Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Effective Interviewing and Salary Negotiation Techniques

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Putting Your Best Foot Forward Effective
Interviewing and Salary Negotiation Techniques
Patricia A. Paolucci Associate Director, Career
Services Graduate and Continuing/Career
Education Assumption College

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Putting Your Best Foot Forward

• Preparation is key!
• This workshop will discuss
• what to research
• questions to prepare for and to ask
• presenting yourself professionally
• successful negotiation strategies

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Interviewing Is

• A two-way dialogue to
• convey your marketable skills, key strengths, and
  motivation to convince employer that you are the
  best choice for the position
• determine if position and company meet your
  professional interests/ goals and are the best
  choice for you

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What Do Interviewers Look For? (source NACE)

• Applicable job-related skills
• Communication skills (written and verbal)
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Team skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills
• Motivation and enthusiasm
• Honesty, integrity, and work ethic
• Adaptability
• Fit

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Do Your Homework

• Research the employer/job/field
• Company web site, annual reports, other
  literature
• Online or print articles
• Competitor web sites
• Professional association web sites
• Library reference area
• Career web sites such as vault.com,
  bpl.org/research/kbb, wetfeet.com, ONet Online,
  etc.

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Do Your Homework

• Use networking contacts to learn more about the
  organization, position, or connect you to a
  company colleague
• Research the interviewer(s)
• Use this information to develop the
• questions youll ask

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What They Want to Know Is

• Why are you here?
• Why this company and not another?
• Why this position?
• What can you do for us?
• What are your skills?
• How will you be part of the solution?
• What kind of person are you?
• Are you easy to work with?
• Do you share our company values?
• Why you? What sets you apart?
• Do you work faster? Show up earlier? Stay
• later? Have a better education? Go the extra
  mile?
• Can we afford you?
• How much will it cost to get you?

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Tough but Common Questions

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your weaknesses?
• Have you ever faced a difficult work situation?
  How did you handle it?
• Have you ever disagreed with your manager about a
  work situation, and how did you resolve it?
• What did you like least about your last job?

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Now Its Your Turn to Ask the Questions

• Gives you more information about the job and the
  company
• Demonstrates your interest
• Conveys your capabilities and knowledge
• Helps to build rapport
• Gives you some control

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Key QuestionsYou Need to Ask

• What are the key qualifications you are seeking?
• How will success be determined (or measured)?
• How would you characterize your management style?
• How does this position interact with your
  function? (to be asked in group or serial
  interviews)
• What are the initial challenges to be handled by
  the successful candidate within the first six
  months?

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Before the Interview--Practice!

• Break down the job description, and prepare
  accomplishment-oriented stories that demonstrate
  a match
• Practice with a friend, roommate, family member,
  or aloud by yourself
• Prepare an answer to the Tell me about yourself
  question
• Use your personal commercial, with attention
• given to experience, education, skills, and
• accomplishments related to the job
• Do not memorize answers try for spontaneity

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Before the Interview Ends...

• Let the interviewer(s) know you want the job!
• Summarize your applicable skills
• Ask
• Is there any additional information I can
• provide at this time?
• Do I have the qualifications youre looking
• for?
• What is the next step? When may I expect
• to hear from you?
• May I contact you about the status if I
• havent heard from you by X date?

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Getting Interview-Ready

• Confirm time, address, and room location
• Ask who youll be interviewing with and title (if
  team, ask for all)
• Map out the route and take a trial run

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Professional Presentation Dress for Success

• Wear clean, pressed, conservative clothing
• Wear low-key colors (navy, black, grey)
• Leather portfolios and briefcases are good
  accessories
• Avoid smoking in your interview clothing
• Wear conservative jewelry, make-up, and nail
  polish remove piercings hide tattoos
• Polish your shoes
• Avoid using cologne, perfume, or strong
  aftershave

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Professional Presentation Body Language and
Demeanor

• Use a firm, confident handshake
• Smile good posture look and remain confident,
  relaxed but attentive
• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly
• Keep hands in a relaxed position on your lap or
  arms of chair, or carry a notepad to take notes
• No gum chewing or smoking
• Bring water refuse beverage if asked

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Professional Presentation Body Language and
Demeanor

• Most importantly, listen carefully and
• communicate in a confident,
• enthusiastic, and positive manner!

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Interview Etiquette

• Arrive promptly (10 minutes in advance in order
  to compose yourself)--allow extra time for
  parking, traffic, written application, etc.
• Answer questions fully but succinctly stay alert
  to interviewer attentiveness and demeanor if you
  think youre off track, ask
• Never speak negatively about a previous employer
  or coworkers
• Be courteous to everyone you encounter
• Always thank the interviewer(s)
• Ask for a business card

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After the Interview

• Send a thank-you letter within two days to ALL
  interviewers letters to each must be different
• Highlight your skills and the notable aspects of
  discussion in your letter
• Call the primary interviewer about the hiring
  decision to follow up if you havent heard back
  within timeframe

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Everythings Negotiable

Negotiable Range10 to 30 of offer
Employer Range ?
Your Range ?
60 of employers surveyed said they would
negotiate the offer. What strategies can you
employ to strike the salary deal?
Source CareerBuilder.com
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Preliminary Considerations

• Do you know what youre worth in the marketplace?
  Research salaries.
• Do you have strong references? 30 of employers
  say strong references are key to making
  counter-offers.
• Do you have other offers? 13 of employers are
  inclined to negotiate if you can show them a
  competitors offer.
• Is it a jobhunters or employers market? Know
  how the economy is faring and what the demand is
  for your skills.
• 
  
  Source CareerBuilder.com

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Conduct Salary Research

• Salary calculators provide general pay ranges
  for specific titles by location (salary.com
  CBsalary.com)
• Salary surveys periodic surveys of industries
  (vault.com jobstar.org idealist.org National
  Council of Nonprofit Associations ONet Online)
• Salary comparison calculators cost-of-living
  comparisons (CNNMoney.com salary.com)
• Networking contacts (optimal)
• Professional organization web sites and journals
• HR web sites and job ads

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Conduct a Self-assessment

• What has my research shown?
• What would I realistically like to be earning?
• How much do I need to live comfortably?
• What is the amount I can settle for?

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Salary Discussions

• Defer salary discussion until final stages
• -Never be the first to bring up salary
• -If you are asked about salary in a screening
• or initial interview, some possible
  responses
• 1) I would like to gain more information
• about the position before I can answer
  that.
• 2) Can you tell me what the range is for
• the position?
• 3)Im sure that when I receive an offer
  it
• will be fair and within the market
  range.
• 4) Im extremely interested in the
  position and
• salary is negotiable.
• 5) I would like to have the opportunity
  to
• hear about the entire compensation
  package
• before I can answer that.

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Salary Discussions

• If pressed, state a range of about 15k--the
  bottom should be your minimum amount.
• Be sure that you strengthen your position
  initially by looking and acting the part, and
  highlighting accomplishments and results.

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Getting the Offer

• When salary figure is presented,
• pause. Do not respond right away,
• even if its the salary you want.

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If the Amount is What You Desire

• Your response
• Thats a generous offer. Im inclined to
• accept the job, but before I give you
• my decision, Id like to know when
• salary reviews take place and what
• salary path can be expected.
• After discussion, if you like what you
• hear, you can accept or ask for a day or
• two to consider.

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If the Amount is Lower

• Thank the interviewer. Then indicate
• that your research has shown that
• position range is up to x. Remind
• interviewer of the strengths you bring,
• that your skills and experience should
• qualify you to come in at the top end of
• the range. Be amicable but firm.
• Two possible outcomes employer will
• counter-offer, or hold to stated amount.

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Continue the Discussion

• If counter-offer is acceptable, follow
• earlier guidelines.
• If latter, possible options
• Ask about salary review process and expected
  salary path. Suggest a 6-month review with
  possible salary boost based on performance.
• Try to increase value of your benefits package
  (e.g., vacation, stock options, memberships,
  commissions, relocation, etc.) Benefits valued at
  25-30 of salary.
• Ask for a day or two to consider.

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Making Your Decision

• Assess how youve been treated throughout the
  process.
• Assess pros and cons of the position (compared to
  current situation or other offers)

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Moneys Isnt Everything

• Also consider
• -responsibilities
• -professional development
• -company culture
• -lifestyle issues
• -room for growth
• -job market
• -overall personal career goals
• Keep offers on the table until youre
• absolutely sure youve made the best
• decision for your situation.

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Final Reminders

• Bring letter, description, and extra resumes
• Emphasize your strengths
• Come across as problem solver
• Tell the interviewer exactly why you are the
• best candidate for the job
• Show that you know something about the
• job/department.
• Establish when hiring decision will be made
• End on a positive note and always thank
• interviewer(s) (even if you dont want the job)
• Negotiation is expected