Q: Firms all want prior experience - how do I enter a field without it?

What do I market without industry experience? What should interns and first-time job seekers stress?

I answer these and more during my sixth video guest post at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

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Q: What is different about 2nd Round interviews?

What should I stress in the next round? How do I even get past the first round? How do I get the callback?

See http://www.wallstreetoasis.com for my fifth video guest post.

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Q: Who gets promoted?

What do managers look for when offering a promotion? Who should you focus on building relationships with?

I answer these and more during my fourth video guest post at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

Update: My first video got over 40,000 views in 3 weeks!

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Q: How should we approach "Walk me Through Your Resume"?

I address how to answer this famous question, and how your interviewer's actions during your answer indicates what she knows about you.

This is Part III of my video guest posts at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

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Q: Who gets the offer?

Which candidates do interviewers remember? How early in the interview can the decision be made?

I answer these and more during my next video guest post at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

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Q: If an interviewer asks a technical question we don't know, how should we respond? Should we talk through some related information or guess?

Don't guess, and don't try to answer a related question. You probably won't get away with it. Doing so entails a significant risk; you show bad judgment and an inability to follow directions. These are both bad character traits.

Generally, these questions are not asked to find out what you know. Instead, they show your interviewer how you approach problem solving, and whether you can piece together the relevant information and come up with the right answer.

If you don't know and come clean, you run the risk of getting a "She should have know that" outcome, but this is far better than showing poor character.

It is important not to panic. Your interviewer will usually give you a hint or two to help you figure it out, and most of these questions can be answered without understanding the specifics of the question.

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Q: How should we answer the "What is Your Biggest Weakness" question?

See my video guest post about this common yet tricky interview question at http://www.wallstreetoasis.com.

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Q: Is the "tell me about yourself" interview opener a make-or-break question, or more of a 5 minute warm-up where I can share where I was born, my story, and what I am interested in?

Well, first off, you should never spend 5 minutes answering any question. You should practice answering questions in short, concise statements that last no longer than 1 to 2 minutes.

With regard to the "tell me about yourself" question, many interviewers like to start out with a general question like this to allow you to steer the conversation in a direction that you want. You should take advantage of this, and highlight some key points from your background that accentuate your strengths and invite your interviewer to ask follow-up questions.

However, make sure you answer the question as it is asked. If your interviewer asks you to summarize your resume in a couple of minutes, make sure you answer the general question as you move from strength to strength.

It is not a "make-or-break" question. It is a "break the ice" question, and an opportunity for you to get comfortable with the interview process. Learn to use it to your advantage.

By the way, I am assuming you are kidding about going back to when you were born, but just to be clear, you should focus on relevant experiences that will show your interviewer that you will perform well in the job at hand. A little bit of local color is fine, but don't expand the question to too much detail, or you will lose the interviewer's attention and turn an advantage into a disadvantage.

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Q: How should we answer "tell me your biggest weakness"? I have heard we should work in a strength as the answer.

Bad advice. The “it's-a-weakness-but-really-a-strength” response will highlight a true weakness: a lack of self-awareness.

The purpose of this question is generally to learn about your character. Mature, self-aware people know what they do well and where they need support, and they have enough self-confidence to admit it.

In answering this question, you should not belabor the point or be self-deprecating, but you should answer the question honestly. Responses like, "sometimes I need help managing multiple deadlines" or "sometimes my first response is to act without thinking through thoroughly" are perfectly acceptable and will not hurt you.

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Q: For interviews and cover letters, I've heard that the best way to show interest in a firm is to give historical facts (founding date, important deals) or logistics (number of employees). How often should we work these in?

Yikes, what bad advice. That is the last thing I want to hear. When I am reading your cover letter, I do want to know that your letter has been written specifically to answer my job description, and that it is not a form letter. Likewise, when I am assessing you in both your cover letter (and resume) and during your interview, I am looking for evidence that you would want to work for me and my firm.

But, regurgitated facts are not the way to show it.

Experiences and skills that are aligned with what I do are much more relevant to me. I am never going to leave an interview thinking, “Wow, she was able to name all three of our founders and knew when their birthdays were!” But you will be heading towards an offer if I am thinking “Wow, that research project she worked on covered exactly the type of problems we deal with every day!”

Dazzle me with your skills and evidence of interest in my industry; don’t bore me with memorized facts about my firm.

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Q: If an interviewer asks if I have applied to other companies, including competitors, should I be frank?

Yes, it is okay to tell them that you are interviewing with their competitors. This will actually give them some level of comfort, since it shows that you are focused on their particular industry.

But, don’t elaborate on the point; this is a common mistake. Keep it short and sweet. Since this is a general question, you only have to give a general response. Specifically, don’t go into detail about your other opportunities, their relative fit, and your assessment of them.

If someone asks you this level of detail—which they may near the offer stage of the process—keep it positive. Never “diss” another company – even to a perceived rival. This would be viewed as unprofessional.

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Q: I keep being told that good interview skills are equivalent to good social skills. Isn't preparation basically for people who cannot carry on a normal conversation? I mean, we are just giving a few soundbites and talking about ourselves, right?

Well, I guess that would be equivalent to convincing yourself that you don't need to study for finals, because you "know the material". If you ever talked yourself into this frame of mind, you know how well it turned out. Expect the same level of success if you do not adequately prepare for your interviews.

Interviews are not a normal form of interaction. They are one of the most uncomfortable, nerve-wracking experiences you will ever endure. When caught off-guard with a question one is not prepared to answer, a common response is panic and a spewing of blabber from one's mouth. No social skills or any other innate ability will help you after this, but the confidence of being well-prepared will save you.

Be aware that you have very little time during an interview to present your case for why you should get the job. You have to be ready to articulate your top selling point under all the possible scenarios your interviewer may throw at you. You have to practice answering many iterations of possible questions and be able to deliver your message in a fluid--but not over-rehearsed--way.

Like everything else in life, you get better with practice. Interviewing is no different.

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Q: How should I answer the infamous "Why are you interested in this field?" question?

First off, the general reason for this question is that the interviewer wants to determine how serious you are about the particular field he or she is interviewing you for. You typically will get this question if you are new to the field (for example, a career-changer or recent graduate). This is the number one uncertainty that we recruiters face with first-time job seekers; are they really serious about a career in health care or consulting or zoology? You guys are a big risk because most of you lack a track record that we can point to for guidance.

We are looking for you to mitigate this risk with your answer.

You want to address this concern head-on with proof that you understand what it means to be “a health care professional” or “zoologist”. You can do this by reiterating past experiences--or even conversations--that you have had that show that you are aware of what it will take to be successful in this career path. If you can speak to your passions and how this particular field touches them, all the better.

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Q: Should we Google our interviewer before an interview? I want to make a connection, but recently my interviewer seemed creeped-out.

I think the problem stems from the impersonal nature of the interviewing process. What is the average success rate for interviews? Over my career, it has to be in the low single digits. Your interviewer knows this, too.

Aware that the odds are pretty high that she is going to say “no” to you, she rightly does not want to get too personal - saying “no” to people is more difficult if you have a personal bond with them. This is why she may have been “creeped out”. Other than the obvious concern that you may be a stalker.

Personally, I applaud taking the initiative and trying to find out information about your interviewer. This is a good trait of successful people. Keep it up, but in light of the “creeping out” factor, we have to explore a better way to use this information to help you land the job.

One way is to search for experiences or aptitudes that you have in common with your interviewer. Then, focus on less personal ways of bringing these out in the interview. If you find out that your interviewer was an accounting major, when she asks, “tell me about a project that you worked on that you really enjoyed”, give her an analytical one that she can relate to.

Or, if she is from your home state, find a way to weave this into your conversation. If you can do this without seeming like a brown-noser, you will help her get comfortable with including your name on the callback list.

Don’t shy away from doing these sorts of things. Much of the interviewing process is intuition and feel. It is not devious or dishonest to create positive rapport with your interviewer. It is good self-marketing.

Information is power. Don’t be afraid to use it to promote your own cause - just don’t get too personal!

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Ryan: [How should we answer] "What questions do you have about working at xyz"?

The questions you ask at the end of your interview should primarily serve you, and help you decide if the job is a good fit. Culture or work environment questions are good for that. Yes, if you do not ask a question, it could be interpreted negatively, but you should not worry about trying to impress your interviewer with a pithy question to make a strong impression; you have already done this or not!

Just don't say anything risky or inappropriate. I once had a candidate ask me to comment on a recent legal issue concerning my company. I guess she thought that she would win points for doing her homework, but I didn't take it that way.

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Ryan: I have always wondered what exactly to say when, during the interview, you are asked something like "Why do you want to work for xyz?"

This is a "bow and scrape" question, and I am sorry that you have to be subjected to this sort of thing. Some interviewers want you to grovel a bit and prove that you are worthy. Nonetheless, you still have to come up with a solid response.

The first thing to recognize is that this is an aggressive question, and aggressive questions should be answered with aggressive answers. Since this is a rather stupid aggressive question, you would be best off tactfully redirecting your response by answering a slightly broader, and better, question. What your interviewer really should be asking is why you are interested in a particular field, not a particular firm. Answering this question will get you where you need to go, but with more useful, honest content:

"From my past work experience and independent research, I realized that my skills are a strong fit for advertising and I am confident it is the right career direction for me. Being an assistant brand manager would be a great way for me to enter this business and I would be very excited to start my career at Acme, a recognized leader in this field."

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Patrick: I have a big interview coming up on Wednesday. What are some things I should do to prepare and what should I be sure to do during the interview?

First impressions are key. Make sure that you are on time (which means getting there early!) and make sure that your appearance is smart. This will give you a boost of confidence. Also, practice answering possible interview questions in your head the night before. You want your delivery to be fluid but not scripted.

The most important thing during the interview is to make sure that you answer the question asked and don't ramble. Good luck!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!

Polished: Adding Shine to your Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Skills is a complete job search guide written specifically for college students and other first time job seekers.



Here's the official description from my website:

"Written by R. Scott Morris, former CEO of the Boston Options Exchange and Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Polished outlines the methods for success and the many pitfalls that doom most job seekers.

Scott has been working with the students in the Chicago Careers in Business program at the University of Chicago for the past three years. Polished is the culmination of his teaching and their insight. Many of the examples in this workbook are based on actual participants from this program.

Scott puts his experience to work for you!

Polished reveals invaluable tips that will make employers notice you! Real life examples from a seasoned executive will teach you how to put your best foot forward in all stages of the job search, including

* Cover Letters - create focused, concise prose that highlights your skills and advances you to the interview
* Resume - develop insightful techniques that make it easy for employers to find and understand your key selling points
* Interviewing - leverage the value of your first impression by crafting your appearance and articulating your words for maximum effect
* Career Choice - assess careers and organizations to find the best match with your own personality and professional goals

Polished gives you the tools you need for a successful job search. Author R. Scott Morris tells it like it is from his unique perspective as a hiring decision maker who has seen thousands of resumes and conducted hundreds of interviews. This book puts his experience to work for you!"

Let me know what you think!

Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!