Interview tips big please?

[Papa Lazarou]

Interview for a job I really want on Tuesday.

I think I have the usual panel questions sorted-what have you done to improve things?, Financial recovery plans? Leadership etc.

But the presentation has as its subject: what would you do in the first 6 months?

I'm not clueless, but any killer tips would be useful.

James

[Open Sore]

What would I do in my first 6 months??   Hmm  Well that depends......."Did I get the job,  OR NOT!!??"

[vulcanbill]

http://www.quintcareers.com/sample_behavioral.html

[Open Sore]

or you could say.  " Well in my experience your first 3-6 months at a particular job, you're just trying to learn how the company works.  after that you're just trying to figure out how you, could help the team operate better.  I think you should be on job at least 9mos to a year before you start telling  other members of your team "how they could improve themselves."

[jadziadax8]

But the presentation has as its subject: what would you do in the first 6 months?

That's a dangerous question sometimes.  I friend of mine was asked in an interview about how he would improve warehouse organization at a company.  He gave a very full answer, but the wrong one.  Why wrong?  Because the right answer was "I wouldn't change a thing," since the guy who was interviewing him was the one who designed the current system.  

[Open Sore]

or...." 6 months from now I'll be serving my time on that assault charge. Hey it wasn't my fault.  THE EAGLES HAD NO RIGHT TO LOSE TO THE FUCKIN RAIDERS THIS SUNDAY OKAY!!!!!".

[Open Sore]

"Who's the hottest chick here?  I'd like to be doing her in the first 6 mos. I'm here."

[Mr. Whippy]

You might try:

"In the first 6 months, I would actively try to get families to purchase the supersized happy meals.  Possible promotions would include an extra bag of fries, upgraded happy meal toys and bonus apple pies to parents of children ordering the supersized meals."

[Open Sore]

" HOLY SHIT!!  HOLY SHIT!! I GOT THE JOB!! I GOT THE JOB!!  HOLY SHIT!! HOLY SHIT!!!  THANK YOU   THANK YOU THANKYOU SOOO MUCH!!!!  "

[chornbe]

It's awesome how helpful some of you can be!  


"I can't make any suggestions until I learn how things work here, where the various policies and procedures are working well and where there is room for improvement. The best I can offer you at this time is that I do my job well, I take the time to learn what I can about all facets of my job and I dedicate the time and energy into solving the problems we identify and prioritize. Anything I might say until that is likely to be based on assumption and lack of practical knowledge; I don't work that way."

Variations of that have successfully landed me nearly every job for which I've ever interviewed.  

[Mr. Whippy]

Call them "Dave" all the time.

It's seems to be a real winner here on STn.

[Papa Lazarou]

It's awesome how helpful some of you can be!  


"I can't make any suggestions until I learn how things work here, where the various policies and procedures are working well and where there is room for improvement. The best I can offer you at this time is that I do my job well, I take the time to learn what I can about all facets of my job and I dedicate the time and energy into solving the problems we identify and prioritize. Anything I might say until that is likely to be based on assumption and lack of practical knowledge; I don't work that way."

Variations of that have successfully landed me nearly every job for which I've ever interviewed.  

Nice

And thanks to Vulcanbill on the behavioural stuff.

For the rest of you

Dave.

[Mr. Whippy]

Nice

And thanks to Vulcanbill on the behavioural stuff.

For the rest of you

Dave.

Glad to see you're following my advice.

[vulcanbill]

Nice

And thanks to Vulcanbill on the behavioural stuff.

For the rest of you

Dave.

Yup.  I actually dig the behavioral stuff but I recognize that not everyone is a wordsmith and a BS artist.    Some people might want to practice that stuff.  I actually told one guy on a phone interview when he asked me what I did to prepare for this interview that I had researched a bunch of these behavioral interviewing questions that he was asking me so I'd be ready for them.  Total ice breaker and the interview turned really comfortable after that.  But I didn't get the job so take that into context.  

[Yankee Dog]

if possible get them to describe the job in some detail before you start the interview.  The problem with behavior based interviews is if you happen to chose an example that does not fit what they are looking for you lose.  You may have the skills and even plenty of other examples that WOULD fit the bill, but because of a lack of knowledge concerning the detail of the job it is way to easy to give an incorrect example.  Its not like a normal give and take interview.  With behavior based you only get one shot.  

yankee dog

[Papa Lazarou]

Thanks all.

The interview is for a senior mental health manager post. I have the skills and strategic vision but, oh I am so shite at interviews.

The behavioural stuff is useful. I will also need to give examples of recovery plans (saving money following overspends), which I can, examples of stuff that have positively affected services etc.