell and stone wall them until your lawyer gets there. Whatever you do don’t be forthcoming about anything or discuss your abilities. If you absolutely have to be an idiot tell them about childhood experiences and your first pet.

The sixth is all about cussing and using inappropriate language. Be sure to pepper your conversation with a few f-bombs to complete your idiot tendencies. Nothing says you’re an idiot like bad language in an interview.

Make sure you trash talk or beat up your old boss in every response. In the seventh step you want to concentrate on how bad you hated that guy and why. This will surely tell them that you have no bounds when it comes to revealing things to complete outsiders and you are basically a very negative person.

Then in the eighth step beg them to not contact your previous employer about the funds you embezzled or the food you stole. Nothing says you’re an idiot more than implying a guilty conscious that is hiding something critical to them hiring you.

Make sure you lie about your accomplishments in the ninth step. An idiot lies about all of them! Tell them how you cured cancer and invented the Internet or anything else they want to hear. A complete idiot doesn’t care about credibility or reference checks anyway. Even better tell them you didn’t have any labor costs because you paid everyone with cash.

Finally when the interview gets up and is ready to shake hands, don’t bother! Storm out of there like a bat out of hell and never look back. Nothing says you’re an idiot like being impolite and displaying no manners. Mission accomplished!

Now obviously, this was written to assist you in the pursuit of happiness and to find that next great career. By doing the exact opposite of these actions, you will find yourself at the beginning of the road to preparation to land that dream job. Just remember be kind and courteous to others, be formal and professional, be on time, be honest and open with your answers and market your abilities whenever you can in an interview.

And don’t be an idiot!

GreatMgrs.com is a restaurant management recruiting firm specializing in the placement of managers in all capacities of the restaurant industry. From quick serve to casual and all the way up to senior level area supervisors or district managers, we can find the right candidate for any situation or job order.

We also help the right management candidates find great and new opportunities that are not advertised to the public. We eliminate many unnecessary steps in the hiring process and get the candidate in front of the hiring manager more quickly than using the conventional wait and see tactics. The best part is it is FREE for the candidates!

Email your resume to raymond@erhire.com or Fax to 866.862.3547.

Client companies feel free to email at the same address because we would love to be a part of your team and find you the next great leader!