St.Louis Business Journal
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOB INTERVIEWS

By Anna Navarro

May 2004  

Author's note: Client stories in this column are based on actual situations fictionalized to protect privacy and told with permission.

If you are engaged in a job or career change, it's likely that you'll find yourself doing many different types of interviews before you arrive at your goal. The key to doing a good interview is to have thought through three issues in advance:

1. Your overall objective.

2. How to position yourself to maximize the willingness of others to meet with you.

3. What you say and do during the interview to accomplish your goals.

Here is how these issues play out in three of the most common kinds of job interviews.

RESEARCH INTERVIEWS

If you are trying to figure out what career you want to be in, you will probably need to talk to individuals in the field so you can decide if that type of work is a good fit. Be aware that before you can do a good research interview you need to know the characteristics you are looking for in a career.

When you call someone for a research interview, explain to them immediately that you aren't job hunting, but that you are doing research to determine whether the field they are in would be a good fit for you. Then ask if they would be willing to meet with you to give you information and advice about what the work is like.

In the meeting, focus first on them -- what they do, what they like and dislike about their work, how they got into the field. Then go down the list of the things that are important to you in a career, and ask how they apply to the field. These conversations will be a great help to you in deciding the career you want to pursue.

NETWORKING DURING THE WORK SEARCH

Once you know what kind of job you want, you still need to talk to people in the field to get their help finding a job. However, the fact remains that most people are uncomfortable being put on the spot for a job.

So how do you handle it? By respecting their needs.

When you call, explain that you are making a career shift and that you would like the benefit of their insight and advice about how to go about it. IMMEDIATELY assure them, (and mean it!) that you are not going to ask them for a job, but that you would value their suggestions about how to make the change.

When you meet with them, focus on learning about them and their organization, and then ask questions about individuals and organizations they admire. For those admired, find out as much as you can; what they are doing, what kind of people they hire, what their organizational culture is like, etc.

Also ask about any organizations you should stay away from, any professional organizations whose meetings you should attend, and names of recruiters who specialize in the field. Finally, ask for their honest feedback on your resume and what they see as your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate.

Done correctly, these interviews will provide you with a wealth of information about who is who in the field as well as great insight about how to present yourself as a candidate.

BROKER INTERVIEWS

A broker interview is one of the best ways to find people with whom to do research or networking interviews. It involves calling family, friends and acquaintances and asking if they know anyone who works in a field that interests you.

When you call, start by connecting genuinely with the person you are calling, then explain you are making a job change and describe carefully the field that you are exploring.

Before asking whether they know anyone in the field you could talk to, make it clear you are NOT going to ask them for a job, but rather for information and advice. Few people want to set their friends up to be put on the spot for a job!

The three interviews I've just described are likely to be part of most people's career change process. But there are many other kinds of interviews as well. For example, interviews when you are a candidate for a specific job, and interviews with former employees to determine if you want to work for an organization. Each of these interviews is different, and each deserves careful thought about how to position yourself and what to say to maximize your chances of success.

Anna Navarro is the founder of Work Transitions, a nationwide career consulting firm that trains independent career strategists and consults with individual clients.

This column was originally published by the St. Louis Business Journal. The actual title of the column and date in which it appeared in the Business Journal may be slightly different from what appears on WorkTransitions.com.