© K.E. Homa 2000

THE INTERVIEW PROCESSOne Person’s View

Ken Homa

CAUTION :This presentation is incomplete

without extensive oral elaboration

© K.E. Homa 2000

Caveats & Disclaimers

• Mature, uncensored subject matter… viewer discretion advised !

• Not necessarily the views of any organization, formal or ad hoc

• No warranty, expressed or implied

© K.E. Homa 2000

General Principles

• Be true to yourself

…Goals…Interests…Strengths / weaknesses

• Present the “real” you … in the most favorable light

• Recognize that the process isn’t perfect ... mistakes happen.

© K.E. Homa 2000

First Interview

• Goal : Get a second interview !

• Differentiate from the masses

• Neutralize issues… without raising new

ones

Give the interviewer the motivation &ammunition to represent you

© K.E. Homa 2000

The Interviewer

• Believes his company / job is the best

• May not know exact hiring criteria

• Probably suffering from “candidate blur”

• Doesn’t want to “labor” thru the interview

• Is on a clear mission : select in or out

• Often risk adverse : also being tested

© K.E. Homa 2000

Facts

• You’re graduating from business school, looking for a job in business.

• Business & companies are what they are, and aren’t about to change

• The burden is on you to prove thatyou “fit” the desired mold.

© K.E. Homa 2000

Opinion

• Except for specifics re: background,form dominates substance in round 1

• New MBA grads have little direct experience that is really leveragable

• Recruiters are looking for good raw material that fits their mold

© K.E. Homa 2000

“Undesirables”

• Meek geeks

• Slicksters

• Femme nazi’s

• Counter-culturists

• Colorful “characters”

• “Loose cannons”

• Mono-syllabics

© K.E. Homa 2000

1st Interview Criteria

“Presence”

Intellect

Character

Background

Bright, engaging, articulate

Structured, curious, practical

Focused, motivated, low maint.

Skills & interests, successes

© K.E. Homa 2000

Ken’s Favorite Questions

• Why do you want this job at this particular company ?

• How does your background “fit” ?

• What are the success factors in the businesses where you’ve worked ?

• What do you think about this week’s announcement that …. ?

• How should I “sell you” to my boss?

© K.E. Homa 2000

Things to Avoid

• Giving evasive, meandering answers

• Using the time to “make a statement”

• Coming across as a “canned” product

• “Picking lint off the interviewer’s coat”

• Saying anything negative … about anybody or anything

© K.E. Homa 2000

Keys to Success

• Know the message & image you want to present in the interview beforehand

• Convey positive energy and adaptability

• Establish “in context” relevance of credentials

• Take some risk to differentiate yourself … give them a “reason to believe”

• Be true to yourself : Better to find out that you don’t fit early in the process

© K.E. Homa 2000

Follow-up Interviews

• Substance overtakes form

• Tough to cram or remake yourself

• Eventually, realities are revealed !

• “Fit” becomes increasingly important

Become critical after you have an offer

© K.E. Homa 2000

CASE QUESTIONS

© K.E. Homa 2000

Case Questions

• Looking for structured thought process and core issue identification

• Any answer will be interrogated from a devil’s advocate P.O.V.

• Better to take a strong, clear position and be wrong than waver in the middle

• Unlikely to out-think the interviewer ...

© K.E. Homa 2000

Case Questions

• What’s the business ?

• How do you make money ?

• Why do winners win ? Losers lose ?

• What are pressures & changes ?

• What are “degrees of freedom” ?

• How to conform ? Differentiate ?

Generic Attack

© K.E. Homa 2000

Case Questions

• Patterns & discontinuities…“What’s wrong with the picture ?”

• Analogies & best practices…“Follow the leaders”

• 180 degree shift… Do something radical

Thought Provokers

When in doubt, follow the $$$

© K.E. Homa 2000

Case Questions

• Core issues, not “distractors”

• Manager’s perspective

• Conclusive and prescriptive … not equivocal or descriptive

• Decisions & actions, not process

• Logically structured : “Pyramids of 3”

Impact Answers

“Go for the jugular, not the capillaries”

© K.E. Homa 2000

Parting Shots

© K.E. Homa 2000

Parting Shots

• Use your contacts

• Stay focused & open-minded

• Money isn’t everything !

• It’s a long game …