Powerful Phrases for Successful Interviews

by Tony Beshara

  And before that, I was at ____________ (company). There, I functioned in the capacity of______________________________ _____________________________________.

  Again, give a thorough description of exactly what you did, how you did it, whom you did it for, and how successful you were.

  I was the assistant to the top buyer. I accompanied her on all trips to locate new merchandise. We discussed the pros and cons of all new items before making a final purchasing decision. The store enjoyed 10 percent growth in each of my first two years there, and 20 percent growth in my last year.

  You then emphasize how much you love the job and the company and the reason you have to leave or why you left in very positive terms. Tell a story, if appropriate.

  I loved my work there, and I learned so much working with my boss. I would have stayed, but the company was bought out by a competitor, and they had their own team of buyers.

  Continue on with your job history, building the story of your experience:

  And before that, I was at ____________ (company). There I functioned in the capacity of ______________________________ __________________________________________.

  That was more an entry-level position, learning the ropes from some of the best people in the field. When a better opportunity with more chance for advancement came along, I felt I had to take a chance and move on. But I’ll always fondly remember those early days at__________________ (company).

  Continue in this manner for at least three jobs, if you have that many. If you’ve had a series of short stints at jobs—like more than one in the last year or less—you may want to go back further than three jobs.

  Note that the only difference between this and the first technique is that you ask up front what the employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. With this approach, you might be able to be more specific about the things that the employer wants in a candidate in the descriptions of the jobs that you had.

  The drawback to this technique is that the hiring authority may drive the conversation. You may not get the chance to make your presentation because the hiring authority is directing the interview. Use your own judgment.

  CLOSING THE INITIAL INTERVIEW WITH POWERFUL PHRASES

  Once you and the hiring or interviewing authority have reached the end of the interview, you’re probably going to get some idea of what the next steps might be. Don’t be afraid to be assertive about pushing yourself into the next steps of the interviewing process:

  Based on what you said you wanted, I’m an excellent match.

  Remember, the two most important and powerful questions you can ask are:

  How do I stack up with the other candidates you have interviewed?

  What do I need to do to get the job?

  Most often, even though you have pushed for the next interview, a hiring or interviewing authority is going to say something like, “Well, we have a number of people to interview, we’re going to complete that process and then we’re going to set up second interviews.”

  This is a perfect time for you to use the following phrase:

  Based on what our conversation has been here, I would think that I would be in that group, would I not? So let’s set up that second interview now.

  Then you pull out your note pad or calendar and ask:

  When would be good for me to come back?

  You will probably still get from the interviewing or hiring authority the standard, “We’ll get in touch with you.” Again, this is an excellent time for you to find out how you really stand, relative to the other candidates with this powerful phrase:

  Well, Mr. or Ms.______________, you must have some idea how I stack up with your ideal candidate or the others whom you have interviewed. Please tell me what you think.

  These kinds of questions (and statements) will usually get you a good idea of how you stand. It is relatively aggressive, and it does not necessarily come naturally or easily. But if you practice asking these kinds of hardball questions, they will wind up becoming very easy for you.

  You may use a different phrase to get the same answer:

  Based on the candidates that you have interviewed, do you think I’m going to be one of the finalists?

  This is a phenomenal question to ask. It takes lots of courage, and most candidates, unfortunately, don’t have that kind of courage

  Another powerful phrase you can use at this time is:

  I consider my strengths concerning this position to be . . . (my experience . . . my knowledge of your business). What do you consider my strengths to be?

  AFTER THE INTERVIEW

  The first thing you should do after the interview, when you get into your car, is take out the notes you took during the interview and write down a summary of the interview. Write down the high points of the interview and the major issues or topics that you spoke with the interviewer about. Summarize for yourself where you think your strengths are and where you think your weaknesses are—relative to the interview. Write down your interpretation of the things that seemed the most important to the hiring authority and make sure that you understand them clearly.

  Often, in the initial interviewing situation, we think we completely understand what a hiring authority is looking for, and we actually do not! The major reason you want to collect your thoughts immediately after the interview is so that you remember the important points; you cannot rely on your memory. It may be a two- to four-week period of time before the second round of interviews. You need to be able to refresh your memory with detailed notes.

  The Immediate E-Mail

  You have gotten the business card of the interviewing or hiring authority at the time of the interview. Immediately after the interview, or as soon as possible, you want to e-mail the interviewing or hiring authority. You don’t just want to thank the person for his or her time. More important, you want to reinforce all the reasons that you should be hired.

  Every interviewing book in the world is going to tell you to send a thank-you to the interviewer. You would probably be shocked at the number of candidates who don’t do this. One out of every seven or eight, even when they’re coached by a professional, either don’t do it or do it so long after the interview that it is ineffective. Of course, thanking someone for the interview is obviously important. But what is most important is that you reinforce the high points of what the interviewing or hiring authority said he or she wanted and restate where or how you address those issues better than anyone else.

  The phrases you use in this e-mail need to be short and to the point. Do not ramble about how much you appreciated the interview, how much you like the person, or how you appreciate the conversation. This e-mail is going to be read, like the résumé, in ten seconds. So this is what it should look like (remember to make it look like an actual letter):

  Dear Mr. or Ms. ___________________,

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today, regarding the position with ___________. Your needs and my qualifications are compatible. You stated that you wanted someone who has:

  • (Experience or attributes that the employer said were wanted.)

  • (Another experience or attribute the employer said were wanted.)

  • (Another experience or attribute the employer said were wanted.)

  I have given a lot of thought to what we spoke about. I would like to reinforce the confidence you can have in me to deliver what you need.

  • When I was at __________________ (company) last year, I (accomplished the first thing that you wrote about for experience).

  • Before that, when I was at __________________ (company), I (accomplished or proved the second thing you wrote about).

  • And, when I was at _________________________ (company), I (accomplished or proved the third thing you wrote about).

  I’m an excellent fit for you and your company. I would like to go to work for you and your firm. This is a win/win situation for both of us.

  Sincerely,

  (Your name and phone number)
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  When you reinforce what the interviewing or hiring authorities say they want, you need to do it in quantifiable terms. State things that can be measured objectively, such as percentages of quota, longevity on the job, grades in school, stability, being promoted consistently—anything that can be measured in a quantitative manner. Make sure that you address specific issues that the interviewing or hiring authority stated were of value to them.

  Follow-Up Phone Call

  A follow-up phone call the day after your initial interview can be very effective and it is a perfect opportunity to use powerful phrases. If you get the interviewing hiring authority on the phone—and that’s only going to happen maybe 10 percent of the time—you want to use a phrase like:

  Mr. or Ms.___________, Thank you for your time yesterday. I really enjoyed the opportunity to interview with you. I want to reinforce my interest in you and your company. I think I would be a great employee for you because ______________________________________ (some really important point that you learned from the interview that would set you apart from the rest of the candidates). I’d like the opportunity to visit with you again. When might we get together?

  Most people don’t think about this kind of phone call, but it is tremendously effective. You probably will not get the hiring or interviewing authority on the phone, so you’ll have to leave a voice mail. The phrase to use for the voice mail might be:

  Mr. or Ms._______________, thank you for the interview and the time you gave to me yesterday. I’m very excited about the opportunity to go to work for you and your company. Please remember that I am a very hard worker and my track record in ____________would really help you and your company. I’d like to come back and speak with you again. Please call me at 214-823-9999.

  If you do not hear back from the interviewing or hiring authority, it’s a good idea to leave this kind of voice mail at least five or six times, maybe with a bit different message each time, over a period of two or three weeks. But don’t hesitate to leave these kinds of messages. The interviewing process never goes as fast as most people think, and you want to keep the attention of the interviewing or hiring authority.

  Most hiring authorities don’t intentionally think, “I’m not gonna call those suckers back. They’re schmucks, and I’m not going to hire them anyhow.” The truth is that their intentions to do what they are supposed to do are sincere, but the activity just doesn’t get done. The process of hiring often slips further behind in favor of other more pressing, less risky, issues. So, a timely call, and many of them after that—if you have to—may put you on top of the list of potential candidates.

  Now, after ten to fifteen days of calling an interviewing or hiring authority, with no response at all, you might wind up with the conclusion that you should pursue other people and other opportunities. Never, never, never take this result personally and do something stupid, like calling the hiring authority and leaving a mean, sarcastic voice mail about what they can do with the job and that you didn’t want it anyhow. There is often a tendency to take perceived rejection personally.

  The odds are that if you have not heard from a prospective employer in a couple of weeks, you were probably not on the list of candidates to be considered. But you never really know. Always leave the door open, so that if a prospective employer wants to still consider you, even after weeks or months have gone by, you could resurrect the opportunity.

  You never know what might happen. I can’t tell you the number of people that I’ve placed over the years that have come in second or third in the hiring process and wound up getting the job. The company hires somebody and after a short period of time it doesn’t work out. Then they call the number two candidate.

  Some years ago, I had a candidate who came in second place. The company was so impressed with his credentials that they considered him for another opportunity and hired him . . . seven years later. Always be gracious, even if you were told “no.” You never know what might happen down the line.

  CHAPTER 4

  Powerful Phrases to Demonstrate Your Ability to Do the Job

  One of the biggest concerns in the mind of a hiring authority is the fear of making a mistake. Mistakes cost the company time and money and can affect the credibility of the person doing the hiring.

  No matter how sophisticated the interviewing process might be, hiring someone is still something of a crapshoot. You need to realize that since the hiring authority is trying to minimize risk, there are certain basic questions that they will want answered to their satisfaction. Your job in the interviewing process is to assure the hiring authority that he or she is not making a mistake—there will be no risk in hiring you.

  There are four basic questions that are the cornerstones of every question you will get in an interview. It could be the first interview with a screener or the ninth interview with the CEO. You will not be asked any of these four questions outright during the interview, but they are there just below the surface. Employers want satisfactory answers to all four of the following questions before they will hire you:

  1. Can you do the job?

  2. Do we like you?

  3. Are you a risk?

  4. Can we work the money out?

  You need to have powerful phrases that are also short responses for every question the hiring or interviewing authority will ask you. You can elaborate beyond the phrase—especially with stories—but having an initial response with impact sets the stage for a more detailed answer, if necessary.

  CAN YOU DO THE JOB?

  Of the four basic questions, the one an employer wants answered before anything else is “Can you do the job?” You need to be able to demonstrate your skills, ability, and experience. You might be surprised by this, but I have found that the ability to do the job is only about 20 percent of the hiring decision. However, it is the first 20 percent, the threshold that you have to cross before you can even be considered—and that’s significant; but it still only accounts for about 20 percent.

  Now, having said this, you still have to establish your ability to do the job. And this is the very first group of questions you will get. If you don’t answer them well, you may not get to the other questions. These are going to be factual “What did you do?” questions. The interviewing authority is trying to discover your skill level or potential. There are going to be only four or five factual aspects of your work history that will either get you to the second interviewing stage or eliminate you. Remember, just four or five facts will either support or conflict with what you say you can do.

  Following are the most frequently asked questions on your ability to do the job and the most effective phrases to use as answers.

  QUESTIONS ON YOUR JOB EXPERIENCE

  Needless to say, interviewers will be especially interested in your job history, what you’ve done, what you’ve learned, where you’ve succeeded, and where you’ve fallen short.

  Q. Tell me about yourself and your last few jobs.

  In all of my recent positions, I’ve been successful in contributing to my company’s profitability.

  Q. Describe in detail what you do in your current job (or in your last position).

  I really love the job that I’m in now (or the last job I had) because I really get to contribute by____________________ (then explain in fair detail what you do or what you did).

  When you are done, ask the interviewer this question:

  Did I make it clear what I do (did)?

  Q. What percentage of your week or month was devoted to the different functions of your job?

  Twenty percent administrative, 30 percent management, and 50 percent collaborative effort with my team.

  Q. What was the most difficult part of your last two jobs?

  Even though __________________ was the most difficult part of the job, I met the challenge every time.

  Adding a short story as to how you overcame a difficult challenge in each one of your last jobs really works well.

  Q. Describe the best job that yo
u’ve ever had . . . and why it was so much better than others.

  There have been some wonderful aspects to just about every job I’ve had. I have really loved all of them, and they are all best for different reasons.

  This is a powerful way to lead into your answer.

  Q. What is your greatest accomplishment in your present or last job?

  Because I was given a chance to perform 110 percent over what was expected, I grew professionally and personally.

  You are going to get asked this question by just about everyone you interview with, so prepare. Hiring authorities love when you can quantify your success.

  Q. What specifically have you learned from the jobs that you held most recently?

  In my present position, my persistence (determination, earning respect, loyalty, and so on) was reinforced when the group I led tried five or six approaches to a problem before we solved it. Most people would have stopped at two or three.

  Tell another short, effective story.

  Q. In what way has your present job prepared you to take on greater responsibilities? (You’d better have an answer to this question before it ever gets asked.)

  I love my job and the people I work with. Unfortunately, I’ve reached a point now where I can do my boss’s job. Even he has said that. But he isn’t going anywhere and doesn’t plan to retire for another ten years. To move up in the company, I’d have to relocate.

  I’m not bored, but I’m not challenged either. That is why I am interviewing with you all. It appears I can really be challenged here.