Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

I appreciate the fast response. I am the candidate( interviewee) applying for a marketing vacancy (entry level) so I was wondering if you could guide me or give me tips regarding this interview.
Thank you.

OK. First of all, hearty congratulations on getting yourself onto the short list.

You are already on their radar.

Moving forward is as much about attitude and psychology as it is about your skills.

So, let's reframe the context: this is NOT an interview; it is a business meeting.

Dress the part. If the culture is conservative, dress smartly. Dress as well as you can afford to.
Suit, shirt/blouse, tie, shined shoes etc.,. Clean fingernails, combed hair, neat appearance. Sounds dull but business is mostly a conservative environment. You need to signal from the beginning that you fit in. Would you attend your best friend's wedding wearing hobnail boots and dirty overalls? No!
You would not! So, dress the part even if you would dress differently once you get the job.

Research the company and the CEOs. Read the website, read their "About" us page. Take the time to learn half a dozen bullet points about the company you're applying to. Jot these points down in bullet form and read them OUT LOUD at least a dozen times before your meeting so that they sink in. Your knowledge of the company in your meeting needs to sound natural and informed.

Know this: 95 percent of the other candidates up for this position will FAIL to do this because they're bone idle. But with your overview of the company committed to memory, YOU will stand out. Got it?

As an entry level marketer no one is expecting you to know it all. You've secured the interview, this sets you apart already. Your role now is to build on this foundation with solid benefits. How did you help other employers? How will you help THIS employer drive sales, increase numbers, and build revenue? The person you're meeting with wants to know:

1. Does this person fit in?
2. Will they be a pain in the ass?
3. Will they help us reach our goals?
4. How will they add value and earn their keep?
5. Can they do the job and do it well?
6. Does this person WANT the job?

There's a great book by Max Eggert called "The Perfect Interview" it's an EASY read. Find a copy and study it. It will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know.

Questions you might want to ask could include (in no particular order):

1. How soon are you looking to make your decision?
2. How long is the orientation process?
3. Can you tell me about your strategic plan for the next 3 to 5 years?
4. What might be the next steps in the process?

Notice here that the questions are about them, not you. This shows you're focused on the bigger picture. This is NOT the time to ask about salary, benefits, or vacation. Let those points unfold naturally. Do NOT force them.

You might be asked about your background, your education, your aspirations and where you see yourself in 2 to 5 years. You need to show them you're on board for the long haul, that you're worth your salt, and that you'll be an asset to them as a company. Find a friend and rehearse interview scenarios. You might be asked about your positive and negative traits. Your good points need to shine like the sun and your bad points need to be things you're aware of and that you can turn into a positive. One of my weak points is that I'm a recovering perfectionist: I have learned that sometimes, "done" better than perfect, and that "done" is often good enough and that more often still, it's better than late or never.

I suggest you Google the phrases "Common interview questions" and that you read and prepare for 10 scenarios. You need to show the person you're meeting with how you'll add value to their company and how you'll help them.

Be on time (ideally, be early but not too early), be mindful of people's changing schedules, and take with you at least 2 copies of your résumé, a copy of your original cover letter, and make sure you know where you're going (maps, addresses, telephone numbers, train tickets and the like). Turn OFF your cell phone before you go into the building. Know who you're meeting with and their title. Be sure to smile :), and remember that your "interview" begins the moment you turn the corner and walk toward the building you're meeting in, and that it does not end until your ass is safely back around the same corner, or on the train home, or in the car. Receptionists are often asked about their first impressions of candidates and you need to be remembered for all the right reasons.

When you get home, write a simple thank you letter to each person your met with. Sign and date each letter and make sue with multiple recipients that the right letter goes into the right envelope!
(That's a mistake you'll only make once). Include a copy of your résumé and place everything inside a simple presentation folder that you then mail in a large envelope (don't fold your letter OR your résumé!). Address the envelope, make sure it's got the right postage on it by going to the post office OR, if the company you interviewed with is nearby, deliver your thank you letters by hand.

Few other candidates will take the time to do these things, YET, by doing so, YOU will stand out as someone who goes the extra mile, and as someone who makes the extra effort.

Again, HEARTY congratulations on getting this appointment with the hiring manager. Now, it's in the delivery and presentation. Go get 'em, kiddo! Knock their socks off!