11 Interview Tips to Give you an Edge

“How would I describe myself? 

Three words: hard working, alpha male, jackhammer … merciless … insatiable“ 

(Dwight K. Schrute at an interview)

 

In a previous post, I talked about the do's and do not's of applying for jobs.  Today, I'll give you some ideas on how to give yourself an edge during the interview process.  I'll try not to give you the normal advice that you can find anywhere on the internet.  In my career, I have been on 11 interviews for coaching positions at 4-year universities.  Of those 11 interviews, I have been blessed to have nine job offers.  Through my personal experience, as well as being a member of search committees, I am going to present a few tips that may put you in a slightly different frame of mind from the other candidates.  An additional resource for you is the article "15 things I look for when I interview people".  Anyway, follow my 11 tips and you'll be guaranteed to get the job.  No, not really.  Actually the only thing I can guarantee is that doing these things will give yourself a better than average chance to get the job.   Every job and every interviewer is different but with these tips, who knows, maybe they'll be just the difference you need to set yourself apart from the crowd and give you an edge.  Why 11 tips?  It's because ten is normal but we want to always do a little extra.  Also, if you truly want to dive into all of this stuff, I suggest you check out any of Harvey MacKay's books ("Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt", "How to Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive", etc...).  

(1)  Research and Be Prepared.  Seriously...do your homework!  If this job is important to you then act like it.  It's not enough to know that the boss used to work at such and such company or that he belongs to a certain civic organization.  Find out as much as possible about the person(s) that will be making the hiring decisions.    Use your contacts.  Talk to people who know people.  Do more than just look at the first page of Google to find information.  You can't always control the interview.  If you know 3 or 4 key things, you might not be able to tailor the conversation to include those facts.  The more you know, the more likely you'll be able to work some of that into the interview.

Applying for Jobs...Do and Do Not's

I have been involved in numerous search committees, as well as my share of job pursuits.  My most recent foray into the world of resumes, cover letters and interviews took place in the last few months as our men’s basketball coaching position became open.  Going through the process got me to thinking about the do and do not’s of applying for jobs. It is not just coaching jobs that have tremendous competition.  Nearly every job available will be a difficult up-hill battle to secure.  The odds are stacked against you, but there are some things that you can do to help you increase your odds slightly and give you a better chance. Obviously, not all administrators or jobs are alike, but there are some general rules that applicants should follow if they want to give themselves a fighting chance to get an interview.

1. Read the job posting and do what it says.   If it says “no calls”, then don’t call.  If it says “postal mail” or “email only”, then adhere to these requests.  If you have to fill out an institutional job application to be considered (normally a requisite at state schools), then do this.

The "I GOT FIRED" Club

Springtime.  March Madness.  What a great time of the year.  The flowers are blooming, the weather is nicer, yard sale signs are going up and basketball tournaments are providing us with great excitement.  However, it is also a difficult time of the year for some folks in the coaching profession.  The internet is beginning to be littered with stories and rumors of coaches being fired or getting "resigned".  As fans of basketball, this is natural and expected.  Our team isn't performing like we want them to be and so we want change.  For coaches everywhere, this is also a normal occurrence, though not one that we want our friends and acquaintances to go through.  And by all means, we don't want to go through it ourselves.  It is said that coaches are hired to be fired.  If you are a coach and haven't been fired (or had your contract renewed, or asked to resign, or been re-assigned, etc...) then you are either a relatively young coach or one of the very few fortunate ones.  Notice, I didn't say that you are one of the good coaches.  Bad coaches get fired.  Average coaches get fired.  Good coaches get fired.  Men get fired.  Women get fired.  Alums get fired.  Coach of the Year winners get fired.  No one is immune to this phenomenon.  Sometimes we see it coming; other times it blindsides us.  As a member of one of the biggest clubs around, I wanted to make mention of a couple of things you should keep in mind if you should find yourself joining (or getting your membership renewed in) The "I was fired" Club.