First job interview in decade - Help!
Discussion
I've been on furlough for 7 months and being made redundant at the end of this month, so I've been job hunting and finally secured an interview. The problem is it's been 10 years since I last did one!! I therefore have a few questions. It's for an Account Manager role at a software firm.
1) It's on GoToMeeting video call which is fine, I assume people still wear a suit even to online interviews?
2) Any useful tips for those who have been through the online interview process recently?
3) They have asked for me to do sales pitch to them. This is the hardest part as I've never had to do this before. "For the initial interview, they would like you to prepare a software-focused sales pitch (approx. 15-20 mins) based on a scenario that you may have faced in a previous role where software has solved a business problem." My thoughts are I should do a presentation where the first slide is an explanation of the problem scenario and the rest is the pitch. Is that what everyone else would do? Finding it pretty daunting as being an Account Manager my pitch experience is pretty much always a two way conversation with a client who I know, not a monologue to strangers.
Any tips or comments not he above would be hugely appreciated!
1) It's on GoToMeeting video call which is fine, I assume people still wear a suit even to online interviews?
2) Any useful tips for those who have been through the online interview process recently?
3) They have asked for me to do sales pitch to them. This is the hardest part as I've never had to do this before. "For the initial interview, they would like you to prepare a software-focused sales pitch (approx. 15-20 mins) based on a scenario that you may have faced in a previous role where software has solved a business problem." My thoughts are I should do a presentation where the first slide is an explanation of the problem scenario and the rest is the pitch. Is that what everyone else would do? Finding it pretty daunting as being an Account Manager my pitch experience is pretty much always a two way conversation with a client who I know, not a monologue to strangers.
Any tips or comments not he above would be hugely appreciated!
For the presentation.. aim for 15 minutes. Actually, aim for 10 if you can.
Keep written words to a minimum and no more than four bullets per slide.
Use imagery instead of written words where you can.
Open with a verbal description of the benefit the buyer will get when they buy your product. "Over the next ten minutes, I'm going to show how you will increase profitability by XX%"... something like that.
Remember that when you're presenting on line, pointing at something on screen is not easy.
Finish with a clear path to a sale... "Is there anything I have or haven't said that would prevent you buying this thing?"
Treat the interview as you would face to face so wear a suit if that's what you'd do.
Plain background if you can and don't use those background blur things.
And position your computer to enable you to look directly at the camera or slightly upwards - avoid the normal looking down look!
Test the tech.
Good luck!
Keep written words to a minimum and no more than four bullets per slide.
Use imagery instead of written words where you can.
Open with a verbal description of the benefit the buyer will get when they buy your product. "Over the next ten minutes, I'm going to show how you will increase profitability by XX%"... something like that.
Remember that when you're presenting on line, pointing at something on screen is not easy.
Finish with a clear path to a sale... "Is there anything I have or haven't said that would prevent you buying this thing?"
Treat the interview as you would face to face so wear a suit if that's what you'd do.
Plain background if you can and don't use those background blur things.
And position your computer to enable you to look directly at the camera or slightly upwards - avoid the normal looking down look!
Test the tech.
Good luck!
Hi
You may remember we met a few years ago at Spa, the 6 hours event, we were at the same camp site ...
I sit on the other side of these events regularly as I manage EMEA hiring for a US software firm, if you want to PM me and exchange numbers I'm happy to talk you through what does work and what doesn't.
Dibs
You may remember we met a few years ago at Spa, the 6 hours event, we were at the same camp site ...
I sit on the other side of these events regularly as I manage EMEA hiring for a US software firm, if you want to PM me and exchange numbers I'm happy to talk you through what does work and what doesn't.
Dibs
Most interviews have 'Situational' question "Tell us about a time when...". The reply is generally in the STAR format : situation, task, action, result.
I'd guess their sales-pitch "role-play" is aping the same format : you can present the situation you've identified, describe the tasks that will be required to deal with it, the actions you will take to implement those tasks, and the intended result that should come out of that.
STAR makes a lot of sense when it clicks into place with you in standard interviews, though it's usually relaying something you've already achieved. Even so it took a few interviews before I understood it myself, and like you after many years away from interview. Doing a sales-pitch changes the tense of it, if that makes sense, but in a sales-type role I can see where they're coming from. I'd say they're looking to see if you can grasp the eventual outcome of the scenario and join the pieces from one end of the project to the other.
I hope that helps more than it confuses. I returned to job-hunting 2 years ago after 30 years of sound employment, so I know it can be daunting.
I'd guess their sales-pitch "role-play" is aping the same format : you can present the situation you've identified, describe the tasks that will be required to deal with it, the actions you will take to implement those tasks, and the intended result that should come out of that.
STAR makes a lot of sense when it clicks into place with you in standard interviews, though it's usually relaying something you've already achieved. Even so it took a few interviews before I understood it myself, and like you after many years away from interview. Doing a sales-pitch changes the tense of it, if that makes sense, but in a sales-type role I can see where they're coming from. I'd say they're looking to see if you can grasp the eventual outcome of the scenario and join the pieces from one end of the project to the other.
I hope that helps more than it confuses. I returned to job-hunting 2 years ago after 30 years of sound employment, so I know it can be daunting.
Great tips there.
Another small one to add is the temptation that I’m spotting more and more of when conducting virtual interviews, is it’s now blindingly obvious when candidates have stuck post it note crib sheets all around their screen! You see their eyes darting around trying to spot the relevant prompt. Not a showstopper by any means, but a noticeable distraction when compared to others who don’t employ that tactic.
Good luck!
Another small one to add is the temptation that I’m spotting more and more of when conducting virtual interviews, is it’s now blindingly obvious when candidates have stuck post it note crib sheets all around their screen! You see their eyes darting around trying to spot the relevant prompt. Not a showstopper by any means, but a noticeable distraction when compared to others who don’t employ that tactic.
Good luck!
rog007 said:
Great tips there.
Another small one to add is the temptation that I’m spotting more and more of when conducting virtual interviews, is it’s now blindingly obvious when candidates have stuck post it note crib sheets all around their screen! You see their eyes darting around trying to spot the relevant prompt. Not a showstopper by any means, but a noticeable distraction when compared to others who don’t employ that tactic.
Good luck!
It worked for me - I went through a couple of Amazon style behavioral interviews that require you to answer every question with the STAR format and I did the whole post it note thing as you need ~40 stories lined up to answer the different question types. Having prompts everywhere definitely helped and I would say the benefit far outweighs the cost....Another small one to add is the temptation that I’m spotting more and more of when conducting virtual interviews, is it’s now blindingly obvious when candidates have stuck post it note crib sheets all around their screen! You see their eyes darting around trying to spot the relevant prompt. Not a showstopper by any means, but a noticeable distraction when compared to others who don’t employ that tactic.
Good luck!
Just did a couple of these recently.....it may be obvious but anyway.
I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
AndrewO said:
Just did a couple of these recently.....it may be obvious but anyway.
I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
Good advice, I'd definitely go for an external webcam if possible. I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
I also make sure that the video window (the person you are talking to) is on the screen with the camera attached so as to create the best eye contact.
In terms of background. I'm constantly surprised at people's backgrounds (not that it's a problem, I just find it interesting).
What I have done is I have turned my desk round so it faces the room and I have a fairly blank wall behind me rather than a room full of distracting items (these are hidden away behind the monitors).
Generally the advice is to have no more than a single piece of art on the wall if you can.
AndrewO said:
Just did a couple of these recently.....it may be obvious but anyway.
I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
In addition to the above, make sure the lighting is ok.I have a laptop with integrated camera, large external screen to the right which I use for everything. Problem is when looking at the external screen your not looking at the interviewer and it doesn't come across great. External cam is the way forward, it's not looking up at you then either.
Background...make sure you haven't got pictures of your ferrari's on the wall. Mines full of tech crap which is what I do so that's fine.
Sit a bit further back or push the laptop/camera away a bit further. I think its best not to fill the video with your face. Again I think a webcam best for this.
hopefully OP got the job 
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