What Color Is Your Parachute? Guide to Rethinking Interviews by Richard N. Bolles

Author:Richard N. Bolles [Bolles, Richard N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60774-660-7
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Published: 2014-06-04T16:00:00+00:00

WHAT IS A BAD EMPLOYEE?

Since the employer is worrying about any weaknesses you might have, figure out prior to the interview what weaknesses would characterize a bad employee there—besides the obvious things such as comes in late, takes too much time off, follows his or her own agenda instead of the employer’s, etc. Then quietly emphasize to the employer during the interview how much you are the very opposite. Say something like: your sole goal “is to increase the organization’s effectiveness, service, and bottom line.”

And by the way, if you haven’t a clue as to what would characterize a bad employee, then ask. During the interview. “What would be your definition of a bad employee, for this organization? What behaviors or attitudes?”

As for the other questions the employer may ask you during the interview, just keep in mind what I said in the first chapter. There are basically only five. To save you from looking back there, I’m going to repeat them here, together with some additional thoughts. These are the questions in an employer’s mind, typically, even if they don’t say them out loud.

1. “Why are you here?” This means, “Why are you knocking on our door, rather than someone else’s door? How much do you know about who we are, and what we do here?” Guidelines here: Be sure to research the place to death before you go near it. Google it, look it up on LinkedIn, visit its website if it has one. Then think out what makes this place—in your eyes—superior to other places where you might work. Jot down the answers, then memorize them.

2. “What can you do for us?” This means, “If we were to hire you, will you help us with the tasks and challenges we face here? What are your relevant skills, and give us examples or stories from your past that demonstrate you have these skills. Tell us about yourself.” Guidelines here: I’m assuming you are going after a particular job and you therefore know what skills the employer is looking for. If you don’t, use the interview to ask, What do you see as the skills most needed to do this job really effectively? Then tell your stories illustrating you have such skills. Where to get your stories? If you read and did the exercises in What Color Is Your Parachute? or the What Color Is Your Parachute? Job-Hunter’s Workbook, then you use the stories you wrote when filling out the skills petal of the Flower Diagram there. On the other hand, if you didn’t use either, then you must figure out ahead of time what skills this employer is looking for, and long before the interview, write out a sample story illustrating some time when you demonstrated that you have such a skill. Do this for each of the skills required, up to five in number.

3. “What kind of person are you?” This means, “Will you not only fit in but actually inspire those around you? Will you be

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