Preparing candidates for an interview is a service we perform for all of our candidates. By reviewing these points with our candidates prior to the interview, they will be much better prepared than others competing for the same position.

1. Be professional, confident and look your best.
   The first impression is a lasting impression.
   
   

2. Bring a pen and notebook, and several copies of your updated resume.
   
   

3. Research the company, its group, and subsidiaries. Make full use of the web, financial rating companies, and current events.
   
   

4. Always be positive regarding your current employer and prior companies and the people to whom you reported. These are positive building blocks that helped to prepare you for the current opportunity.
   
   

5. Get the interviewer to describe the position and responsibilities early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and background to the position throughout the interview.
   
   

6. Prepare a list of probing questions pertaining to the job responsibilities of the position, division and company goals, company culture, etc.
   
   

7. Energy, Drive, Initiative. The key to personal success is to do more than you have to. Give the interviewer several examples of your initiative and personal successes and extra efforts.
   
   

8. Management and Organization. Let the interviewer know that you have the ability to persuade and motivate others. Team leadership is a component of both management and personality. Share management ability and style, and organizational skills.
   
   

9. Character: Values, Commitment and Goals - Summarize your integrity, honesty, responsibility, openness and fairness in dealing with others.
   
   

10. Watch your body language. Maintain good posture, leaning slightly forward indicates interest. Maintain eye contact.
    
    

11. Prepare a list of your strengths and why you are perfect for the position.
    One of the toughest interview questions that you can be asked is "Tell me about yourself". Rather than guess where the interviewer wants you to begin, use this very simple response: "I'd be happy to. Where would you like me to begin?"
    
    

12. Do you bring value beyond the technical job description? Demonstrate your ownership of the company's strategic goals. Provide everyday examples of your commitment to delivering peak performance and team building. Communicate your success in solving problems, seeking out new products and services that will benefit clients. Demonstrate your abilities to help foster collaborative decision-making.
    
    

13. Make sure you answer the following two questions: "Why are you interested in the company?" and "What can you offer?".
    
    

14. If you are interested in the position - tell the client! At the conclusion of the interview, state that you are very interested in pursuing this position, and then ask, "Where do we go from here?" or "What is the next step?"
    
    

15. Do not discuss salary on the first interview. Complete the application and answer all of the questions, including current base salary, and bonus pool, if applicable. If the application or interviewer asks you for salary expectations, leave the application blank. Responding to a direct question, tell the interviewer that you are relatively open and negotiable. Explain that money is not driving your decision to interview for a new job. The reason for interviewing is to explore the company's culture, career path, training, opportunities to advance, exposure to decision makers, travel time up the ladder to become a senior manager / decision maker, quality of managers / mentors, cutting edge technology, etc. (pick a few or mix in your own questions). If you are pressed for an answer, respond in the form of a range (i.e., $60K to $65K) or a percentage (i.e., 10% to 15%). Alternatively, you could respond by asking the interviewer: "What is the position's salary grade or midpoint?"; "What have you paid the other employees who have performed this role?".
    
    

16. Call your recruiter as soon as possible right after the interview to advise of how things went. We will then call our client for their feedback and advise you of their impression.
    
    

17. Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can send a thank you letter pointing out your strong points that were brought out in the interview, and to let the interviewer know that you are indeed very interested in pursuing the opportunity.