interviewing strategies & tips for older workers
TRANSCRIPT
Interviewing Strategies & Tips for Older Workers
“In times like these when job opportunities are tight, it is perhaps even more important
for job candidates to understand what employers want and find ways to
demonstrate those qualities”
Executive Director, National Association of Colleges and Employers
(January 2009)
Disclaimers
• Opinions not opinions of management
• For your consideration only• Use “Willie-isms” at your own peril
» Willie R. Williams, SPHR
Expectations
• Anyone want to share an expectation you might have for this event?
Answer this Question
• Why Should I Hire You?
• Take a couple of minutes to answer the above question. Write it down if you wish. We will come back to it later.
• Anyone want to share?
Purpose of the Interview
Information exchange between employer and job candidate
Screening for future interviews
Point where hiring decisions are made
Opportunity to highlight your skills and experience in relation to job description
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967)
• The ADEA is the primary federal statute that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees in terms, privileges and conditions of employment on the basis of age. The law also applies to employment agencies and labor organizations. To be covered by the ADEA, an individual must be 40 years old or older
Pyramid
Why Should I Hire You?
Asset/Liability?
Work Well With Others?
Culture Fit?
Application/Interview: Open/Closed; Behavioral; Role Play
IMPORTANT!
• Don’t assume just because you might have many years of experience that it automatically makes you the best qualified applicant for the position
Interview PreparationYour Key to Success!
Know Yourself and Your Resume
Skills, Career Objective, Personal Qualifications, Academic Background
Rehearse Interviewing
Practice “story telling” associated with skill sets
Utilize the “PAR” approach – Problem, Action Taken, Results Produced
Practice interviewing with family and friends
Interview PreparationYour Key to Success!
Formulate a list of questions to ask the employer
Compile your references wisely
Generate a 90 second “commercial” – 130-150 words - of qualifications (Sometimes called the “Elevator Speech)
Inspect your online identity
Secure/Privatize your social networking site accounts
Create a professional profile with appropriate image
Remove damaging blog entries
Elevator Speech
• Imagine you are on an elevator with a senior manager (or at a job fair or networking event) and they ask you: “So, what do you do?”
Elevator Speech• Contains brief examples or
“stories” describing your successes or achievements that set you apart
• Ready to use it at any time• In networking situations• Shorthand for “tell me about
yourself” or “why should I hire you?”
• Cold calls to potential employers
Elevator Speech (Cont’d)
• Answer the following:• Who you are• Position you are seeking• What you do best• Significant accomplishments or
how have you made an impact• What sets you apart
Elevator Speech (Cont’d)
• Write your speech out and practice, practice, practice
• Friends, relatives, mirror, record it• You want it to sound natural• Vary it depending on audience• This is not a resume!!!
Elevator Speech (Cont’d)
• Remember WIIFM – What's in it for me?
• The employer/recruiter wants to know how you can help them
Elevator Speech (Cont’d)
• Example: My name is Jeff Jefferson and I help people become proficient workers . I have helped small and medium sized organizations improve their productivity by enlisting employees to help improve the customer service processes. My most significant accomplishment was when I helped a $40M company improve their….
Interview PreparationYour Key to Success!
Research the employer
What are the major products or services produced by this organization?
Where is the company organized?
Who are the key people in this organization?
How large is the organization in terms of both annual sales and employees?
What is the company culture?
Research the Interviewer
• Linkedin.com
• Zoominfo.com
• Facebook.com
• Others?
Typical Types of Interviews
Individual
Panel or Team
Telephone Interviews
Behavioral Interviews
Questioning Techniques
Usually a combination of: Closed end questions (i.e. Did you like
your last job)
and
Open end questions (i.e. What did you like about your last job)
“Employers want to know how well you will fit into the organization”
- Krannich & Krannich, 2003
• A behavioral interview question might be:
• Give me an example of how you organized a project from beginning to end.
• Give me an example of how you handled conflict between co-workers.
Attending the Interview
Arrive on time! 10-15 minutes early is best
Be prepared
Analyze the environment
Have a firm handshake
Dress for success
Be polite to everyone
Show enthusiasm
Responding to Interview Questions
• Utilize PAR technique:– identify Problem, Action taken, Results
produced (Sometimes called STAR – Situation, Task, Action Taken, Results produced)
• Back up skills & accomplishments with supports– examples, descriptions, statistics,
comparisons, etc.
Responding to Interview Questions
• Communicate in a positive manner – verbally and non-verbally
• Maintain an open and confident posture
• Make eye contact
• Be honest
Responding to Interview Questions
• Don’t act “old” or use age as an excuse
• Don’t be cocky, but express confidence
• Remake yourself – learn new technology (Excel, PowerPoint, MS Word, etc.)
• Use your age/experience as advantage
• Expect difficult questions – prepare for them
Responding to Interview Questions
• Express your willingness to learn• Emphasize any upgrading of skills
(i.e. computer classes, new stuff, etc.)
• Stress interpersonal skills – working with all ages of employees
Try A Few Toughies
• Why do you think you will be successful at this job?
• As my resume reflects, I have been successful at each of my previous places of employment. My research of your company, the job description outlined, and the information we've exchanged today, lead me to believe I have the skills and experience for which you are looking; and I'm eager to be a contributing employee.
• Where do you see yourself in 2 years?
• The interviewer might be legitimately concerned as to whether you see this as a career move, or stop-gap employment.
• I would expect that the company has realized my value to the organization and is considering me or has selected me for expanded responsibilities.
• Tell me about a time when you were a team member on a project or other activity. What was your role? What was the outcome of the team’s efforts?
• Remember Situation, Task, Actions, Results (STAR)
• Or Problem, Action, Results (PAR)
• Give me an example of when you had to work for a difficult boss.
• Yes, I've worked with a supervisor whom I found difficult to like as a person. However, she was my supervisor and I had to adapt to her management style. I focused on the skills she brought to the job and her ability to solve problems. We were both there to help the company be successful. We were never friends, but we did work well together.
• What did you do in the 6 months employment gap?
• For the first month, I worked on my "to do list" at home and accomplished a great deal. Then I began building a plan to reenter the workplace. While it took a little longer than I'd anticipated, I've learned a great deal about myself, am rested and looking forward to new challenges in the workplace.
OR• After the loss of my last position to
downsizing it took a few days for it to sink in. I then began taking various courses – self development, computer skills, resume writing skills and interviewing skills to get ready to get back into the workforce. I am anxious to use my full skills and experiences to help ABC company be successful.
• Don’t you think you are overqualified? Or “Don’t you think you will get bored?”
• I actually considered that before I applied for this position. After some thought I realized how passionate (or committed) I am to this work/profession and how my experience would be a tremendous benefit to ABC company. I am energized and ready for any challenge.
• How do you see your age affecting how I do my job?
• Actually, I did not know that age was a job qualifier for this position. However, I do offer extensive experience in this field so I can be effective quickly, and I can be a tremendous mentor to employees who might be just entering the field. I can quickly identify problems and help resolve them.
• How do you think you would work with a much younger manager?
• I value diversity. Managers are typically promoted to those positions because of their skills. I would provide the same respect for one manager as I would for another manager. When I get to a point where I can’t learn from someone younger or older, I will stop working.
• Remember – Express confidence and Focus on how you and your experience can fit within the company…
• I have over 15 years experience in this profession and I would love to use my experiences – apply those insights to mentor others, solve problems and create successes for the company.
• Anyone want to share a difficult question you might have gotten?
• AARP suggests:• "I am sensing that there may be
concerns about my age. Unless there is something I haven't been told, I can only assure you that there are no aspects of this position that I cannot handle, and I would be committed to bring you a wealth of education, training, and experience that few could equal."
• AARP suggests if you experience obvious age discrimination – i.e. continually trying to determine your age:– Anyone in this situation should report
the company and call the firm's president.
– Ask yourself if you would really want to work for such an unprofessional company.
Job-interview.net10 Job Interview “Strike-outs”
• Doesn’t ask questions • Condemnation of past employer or peers • Inability to take criticism • Poor personal appearance • Indecisive, cynical, lazy • Overbearing, over aggressive, “know it all” • Late to interview • Failure to look at interviewer while
interviewing • Unable to express self clearly • Overemphasis on money
Ask the Interviewer
• What are the three top priorities for this position?• What’s the makeup of the team as far as experience? Am I going to
be a mentor or will I be mentored? • What does this company value the most and how do you think my
work for you will further these values? • What kinds of processes are in place to help me work collaboratively? • What can I bring Company XYZ to round out the team? • What’s the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90
days of my employment? • Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to perform
this job? • When top performers leave the company why do they leave and where
do they usually go? • Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top
candidate?
Don’t ask the Interviewer
• Is it possible for me to get a small loan? • What is it that your company does? • Can I see the break room? • What are your psychiatric benefits? • How many warnings do you get before you are fired? • Can you guarantee me that I will still have a job here a
year from now? • Would anyone notice if I came in late and left early? • What does this company consider a good absenteeism
record? • The job description mentions weekend work. Are you
serious? • What is the zodiac sign of the company president? • How do you define sexual harassment? • Will my office be near an ice machine?
Post-Interview Follow Up
• At the close of the interview always ask what the next step in the process is
• Send a thank you note
• Reflect on your interview performance and note areas of improvement
Florida’s Silver Edition online employment resource for 50+
demographic• Visit the website: • Silver.EmployFlorida.com• 1-866-FLA-2345
References
• Dale Kurow, MS – Executive Coach – Strategies and Tools for Rapid Advancement
• AARP• Job-interview.net• O*net
