Voorhees Associates

I have not written in a few months but have had the opportunity to observe dozens of additional interviews.  I am sad to say that many ,many  qualified candidates are not landing positions solely due to their poor interviewing skills. 

Here are some comments I’ve heard from the hiring authority after the candidate leaves the room:

• “The candidate did not mention some of their most relevant experience in answering the question”.    We all get nervous at an interview and think later about what we could have added or should have said.  One tip is to jot down three or four significant accomplishments you believe the interviewers should know about you.  It is absolutely fine to refer to your notes.  If you are not asked questions that elicited those answers, ask if you can make a quick statement at the end of the interview – then do so  — be succinct and indicate you have some additional accomplishments you want to be sure they are aware of.
  • “The candidate did not make eye contact.”  I hear this all the time.  Be sure when you enter and leave the interview that you shake each person’s hand, look them in the eye and smile.  Then, be sure you are making eye contact around the table as you answer the question.  Speaking of answering the question…

• “The candidate did not answer several of the questions.”   You may have talked a lot but you may not have answered the questions.  Be sure you listen carefully, answer the question, provide an example relevant to your experience, if appropriate, and end your answer.

• “The candidate fiddled with their water bottle, their cell phone, etc – it was distracting!”  Fold your hands in front of you and keep your forearms on the table – this will ensure that you are leaning into the interview and appear as engaged as you are (no leaning back in your chair!) And never, ever, ever answer or look at your cell phone.  Turn it completely off so it does not buzz or vibrate! 

• “I am not sure the candidate even visited our website – they did not seem that interested in the job!”   Displaying excitement for the position is still the number one reason candidates do not get the job they are seeking.  Be sure that you do your research (it is easier than ever before) and incorporate your research into your answers.  If you visited the community as a part of your research, be sure and tell your interviewer.

See the home page of our website for the Top Ten Tips on Writing a Resume and on Interviewing!

I’ve observed hundreds of interviews and candidates who have trouble succinctly answering the interviewers’ questions nearly always fail to advance in the process, regardless of their credentials. Here are some signs that you are having trouble focusing your answers:

If you feel compelled to ask the interviewer if you answered the question, chances are you did not. Often candidates will give a longwinded answer and then, at the end ask, “Did I answer your question?” If you feel that you really must ask this, try rephrasing it this way: “Can I provide you with more specific information with respect to any of the areas I touched upon?”

If the interviewer gently (or not so gently) reminds you that they have a lot of questions and a short period of time, you are likely rambling or taking too long to answer a question. If this happens, it is not fatal as long as you take corrective action. Apologize and then shorten and focus your responses. Interviews are very stressful, but the good news is that most interview panels recognize this and appreciate it when you take the corrective action. I suggest taking the time to practice answers to questions you know you are likely to encounter such as:

•  Tell us why you are interested in this position.
•  Tell us about your management style.
•  Tell us what you know about our organization.
•  Tell us about your most challenging management problem and how you solved it.

You do not want to sound rehearsed, but you should give some thought in advance to how you would answer very predictable questions. Bring along a pad of paper, preferably in a notebook and jot down some key accomplishments you want to be sure you convey to the interview panel. The notebook will also come in handy if you are asked a three part question. Interview panels are often impressed with the candidate who jotted down parts of the question so they could keep track as they answered it. If you find that you did not have a chance to bring up a key accomplishment in the interview, then ask at the end of the interview if you can make a brief closing comment. You can work in your accomplishment at that point. Or you can include it in a “take away…” More on “take aways” next week! Remember when interviewing to always make eye contact and exhibit energy and excitement for the position!

written by Heidi Voorhees, President, Voorhees Associates, LLC

Voorhees Associates LLC is a team of dedicated public servants who offer a personal approach to Executive Recruitment and Management Consulting for local governments.  With our combined total of more than 200 years of experience in the public sector, there is almost nothing that will surprise or overwhelm us!

It has been my privilege to work in the public sector for the last 27 years, serving elected and appointed officials across the country. For 19 of those years I was fortunate to work as a local government public servant in the City of Kansas City, Missouri, the Village of Schaumburg, Illinois and the Village of Wilmette, Illinois. That experience in the world of public service was both rewarding and challenging – and it provided the basis for my subsequent 8 years of executive recruitment, management consulting, training, teaching, and professional development.

My decision to launch Voorhees Associates represents the next phase of my career and is very exciting. We look forward to assisting local governments in achieving their goals and objectives. Stay tuned to this blog for interview tips, resume assistance, and industry news on recruitment and selection as well as information on other timely public sector topics.

Recruitment Tip from Voorhees Associates…

In a review of the last 12 months ICMA newsletters, nearly twenty-seven percent of the candidates appointed to CAO positions were Assistants.  Of the Assistants hired into the CAO/Manager position, one half were from within the organization and one half were from outside the organization.

Interview Tip from Voorhees Associates

Interview Question:  What are your weaknesses?

TIP:  Identify a weakness and then indicate what you are doing to address it.  Everyone has a skill set they are working on.  For example, if you struggle with keeping pace with technology you might indicate a class or on line seminar you attended and how it helped you.

For the last several years public sector leaders have been concerned about the retirement of the baby boomers and whether or not there is enough talent to replace these retirees.  These articles seem to indicate that the recession has bought the public sector some time and breathing room.  Many potential retirees are postponing their retirement plans…

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/planning-to-retire/2009/03/12/baby-boomers-are-changing-their-retirement-plans.html