Before the interview takes place, it is important that you and your Search Consultant are working together as a team to ensure the desired results of your search efforts.
Three axioms hold true, especially in the interview process:
- You only get one chance to make a great first impression and you want to ace it.
- A company now interviews more candidates and is much more discriminating in who they hire. You have to differentiate yourself from other candidates through a succinct and polished response to questions about successes, accomplishments and the value proposition it would mean to potential employers.
- Failure to Prepare and Failure to Follow-Up Will Result in Failure to continue in the Hiring Process!
You want to be best positioned to be the one who can say “NO” rather than the candidate who asks, “Why not me?”
At The McHenry Group (TMG), we realize the importance of developing a clear profile of what our clients are looking for in an MVP (Most Valuable Player) candidate.
When you have reached the interview stage of the search process, your search consultant will need your commitment in two regards:
First, in order to be totally prepared, we ask you to commit sufficient time several days before any interview to thoroughly prepare you for the meeting. This would include a 30-minute telephone conversation with your Search Consultant. This 30-minute meeting, along with the “Significant Accomplishments” form you submitted, helps you be prepared with everything from questions, performance, company research, attire, directions, and an overview of the interviewing manager’s background.
Finally, your Search Consultant will want you to phone him/her AS SOON as the interview is completed! At TMG, we know that honest and timely feedback is key to the interview process, and your Search Consultant will be waiting for your honest and candid impression of the interview and the opportunity. We want you to tell us if you hated it, just as much as, if you are giggling with excitement over the opportunity!
In addition to honest feedback, your Search Consultant will expect timely feedback from you. Why? Typically, our clients will call us within TWO HOURS of the interview to gauge the candidate’s reaction, as well as express their feedback. As an MVP candidate, prompt feedback and timely communication is expected. If your Search Consultant has to “duck” the client’s call because he has not yet heard from you, it will send a signal of disinterest or poor follow-up skills. Among the many skills our clients look for, “follow-up” skills are paramount.