This coming March I will have been with my company for seven years. SEVEN! That’s a long time. A lot of people think that because I work for the family business I was handed the job; that is so not the case. In fact, I still went through a formal interview process and after working for the company for a months, I came up with a new job role and proposal for my position (which has since grown leaps and bounds) which required- you guessed it- more interviewing!
Interviewing for the family business was incredibly nervewracking for me; perhaps because I felt there was more on the line and I didn’t want anyone to think I was just the “daughter of the boss.” (True story: My nickname for two years, without me knowing it was the Boss’ Daughter.) I came prepared and despite having to walk past a few of the younger account executives who didn’t know who I was and one of them asking me out on a date (you should have seen his face when he was in the interview room), everything went great! I brought enough copies of the proposal for my new role at the company, explained the need for the position, why I was a good fit, what the company could expect from me and why it would help them, and then fielded questions and answers. In some ways it felt like more of a pitch than interview however, the questions flowed after I was done with the proposal portion. How would I handle XYZ? What benefit would the company get from X? How did I plan to implement the new processes I explained? The questions went on for about half an hour but we finally came to a close. And then a few days later, I was awarded a new job, a new title and a pay raise.
Here are some of my suggested tips for interviewing:
* Be Prepared. Rehearse what you are going to say. Review common interview questions (Google is a great help!). Ask a friend or family member to practice with you. If you are bringing a proposal with you, make sure you know it backwards and forwards; also, don’t forget to proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes.
* Turn to an expert and by expert I mean someone who is an interviwer at their job. Ask them for “insider” tips and tricks as to what to expect; they can help you with off-the-cuff questions you may get during an interview. Ask them what the top five things are that you should and shouldn’t do during an interview.
* Know the basiscs. As someone who has interviewed people for my company it is evident that some people skip some of the basics that take place outside/in the interview: Be polite to the receptionist; they are often more important than you think they are! Dress professionally: iron everything, make sure you have no runs in your panythose, and look put together. If you aren’t sure what the appropriate attire is for the interview, it’s ok to ask. Leave and arrive early: you never know when there will be traffic, an accident, or a hard to find building so give yourself plenty of time to get there. Bring your resume/proposal: It’s always a good idea to have a few fresh copies of your resume and/or your proposal. Don’t forget a pen (that works) and a notepad so that you can jot down answers to questions you may have. Do your research: learn more about the company, your position and what’s expected of you before you walk in the door when possible.
* Speak slowly. It’s common for nervousness to make us speak faster but as my mother always said, speak low and slow. This way everyone can hear what you have to say.
* Be Thankful. After the meeting, be sure to thank everyone for their time, shake their hands, leave a copy of your resume and if you are still interested in the job, let them know you look forward to hearing from them. Once you leave the office/interview, plan to send a thank you note (hand written goes a long way, but email is acceptable as well, especially if that is how the company contacted you) to thank the interviewer for their time.
If you are on the hunt for a job (or if you have one), be sure to do professional networking! Monster.com has created a new website called BeKnown that allows for Facebook users to create a separate, professional profile inside of Facebook.
What is BeKnown?
Monster.com recently launched BeKnown, a professional networking app for Facebook. BeKnown allows you to set up a professional profile directly on Facebook that is completely separate from your personal Facebook page. One of the apps newest features, College Pages, even provides a way for alumni to network professionally on Facebook and view job postings from their fellow graduates!
With BeKnown College Pages:
* Any jobs posted by alumni on BeKnown are added to the College/University profile page and Alumni with job opportunities can post jobs to students and recent alums for free
* Students can follow their school and build relationships/connections with alumni working at top companies & discover alumni jobs
In addition to College Pages, BeKnown also lets you conduct a job search of Monster’s database of jobs without ever leaving BeKnown or Facebook. By tapping into the networks of their Facebook friends, young professionals can easily connect, send messages, and see who among their existing contacts is connected to a company or job opportunity they are interested in. You can check out their iPhone App here as well!
“As soon-to-be college graduates start to think about their entry into the workforce, their first step should be building out their professional networks using the invaluable connections they have right in front of them,” said Tom Chevalier, Global Product Manager for Monster Worldwide. “Alumni networks are a key source for career opportunities for college graduates, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for them to connect and engage right from BeKnown.”
Do you have any good/bad interview stories or tips and tricks for readers out there who may be looking for a job? Please share!
Disclosure:
I am a participant in Monster.com’s “Present The Best You” Online contest and am entering into a contest for a chance to win prizes with this blog. I was provided with a participant gift that included a makeup kit and professional business card holder.
Reasons I’m reaching for a glass of wine: 
