Pass an interview for a managerial position. A few additional questions should be asked. Interview questions for a managerial position

So, you are applying for a management position in a successful company and you are discussing with a recruiter the possibility of an interview. Your future duties and work are presented to you in full accordance with your competencies.

Easy to say, but to do... A job interview is one of those events where you have to shine. You need to present your track record to the best advantage, but its description should not be too long and too detailed. It is necessary to behave liberated, but at the same time not allow yourself to be excessively relaxed. Prepare in advance for typical questions, which are asked during the interview, but the answers should not look rehearsed. Each of your remarks must hit the mark. And to achieve this is very difficult.

Naturally, you should try to find out as much as possible about the company and the people with whom you will most likely have to talk in an interview in advance. The more information you can gather about the recruiter, the more comfortable you will feel during the conversation. And the more you learn about the company, the easier it will be to ensure that your answers meet the requirements for the candidate.

In this article, we will try to describe the entire interview procedure, from preparation to its direct passage. We will give tips that will help you make a favorable first impression and competently answer the questions asked. You will gain an understanding of the verbal and non-verbal ways of communication that it makes sense to adopt or, on the contrary, avoid. We hope that thanks to our recommendations you will be able to score as many points during the interview as possible.

Training

The interview is designed to answer the question to what extent the candidate satisfies the requirements set by the company, whether he will cope with the duties entrusted to him, whether he will be able to adapt to the corporate culture and methods of work of the management team. When preparing for an interview, you need to think in advance what questions may be asked and formulate competent answers. You should be prepared to answer the following questions:

What do you see your strengths? It is necessary to emphasize those of its merits that will help the company solve the problems it faces.

How would you describe your management style? You can say something like, "I used to prefer top-down management, but I've noticed that if I involve people in the decision-making process, it's easier for me to get their support, and almost always the end result is better in this case."

Why should we hire you? Re-explain how your strengths meet the needs of the company.

What salary do you expect? Be careful when answering this question. If you ask too much, you will be removed from the list of candidates. And if you ask for too little, you will obviously sell out. Not a bad option in this case, cite the results of an independent study and indicate a specific range. Even better, ask the interviewee to talk about the nature of the compensation provided by the company.

You will probably be asked about unsuccessful projects as well, so don't try to evade when the hiring commissioner starts to find out the details. Answer honestly, without trying to make excuses or becoming defensive. Avoid answers like, "It wasn't really my fault" or "I warned them it wouldn't work."

When talking about projects that didn't go according to plan for one reason or another, be sure to mention the actions you took, the end results, and the lessons learned. We can recall, for example, your appeals to other participants: “Having realized that we were not meeting the deadlines set by the client, I immediately organized a series of meetings, having talked with all the project executors. We managed to discuss the situation with the client and minimize losses. Ultimately, the client appreciated our frank position, and we were able to jointly develop a solution acceptable to all interested parties.”

Your interlocutor will probably ask what you see as your most serious shortcomings. Touch just one shortcoming and tell us what steps you are taking to get rid of it. For example: "I'm not very good at speaking in public, but I try to take part in presentations to executives, which has increased the level of my speaking noticeably."

It is not worth mentioning the shortcomings in the fight against which you have not achieved any success. For example, if you say that you avoid conflicts of any kind, your interlocutor may think that you are not good at managing conflicts or that your management style is “burying your head in the sand”. Similarly, when you are asked if you have implemented at least one application program, and your track record does not show this, do not say that you do not have such experience, but you can always learn if necessary. This is an unfortunate answer.

Remember that just stating facts when answering questions is not enough. You need to describe everything in such a way that the facts are presented in the most favorable light for you. When assessing applicants for a leadership position, the recruiting manager looks for good communication skills, the ability to offer constructive solutions at meetings of the board of directors, the willingness to take responsibility and lead a subordinate unit. Instead of describing the areas for which you were responsible, tell us more about the incidents that took place. Illustrate your ability to solve emerging problems, find a successful way out of a difficult situation and achieve the desired result. Describe the current situation, the people involved and your actions, but to avoid unnecessary digressions and details, stick to the CDR model:

O What circumstances or challenges did you have to face?
D- what actions did you take?
R- what results have been achieved?

Try to complement your answers with testimonies from trusted people who would emphasize the confidence and professionalism of your actions. It is desirable that it looks like an improvisation, and not like a rehearsed homemade piece. Answers like: “I belong to the category of managers who are able to effectively solve any issues in the company” or “I am a workaholic, and until the project is completed, I am ready to work day and night without rest” - they sound too pompous. Don't cross the line that separates a great answer from an embellished one. In other words, don't try to make yourself look like a superhero who begins every line with "I", "me" and "mine" and emphasizes his personal role in every possible way.

Memorize key events and dates relating to both the company you came to work for and your own track record so that you do not have to go into your portfolio every time for information.

Finally, don't think of yourself as a job seeker. You are unique remedy solving business problems facing the company. Seeing yourself as the solution gives you confidence that you can help the company achieve its strategic goals. And your confidence will be an additional factor for the recruiting manager conducting the interview. Presenting yourself as the solution will help you define your role in the new company, successfully negotiate the compensation package you deserve, and participate as equals in the management team.

big day

On the day of the interview, you must arrive at the location at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. As you wait, think of yourself as the solution the company needs and tune in to what the interview will take place well. You can also observe employees entering and leaving the premises to see how comfortable they feel there.

When entering the office where the interview will take place, smile, raise your head and straighten your shoulders. Shake hands firmly with the person you will be talking to. When introducing yourself with a smile, repeat his name. At every opportunity, address your interlocutor by name. Everyone is always happy to hear from him. This will set up your interlocutor in a friendly way.

Do not sit down until you are invited. If you have a choice, avoid the sofa. You will fall into it like quicksand. Opt for a hard chair. Sit up straight with your hands on your knees. Do not cross your arms or legs as this indicates that you are on the defensive.

While your interlocutor is talking, show your attention by nodding your head from time to time and repeating the phrases he said. Make sure you understand the question correctly. Do not show that the answer to it was prepared in advance. Try to guess what is behind each of the questions. The interlocutor, for example, may ask if you have ever been involved in the implementation of the SAP system, but in fact he is interested in how smoothly this implementation went, whether it was possible to complete it on time and meet the allotted budget.

If you don't know how best to answer a question, pause or say something clarifying, allowing you time to better formulate your answer.

Be natural during the conversation. Gesticulate. Smile at the slightest provocation. Smiling will help you feel confident. Look directly into the eyes of your interlocutor. If you are talking to a whole group of people, keep your gaze on each of them for a long time, not allowing your eyes to constantly move from one face to another.

The interview should start off well and you should be able to relax a bit. But don't take too many liberties by making rash comments or being overly familiar. During the interview, you must maintain a distance and show respect for the interlocutor. Don't say anything bad about your current employer, even if you're being pushed to do so. Raise the topic of salary only if you are asked about it directly.

At the end of the conversation, the interlocutor usually asks if you have any questions. Whether you are prompted to ask them or not, ask about the following:

What does the company expect from candidates for this position?

How will your performance be evaluated?

What tasks will you have to solve first?

Do not ask anything about the company that can be found in open sources on the Internet.

When the procedure comes to an end, ask if your interlocutor has received all the information of interest to him. Suggest Additional information, especially if you have not been asked questions that you think have importance for this position. Don't offer any background information unless you're asked to.

At the end of the interview, you get one last chance to show that you really want the position. By suppressing the slightest hint of despair in your voice, demonstrate your sincere positive interest. You could say, for example, “For me, the opportunities that are opening up here are of the utmost vital importance. Do you have any questions regarding my candidacy?” Ask what will happen next. And remember: the first impression you make is the most important during an interview. The idea that your counterpart will have by the end of the conversation plays a secondary role.

Debrief the meeting as soon as it is over. Mark for yourself the areas in which your answers did not sound convincing enough in order to correct the impression in the course of subsequent correspondence. Also, if you're planning a sequel, you'll probably want to remember who said what.

Send the employee who conducted the interview a letter of gratitude for the attention paid to you, additionally argue why you are a good fit for the specified position and express your readiness to provide any other information of interest to the HR manager at the first request.

Regularly, but not intrusively, continue to remind yourself. And remember: the job most often gets the one who wants it more than others.

Kevin Daly and Dale Clamforth are senior management at Communispond, a company focused on teaching its clients the art of management and sales, preparing presentations and improving communication skills.

Kevin Daley and Dale Klamfoth. How to Ace an Executive-Level Job Interview. CIO Magazine. March 11, 2008

Any startup that has passed the stage of infancy sooner or later gains momentum. And if earlier the owner managed to cope with the planning, organization and control of sales on his own, then at the stage of youth, a department of 2-5 managers is covered with a wave of organizational disorder. Documents get lost, customer contacts disappear, deal negotiations fade into oblivion. And you also need to plan, analyze and generate ideas for the development of sales.

The founders decide to hire an experienced manager, the head of the sales department, who systematizes the work of the department and can take sales to a new level.

The decision is not easy. In addition to additional costs for workplace and wages, you will have to spend energy and time on setting up interaction with a new employee.

A main question agendas - how to find someone who will really be useful to the company?; by what criteria to determine that he has the necessary set of knowledge and skills?; How not to make a mistake with the choice when conducting interviews?

My experience with young companies led to one important conclusion: the company must test 2-5 leaders in the work before it finds “the one”.

To make the experience of setting up a sales management system with new managers the least painful and most productive for the company, it is worth weeding out completely unsuitable candidates already at the stage of selecting candidates. The manager can be an excellent professional, but will not fit into the owner's management style. Or in past jobs, his performance depended on the stability of the system, and in a company that is at the stage of development, he will not cope with stress and multitasking. Or it turns out that his experience does not correspond to the tasks of the company.

Stage 1. Selection of candidates based on resumes

For the head of the sales department, it is important to have an achievement motivation (focus on the result, not the process). In a resume, motivation is read quite simply. Resultists write in perfect form verbs: reached, did, completed, implemented, etc. Process workers are more often engaged in “doing” - organizing activities, implementing plans, motivating employees, etc.

Choose a resume with numbers and indicators. For example, increased the customer base by 25%. Managers who know how to work with indicators will bring more value.

Industry experience preferred but not required. Sales in B2B and B2C sectors are different and require additional time to learn and adapt. And industry specialization also affects the type of decision-making and the ability to build relationships with customers.

Pay attention to the qualities that the candidate has identified as his strengths.

If it is: responsible, sociable and stress-resistant, then you can not be distracted. These qualities are not strong points for a leader. We do not consider strong quality grocery store - the presence of fresh products. These competencies are essential for a managerial position.

Candidates from the remaining pile can be invited for an interview.

Stage 2. Selection of candidates based on the results of the interview

I have repeatedly observed how during the interview the owners made the same mistake. They didn't ask questions, trying to get the real picture, but involved the candidate in their goals. Often it looks like this:

- But we still want to introduce a CRM system, we want to be able to keep statistics and analytics on the client base. Are you able to do all this?

- Oh sure. I'll do everything.

- Oh cool! And we also need this ..!

After such an interview, the candidate who made the maximum number of promises will win.

Use the time allotted for the interview to understand the level of professionalism, the type of decision making, motivation and ability to take responsibility. Stress resistance is also not determined by an item in the resume.

In my deep youth, I had an interview in a large engineering holding. Interviewed by Marketing Director. Entering his office at the appointed time, I found him at the operative with several employees. Not turning on me special attention, he gave a stack of paper a centimeter high and said: "Write." And I sat down to write while he finished the RAM. Then I realized that my questions like: “What should I write?” would be inappropriate. To write what is written in the resume means to put an end to a career in this holding. Therefore, I wrote what mistakes I made in my career, how I eliminated them and what conclusions I drew. It was a test for stress and eccentricity of thinking.

It is better to start the interview with general questions about the candidate. So he should know about the company, since he came for an interview.

The “Tell me about yourself so I’m interested” question is a great place to start. If a potential manager captivates you, then he will be able to captivate employees and customers. If there is nothing interesting except work, you will be forced to constantly motivate and involve him. He is not interested in himself.

While he talks about himself, ask clarifying questions. If he talks about his qualities, ask for an example. From the example, you will find out whether this is a manifestation of the required quality that is necessary for your company.

- I am very responsible.

- Tell me the last time you showed responsibility.

- Well, management has set an urgent task to invite all customers to a promotional event. There was only one day for everything, and there were 500 clients. We certainly would not have managed to make phone calls. So I made a mailing list with a request to respond to the invitation within an hour. 30% of customers answered. The rest have already been called.

This leader really showed a display of responsibility. He explained in detail what, how and why he did it.

Be sure to find out what he considers his achievements and why for him they are achievements. So you will understand his motivation and level of ambition.

Don't forget to ask about the mistakes that led to negative consequences and how he fixed the problems. It is important to learn about the conclusions he made and how he applied the findings in his work. Based on the answers, you will see the type of decision-making, the level of responsibility, professional expertise, and logic in thinking.

After general questions, go to the professional block. It is not necessary to strictly adhere to the structure. Just carry on a dialogue, and use my recommendations as a checklist.

A good transition to professional matters after discussing the achievements of the candidate.

• What decisions made you able to achieve results? The answers provide insight into the ability to plan a solution. Tell us how you build the management of the sales department. We look at whether the manager knows how to build business processes.
• What is the sales funnel in your company. It is not necessary to force disclosure of commercial information. Enough relative indicators. It is important to understand the stages of the sales funnel and the conversion from one stage to another.
• How did you encourage customers to make repeat purchases?
• What structure of the sales department is optimal for our company? This question allows you to understand whether a potential manager has learned about your company and whether he is able to offer a solution.
• How do you motivate sales managers? It would be nice to discuss both the system of motivation and non-material ways.
• What do you do when the sales plan is not met?
• What is the best way to intercept customers from competitors?
• How did you inform customers about new products or services?
• What was the average increase in the client base under your management?
• What will the company from which you leave after your dismissal lose? An important question that reflects the ability of the leader to set the system. If his answer is: “Yes, they, in general, everything will fall”, then this is not our person)). If he says: “Nothing to lose. I implemented the system, it works. Unless there will be no new ideas temporarily, ”this is our option!
• What will our company gain if you lead the sales? Here just look at his plans.
• What methods do you use to collect and manage client base?
• By what indicators do you evaluate the success of the sales department?

Ask questions like this until you have a stable image.

At the end of the interview, ask the candidate to ask you questions.

From them you will determine how much he is in the subject. Whether he is interested in the details of your business and company devices or not. The right leader will bombard you with questions, as it is important for him to understand whether he can achieve your goals. In the absence of questions - wish good luck and send to competitors)).

After the interview, call former employers and ask their opinion about the candidate. It is important to hear not only what they say, but also how they say it. Questions can be asked identical. If you understand that the employer's answers differ from the candidate's answers, ask for what reason there may be discrepancies in the statements.

Productive interviews and professional employees!

If the task of conducting an effective selection of candidates is relevant for you and you need my help - order a free consultation or a service to support the search and hiring of managers from me.

I will help you to create a vacancy for the position, together with you I will review all resumes and show which ones are suitable for the next stage, I will take part in the interview.

For several candidates, I will conduct the interviews myself, and you will observe. Then you will conduct, and I will observe and participate. For each candidate, I will give detailed feedback.

We can work via skype or in your office.

In addition, I will help draw up a plan for the leader for a trial period.

How to behave in an interview? What questions are asked at the interview and what are the most correct answers to them? How to properly prepare for a job?

Hello dear readers! Alexander Berezhnov, one of the authors of the HiterBober.ru business magazine, is with you and is our guest today Ksenia Borodina - recruitment specialist, psychologist.

Ksenia has already conducted hundreds of interviews and knows all the intricacies of this important event. Our guest will share the tricks and secrets of practicing HR specialists and give effective recommendations to job seekers.

In one of the previous articles, we talked in detail about . And now we have come to the logical continuation of the topic - the interview.

1. What is an interview and in what form does it take place

Xenia, I salute you. I propose to start with the most important. Tell us, please, what is an interview, how is it carried out and what types of interviews exist? This is necessary so that our readers understand where they have to go and what to expect, since for some of them this will be the first experience of getting a job.

Hello Sasha. Let's start with a definition.

Interview- it dating process a job seeker and a potential employer (his representative) as a result of which 2 parties want to receive necessary information about how well they fit together.

There are several types of it.

For example, the number of participants distinguish between individual and group interviews.

• Individual interview. It takes place one on one, where the employer or his representative on the one hand and the applicant on the other participate.
• Group interview. As a rule, it is carried out by a professional recruiter (recruitment specialist) from a company in need of personnel, with a group of potential applicants for a vacancy. Group interviews are most often conducted for mass vacancies in companies, for example, for the position of "sales manager".

Interviews can also be divided according to the number of decision-making "instances". According to this principle, they are divided into single-level and multilevel.

As a rule, for executive positions that do not require a high level of training and great responsibility, applicants go through one interviewer. Such interviews are called single-level, that is, they involve a conversation with one person.

If you want to apply for the position of a sales assistant in a store household appliances, then more often you will have an interview with the director of the store, where your further employment is expected. This is an example of a one-level interview.

Multilevel interviews involve the acquaintance of the applicant with representatives of several leadership levels.

For example, if you are applying for a marketing specialist position in a big company as "Coca-Cola", then you will be interviewed with the head of the regional branch, the head of the marketing department of the company's plant and with the director of this plant.

Sometimes multi-level interviews are held in person with each "level", and sometimes communication with the candidate is carried out remotely.

Thanks to the development of modern means of communication, some managers prefer to conduct interviews via Skype (less often by phone).

This is especially true in cases where the applicant is looking for a job with the prospect of moving to another region or even another country.

The interview process itself is often stressful for the candidate. Indeed, as a rule, a person sends his resume to several organizations at once and receives an invitation to be interviewed, sometimes on the same day with an interval of several hours.

And each such meeting, where you need to competently present yourself, requires both physical and emotional effort.

2. Stages of passing the interview

Ksenia, I think that now our readers have got an idea about the interview as a process and its features, and now I propose to talk about the stages that the applicant goes through in the interview process and the features of each of them.

Indeed, the entire process of passing the interview can be conditionally divided into 4 stages:

1. Telephone conversation;
2. Preparing for the meeting;
3. Interview;
4. Summarizing.

Each of them has its own characteristics, which you need to talk about so that you, as an applicant, go through each of the stages as efficiently as possible and get the position you are applying for.

Stage 1. Telephone conversation

This is the first stage of direct communication with a representative of the company in which you are applying for a job. Usually it is a consequence of sending your resume to this company.

If the company is more or less large, then in most cases the employee responsible for recruiting will call you.

When talking to him, be polite, and also remember his (her) name and preferably position. Next, specify exactly where you need to come, (address) and at what time. Also specify a contact phone number for communication.

If you need to take something with you, for example, a passport, a document on education or a portfolio, then the recruiter will tell you about it during a telephone conversation.

Stage 2. Preparing for the meeting

At this stage, I recommend that you imagine your future interview with a potential employer and "live" it. This will be especially true for people who are afraid of the interview itself or they have a fear of failing a meeting with a recruiter.

To tune in to the process and overcome possible fears, I suggest you do the exercise "Meeting with the President". This is done before the interview.

Imagine that you have been invited to the Kremlin and are now sitting at a meeting with the president of the country. The video cameras of the leading TV channels are directed at you and a bunch of journalists are recording everything you say.

Try to imagine yourself in this situation and get used to it. this role. Think about what you will ask the president and what you want to tell him. What questions he will ask you and how you will publicly answer them.

To do this exercise, stay alone so that no one distracts you and imagine such a meeting in detail for 7-15 minutes.

Then go to your interview. After such a "visualization" you are guaranteed to be easier to pass it. After all, you have already experienced the most “terrible” interview in your life.

A few more words about preparation.

Preparing for an interview includes 3 important points:

1. Preparation of self-presentation and its rehearsal;
2. Preparation of a portfolio (awards, articles about you), works and examples confirming your competence for this vacant position;
3. Rest and further entry into the "resource state". This term refers to your working state in which you are as focused and productive as possible.

Stage 3. Interview

To understand in detail how to pass a job interview, you need to be prepared for different nuances.

For example, very often a specialist who conducts a conversation with you will ask you questions and offer to complete small buildings (cases).

case- this is modeling (analysis) of a problematic or non-standard situation and ways to solve it by a candidate (applicant).

Suppose you are applying for the position of sales representative or sales manager.

To test your erudition, stress resistance, creative thinking and professional knowledge, the recruiter will give you cases for analysis.

Case example:

Recruiter : You are on your way to meet an important client. Major negotiations that you have to conduct, if successful, can bring you a monthly income level and a promotion. Suddenly, your car breaks down in the middle of the road. Your actions?

You: I will get out of the car and try to get a taxi or passing transport to the meeting point with the client.

Recruiter : You were driving through a back road far from the city, there is no passing transport.

You: I will look on the navigator where I am and call a taxi to this place.

Recruiter : You do not have a navigator and your phone is dead.

You: I will try to fix the car breakdown by myself and then continue driving.

And so your recruiter can "drive" you, each time complicating the conditions in which you find yourself.

As I understand it, this is done in order to see if such a force majeure will lead you into a stupor and what exit options will you offer (savvy test)?

Sasha is absolutely right. Also, the HR specialist in this case wants to see how long you will try to find a way out of this situation (testing your perseverance).

One of the very popular cases is called "selling a pen." It is used mainly in sales interviews, but sometimes HR people play similar games with candidates for other positions.

Stage 4. Summing up

If at the meeting you were confident and clearly answered all the questions of the HR specialist, then you will have a great chance of getting the desired job.

At the end of the interview, you will be told how long you will receive an answer if you are hired. If you are going through a multi-level interview, then wait for an answer about passing the next stage.

I usually say this:

If I don't call you back by such and such a time, it means that we have made a decision in favor of another candidate.

You can also ask the recruiter yourself when exactly to expect the result of the interview and in what form it will be.

Now, if I get a job, I will definitely work out possible cases. Ksenia, I am sure that our readers will be interested to know how to behave in an interview and what can confuse an HR specialist in the behavior or appearance of a job seeker?

Sasha, indeed, should understand that the higher and more responsible the position for which a potential employee applies, the more requirements are placed on him.

Let me give you a few general key points from my practice that all candidates, without exception, should take into account when passing a job interview.

1. Accuracy and neatness. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to your condition in general. Never come to an interview drunk, after a "stormy rest" or a sleepless night. In the eyes of a recruiter, you will immediately earn the status of a "reveler", and with it the rest of the interview's relevance will be called into question.
2. Friendly and good manners. Whatever position you apply for, good manners and adequate behavior will definitely add points to you. Find out the name of your interlocutor and address him by name. Moreover, it is worth addressing exactly as he introduced himself. For example, if a recruiter said that his name is Ivan, then call him “You”. “Ivan, you said that ...” If he gave his name and patronymic, then this is exactly how you should address your interlocutor.
3. Proficiency in professional terminology. You will definitely like a recruiter if without abusing terms, use them 3-4 times during your interview, and also explain how you use (used) these terms in practice. For example, if you say that at your previous job you were able to increase sales by 30% per month, thanks to an increase in conversion, by analyzing the number of incoming calls and the size of the average check, then this will count as a plus.
4. General level of erudition. Also, a couple of times in the topic, you can mention famous books that you read or seminars in your specialty that you attended during the year. Recruiters pay attention to the craving for knowledge and the desire of a person for self-education. This is especially important if you are applying for management or "intellectual" positions in the company.

In a word, you need to "sell" yourself and show your best side. Moreover, this must be done both from a professional point of view and from the point of view of general human values ​​and rules. If you want to get a job, it is important to correctly and clearly answer the questions of an HR specialist.

4. Interview questions and answers

I heard that there are a number of questions that almost all recruiters ask job seekers. Ksyusha, can you give some examples and good answers to them?

Oh sure.

In addition to the cases that you will be given at the interview, in order to successfully pass it, you will need to answer a number of tricky questions. They are also chosen by your recruiter for a reason.

After all, the decision to enroll you to work depends on how you answer them.

Interview questions and correct answers:

1. Tell us about yourself. It would seem a simple task, but for many people it is at this moment that a stupor begins: “mooing” or “nuking”. Here you must present yourself from the best side within the vacancy for which you are applying. Briefly describe your education, work experience and achievements that distinguish you as a specialist. Speak clearly without excess water and philosophizing.
2. Why did you leave your previous job? Tell us here about your motivation "to", that is, that you are striving for development and new opportunities in work that you currently see in this position. Don't use the "from" motivation key, that is, "I ran away from bad conditions, low pay, and a rotting team." In no case do not scold the previous place of work and your former leader. After all, any person, including your interlocutor, will think that if you change jobs in the future, you will also speak negatively about his company.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years or your plans for the long term? The best answer here is that you associate your professional future with this particular company. This way you will form an impression of yourself as an interested employee who is ready to devote a large number of time for this work. After all, nowhere is the “turnover” of personnel welcomed.
4. Do you have weaknesses (shortcomings)? If yes, please name 3 of them. By asking this question, the recruiter wants to understand the level of your maturity. A person who says that I do not see any shortcomings in myself or will think for a long time how to answer this question will lose points in the eyes of the personnel specialist. Do not answer like this: “My shortcomings: often late, conflict with colleagues (management), lazy.” It’s best to say here that you are a “workaholic”, that is, you like to go headlong into work, and this is not always right, a “perfectionist” - strive for perfection in everything and because of this, sometimes you lose speed. And your third drawback is the desire to get along with everyone a good relationship. And sometimes you are too kind to subordinates, because you do not want to punish them for inadequate quality completed work.
5. List your strengths. Describe your real strengths that are directly applicable to the job you are applying for and give examples with facts and figures. For example: “I believe that one of my strengths is the ability to think in numbers. At a previous job, I analyzed the sales funnel, identified patterns and, based on this, developed a new sales model that brought the company additional 500 000 rubles or 15 % for the first month of implementing my marketing model.”
6. Did you make mistakes at your previous job? Which? Here honestly tell me exactly what mistakes you had. But the most important thing is that they are not fatal and be sure to supplement the answer to this question with the fact that you yourself corrected them. For example, you wrote the wrong mobile phone to the client and he returned to the store to exchange it. And you managed not only to avoid conflict situation, but also to sell him additional accessories for the purchased mobile device.
7. What level of compensation (salary) do you expect? Here you should objectively assess your competencies, say how much you want to receive and justify the benefit of the employer company if it makes its choice in favor of you as an employee. Analyze also the level of salaries that offer similar companies for similar vacancies.
8. How did you hear about our company? Usually this question is asked by the employer's representative in order to find out which channel for searching for candidates is working. This question is not tricky, rather it is simply informational and is aimed at optimizing the search for personnel for this organization. Just answer as it is, for example, you found out about a vacancy on your company's website.

In addition to answering common questions, I have compiled a table to show which key criteria are important for a candidate and how they are confirmed.

A visual table of the main criteria for evaluating a candidate at an interview

The first column contains the evaluation criterion, and the second - indirect evidence that the candidate has this criterion.

5. How to pass a job interview - 7 main rules

That is, as I understand it, an interview is a rather creative process and there are no clear standards in its conduct, or is everything here individually?

Quite right, Sasha. Every HR professional approaches the interview process differently. There are recruiters who simply technically "drive" the candidate through the list of questions, determining his prof. fitness.

I do it a little differently. That is, I approach the interview process individually for each applicant. I try not only to classify him according to the principle of "suitable / not suitable" as a specialist, but also to define him psychological type, features of motivation and internal potential.

It's great, you can see that you really love what you do. Ksenia, let's now move on to the most important part of our interview and talk about what rules a candidate needs to follow throughout the interview from beginning to end in order to maximize the chances of getting the desired job?

If you have to be interviewed, then follow the following rules and then your interview will certainly open the way for you to career and financial opportunities in a new job.

Rule 1. Find out everything about a potential employer

This is the first and very milestone preparation.

• Firstly, this information will help you find out who you are going to work with for a long time (perhaps several years). Open the Internet, the print press and see what exactly sets your potential employer apart from other companies. Perhaps this is the introduction of innovations, working conditions or methods of promotion (marketing).
• Secondly, all the data and facts you have learned about a potential employer will help you in your interview. In the process of passing the interview, compliment the company, show off the knowledge of the facts about it. All this will have a positive impact on the final decision on your candidacy.

What you need to know about the company you are applying for:

1. History of creation and leadership. When it appeared - the year of foundation. Who is the leader now, and who was at the helm earlier. What are the features of the style of business management and what is the life philosophy of the top management. Also find out what symbolizes form style and the company logo and what is its corporate culture. What values ​​underpin the organization.
2. Main directions of activity. What this organization produces or sells, and perhaps it provides services. What is their feature? Why did she choose this particular market segment?
3. Features of doing business. Does the company have competitors and who are they? What is the scale of the organization's business, in what territory (city, region, country or international format company). How does seasonality and other factors affect the success of the company. How many employees work in it and what is their organizational structure.
4. Achievements and important corporate events. Perhaps the organization has recently won a competition or opened a new office. This information will also be useful for a comprehensive understanding of the current affairs of the company.
5. Facts and figures. What is the market share of the company in its segment and its financial performance: revenue, growth rate, number of clients and open offices.

Having comprehensive information about all the features of the future employer, you will certainly get advantages over other applicants.

Rule 2. We prepare a self-presentation and rehearse it

When you find yourself at an interview, in most cases you will be asked to tell about yourself. As I said earlier, it is this request that confuses many applicants.

So that this does not come as a surprise to you, you need to prepare in advance.

self-presentation- this is a short and capacious story about yourself in the context of the vacancy for which you are applying.

I emphasize that specifically in the context of a specific vacancy. That is, the emphasis in the story about yourself should be done on those qualities, experience and knowledge that will help you solve problems in the framework of your future work.

For example, if you are applying for a job as a sales manager, then as part of your self-presentation, tell us what recent sales courses you took, what experience you have in this area. Maybe you are so passionate about this topic that you have created your own website on it or a “club of successful sellers” in your city.

If you have an education that will help you in such work, for example, in the specialties: marketing, advertising, PR, then focus on this. If you have a construction or medical education, then just say that you have a secondary or higher education, without indicating his profile.

It would be advisable to name the direction of education if you will sell goods in a similar industry as part of the profession "sales manager".

For example, if you get a job in a trading company selling building materials, then a construction education will be an advantage in your situation.

You should not focus on your hobby in your self-presentation, unless it will positively affect the results of your work.

How to prepare your presentation for an interview

Conditionally break your entire presentation into several blocks.

For example, your self-presentation may consist of 4 main parts, interconnected in meaning:

1. Education and professional experience.
2. Your achievements with facts and figures.
3. The benefits of working with you for the employer.
4. Your professional plans for the future.

Once you've mapped out your presentation, it's time to rehearse it.

To begin with, say all the theses that you plan to voice to the personnel specialist at the interview.

Then sit in front of a mirror and look at yourself, say everything that you have prepared, based on your plan. Most likely the first time you forget something or start to stumble. Then your task is to bring your story to the ideal and imagine that you are now at the upcoming meeting and tell about your beloved.

Fact

Many people have a psychological barrier when it comes to presenting themselves in the best possible light.

Rule 3. We observe the appropriate "dress code"

As a rule, certain professions require a special style of clothing. So, if you are applying for an office vacancy, then your appearance at the interview should be appropriate.

• For men a light-colored shirt and dark-colored trousers or jeans are suitable.
• For girls it can be a blouse, a skirt of sufficient length and shoes with low heels.

If your future work involves active interaction with people in person, then in this case the requirements for your style of clothing will be especially high.

The exception to the rule is only "creative" professions. For example, a designer or photographer can afford to come to an interview in an extravagant outfit. In this case, your clothing style will emphasize a non-standard approach to solving creative problems.

In all other cases, "classic" and business style- your win-win option!

Also, in addition to the main style of clothing, the presence of accessories is welcome.

Accessories may include:

• Wrist Watch;
• tie;
• decoration;
• stylish notepad;
• pen;
• bag (purse).

Rule 4. Taking written notes during the meeting

indicator general level preparation of a candidate for a recruiter is the presence of the first notebook and pen. If you make notes to yourself during the interview, then first of all it will be very convenient for you. Indeed, at the end, based on your notes, you can ask clarifying questions or ask for clarification of the details of employment and other conditions for future work.

By the end of the meeting, you will have everything in full view. This is especially useful if you are going through several interviews at different companies at once, so that you can then compare working conditions in different organizations and make an informed decision.

It is also necessary to take notes if you are going through a multi-level interview. Keeping the main points on paper will help you remember what was discussed at the meeting and better prepare for the next stages of the interview.

Rule 5. Make a list of questions for the recruiter

Typically, at the end of the meeting, your interviewer will ask if you have any questions for him. To do this, think in advance what you would like to know more.

You can write some questions for the recruiter at home in advance, and write some down right at the meeting in the form of notes. To do this, you must have a notebook and a pen with you.

Take care in advance that your notebook is of the proper aesthetic appearance. This means that if it is a “worn out” pack of yellowed sheets in which “fish was wrapped”, then this will characterize you as a sloppy potential employee.

Everything should be harmonious - this is an important principle for a successful interview.

Rule 6. Behave confidently and naturally in an interview

Do not try to “put on a mask”, be not yourself, or overly please your interlocutor. Unnatural behavior is easy to read by a person. Your facial expressions, gestures and style of conversation will involuntarily bring you to clean water.

It is better to go the other way in order to achieve a positive result. Follow the elementary rules of good manners, be polite and tactful.

Do not interrupt the interviewer, speak calmly, but with some enthusiasm in your head.

You should intuitively understand where and what is appropriate to say. After all, an interview is a process of mutual decision-making on the cooperation of two parties: you and the employer.

Rule 7. We ask when and in what form the results will be announced to you

I hope that using these simple rules, you will easily pass a job interview. At the end of the meeting, find out when and in what form to expect an answer about the results of the interview.

Simply put, how do you know if you've been hired or not?

Usually the recruiter himself will tell you at the end that the answer will be on such and such a day, for example, before 18 pm.

I tell my applicants that if I don't call you by 18:00 on such and such a day, for example, September 26, it means that you did not pass the interview.

Calling and personally telling everyone that their candidacy for this position was rejected is usually too troublesome.

Here's the rule at work:

“We called - congratulations, you have been hired! They didn’t call - your candidacy did not pass. ”

6. 5 Common Job Interview Mistakes

If you want to successfully pass a job interview and do it without “noise and dust”, then you should avoid the mistakes that I will discuss next.

This is what most applicants do, and because of simple ignorance of elementary things, they fail, losing the opportunity to make a long-awaited career.

Mistake 1. Fear of an interview or “schoolboy” syndrome

Once again I repeat that the interview is a process of mutual choice and both parties are equal participants in this process.

Some job seekers come to a meeting and their hands are shaking, their palms are sweating, their voice is trembling. It is this behavior that is typical for students and schoolchildren when passing the exam. They seem to be in the position of a rabbit, which the boa constrictor is looking at.

You don't have to be afraid of the interview.

It is a big mistake to think that now an evil uncle or aunt will torment you. Indeed, as a rule, a personnel specialist who has been entrusted with hiring a person is a benevolent and attentive person whose goal is to find that very “gold bar” in a pile of ore and clay.

If you shine like gold with your talents, competent speech and show real examples of achievements and your competencies at the interview, then do not hesitate, you will be hired for this job!

Mistake 2. Passing an interview without preparation

In almost every previous block of our interview, I talked about the importance of preparation before the interview.

Don't neglect this rule.

Impromptu is good in many situations, but not at the time of the interview. And as many people know, the best impromptu is impromptu prepared.

Follow all the above rules and the consequences of this mistake will not affect you.

Mistake 3. Excessive heart-to-heart talk with a recruiter

Sometimes applicants get so carried away during the interview process that they move away from main topic and begin to "pour out the soul" to the personnel specialist.

This mistake is often found just among inexperienced applicants or candidates for lower technical positions such as loader, storekeeper, worker and so on.

As a rule, among more prepared applicants applying for more responsible positions in the company, this mistake does not occur.

But still remember that you should not deviate from the topic if you want to get a job in a good organization and enjoy the well-deserved respect there.

Mistake 4. Poor health and stress as a factor in failure

Anything can happen in life, and if you have an interview scheduled for 10 am tomorrow, and you feel bad or something serious happened to you that completely unsettled you, try to reschedule the meeting. In this case, notify the employer's representative by phone in advance.

After all, anything can happen: a child gets sick and you need to go to the hospital, a relative got into an accident, or you simply got poisoned by stale food.

Don't go to an interview depressed bad mood or in poor health.

Mistake 5. Tactlessness, defiant behavior

Some job seekers are like tanks and turn the interview into a show, demonstrating not their best qualities. Those who like to argue with the interlocutor will definitely not get the desired job.

If a person behaves tactlessly and disrespectfully towards the partner side, then this immediately characterizes him as a brawler and potentially unsuitable employee.

As the cat Leopold said in the famous cartoon: "Guys, let's live together!".

So, you need to make friends with your interlocutor.

After the meeting, the representative of your employer should have an impression of you both as a good specialist in your field and as a pleasant and cultured person.

Don't Make These 5 Common Mistakes and Success is Guaranteed!

7. Illustrative video examples of how to successfully pass an interview from the TV channel "Success" in the program "Personnel decide"

Here I want to give you a few real examples interviews with expert commentary.

Be sure to watch them, because from the outside it is much easier to analyze the strengths of some applicants and the mistakes they make.

1) Interview for the position of sales manager of corporate tours:

2) Interview for the position of assistant manager:

3) Interview for the position of TOP manager:

You can find other episodes of this show on YouTube. It is possible that among them there will be an analysis of the case of the vacancy for which you are applying.

8. Conclusion

Xenia, thank you very much for such detailed answers. I hope that now it will be much easier for our readers to pass an interview for a job.

1. Prepare for the interview ahead of time;
2. At the meeting, behave naturally and do not worry;
3. Follow the rules of the dress code;
4. Be optimistic and friendly with the interlocutor.

Alexander, thank you for inviting me. I hope we will continue to cooperate.

I wish you all good luck and career development!

We all know the common phrase: "The soldier who does not dream of becoming a general is bad." Let us disagree with her, because there are many examples in the pharmaceutical market when successful specialists are not at all interested in career growth due to a change in responsibilities. After all, for example, for a medical representative, a higher position of a regional manager implies a new level of responsibility and a large number of business trips, and for a pharmacist, the head of a pharmacy can mean an increase in the length of the working day, managerial functions and financial responsibility. Nevertheless, this article is aimed at those specialists in the pharmaceutical market who are interested in increasing.

Possible career development options

It is worth considering separately two possible career options: promotion within your company or moving to a higher position in a new company.

The “promotion within your company” option may seem easier: it is enough to be an effective employee and grow within your competencies, indicate your career ambitions to your immediate supervisor and wait for the appropriate position to appear. However, this is not always easy to implement in practice for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the structure of the company may not imply the existence of an appropriate position, especially if we are talking not about the central Moscow office, but about working in the regions.

Secondly, the leader may not always be interested in the fact that an effective specialist who consistently fulfills the plan leaves his team.

Therefore, it often turns out that it is easier to advance in a position in a new company. However, in this case, we suggest that you be patient, since not every company that announces a competition for a managerial position is ready to consider candidates without experience in the relevant position. Nevertheless, such positions periodically appear on the market. Consider how to prepare for the competition for a leadership position.

Find a mentor

First, enlist the support of one of the current managers - this may be your current leader, if you have developed a trusting professional relationship with him. It often happens that an experienced and competent manager, seeing that an employee of his team has grown professionally, but the regional structure of the company does not provide opportunities for his career growth, he himself is internally ready for a dialogue on this topic. After all, a professionally burned-out employee who is no longer interested in his functionality often ceases to bring results to the team. In this case, you can act openly: indicate your career ambitions to the manager and agree that he will help you develop the relevant competencies. In turn, you will continue to work without compromising efficiency in your current position until you have the opportunity to leave the team with a promotion. However, this is an ideal option, which is not so common in practice. If for one reason or another you do not want to discuss the issue of career development with your immediate supervisor, then a manager from a third-party company, for example, your supervisor from a previous job, can become your mentor in this matter.

Contact a professional recruiter

You can get useful advice at a recruiting agency. Make a professional acquaintance with a consultant who selects employees for the positions of regional managers. Not a single competent recruiter will refuse to help you and give advice on how best to get an interview in a particular company, what competencies are important for the position you are applying for, how best to “sell” your experience and skills. In addition, he will talk about what is known in the market about this company, whether there are any "pitfalls". After all, every consultant of a recruitment agency understands that today you are a candidate, and tomorrow you can become his client.

Read specialized literature

Not possessing practical experience performing certain (in this case, managerial) tasks, you need to ideally prepare theoretically in order to clearly understand the entire scope of the functionality during the interview. Refer to professional literature. S.V. Paukov, widely known for his "Guide for a Medical Representative of a Pharmaceutical Company", is also the author of the book "Regional Management". Of course, there are other books and publications on this topic, which can be found both on the Internet and in the relevant sections of bookstores. We also recommend reading the relevant forums and thematic sections of pharmaceutical sites.

Do you want to know what skills you need to "pump" in order to become a good leader? Take part in the webinar What qualities should a real leader have? November 23 at 13:00 Moscow time!

Expand your functionality

Preparing for an interview for more high position And don't forget about practice. If this is correct in your case, ask the manager to delegate some of his duties to you. Many managers will gladly hand over some of their tasks to you, as this allows them to offload themselves. For you, this is an invaluable opportunity: in an interview, you can say with confidence that you have necessary skills. In addition, part of the competition for a managerial position in pharmaceutical companies is often an assessment center (a method of comprehensive personnel assessment that includes tests and business games), where, as a rule, the skills of applicants are checked on specific cases. In this case, you will need personal experience in performing a number of managerial tasks.

There are a lot of vacancies for the head today. But there are even more people who want to get this position. How do you prepare to be at the forefront of this job race? Especially if you feel that being a manager is exactly your path in life?

labor market in modern world similar to gladiator fights. And to get through this fight, you need significant advantages, will and a constant desire to achieve the maximum. In this article, we will cover the main points in preparing for an interview. What do you need to pay attention to, how to be confident and how to show your competence?

Employers' requirements

But let's start with how employers look at candidates? Seeing the situation from their point of view, we can soberly evaluate ourselves. Adjust the direction of your personal growth. What do they require? It is important for employers that the employee is fully and unconditionally dedicated to the needs of their company. In most ads we find the following requirements:

• Ability to build relationships and negotiate.
• Efficiency of decision making.
• Dedication to work, responsibility.
• Self-organization and the ability to organize others.
• Scrupulousness.
• Self-development skills.
• Ability to set goals and develop plans.
• Orientation towards success.
• The ability to manage your time.

All right. The company that has a comfortable moral and psychological climate works better. where employees are jointly responsible for the result of their work and are not afraid to take the initiative. To do this, the person who is at the head of all processes must be the undisputed leader. He must develop strategic thinking, have high level self-control, as well as the need to understand their motives and subordinates. After all, if a person does not have a motive for activity, it is impossible to “force” him to work. Working with people also involves a lot of responsibility.

The manager is responsible for all the work that subordinates do. And, if necessary, he must intervene and help solve the difficulties that have arisen. So, he needs to know thoroughly the whole process that he manages. You need to plan time according to the importance of tasks.

Based on the above qualities, we can draw a picture of the ideal manager. Now ask yourself, what is your motivation? Are you ready to move closer to this ideal step by step, to achieve better results, to climb career ladder, and at the same time sacrifice the interests of his personality?

Create a "face". Secrets of the image of the head

We found out that someone who has leadership abilities and outstanding analytical thinking is more likely to get a job as a leader. Your task at the interview with all your appearance and behavior to demonstrate all these qualities to the interviewer.

Show that you have your own view of the surrounding things, events. Show that you have formed as a person and you have your own image. But don't overdo it. Your behavior should be natural. Otherwise you will look funny. To create your image, you need to practice a little.

1. Exude confidence. Work in front of a mirror with facial expressions and gestures. If facial expressions or posture betray stiffness, stiffness, then fortune may turn away from you. You can not fold your hands "lock". Also, do not cross your legs. The best posture is to sit straight with your hands on the table or on your knees. Watch your posture. While talking, make eye contact. Otherwise, the interlocutor may get the impression that you have a problem with contacts.
2. Polish your speech. Leadership must be clear, concise and to the point. But at the same time, speech must be free. Don't let anxiety ruin your impression. Remember that communication skills are essential for a leader.
3. Appearance. You will benefit if you dress presentably and tastefully. Think about what kind of shoes you will wear. Pick your accessories. Your view is showing internal state. Show that your creed is neatness and accuracy. Your hair, arms, cuffs, everything must look perfect. But by no means fancy.
4. openness and optimism. It is important to show the interviewer that you are optimistic about the future: you have personal goals that you are striving for. If the interviewer sees that you are full of enthusiasm and ready to move mountains for the sake of the goal, you can safely count on success. But still, personal goals cannot contradict corporate ones. On the contrary, they need to be as close as possible.
5. Bold, active stance and quick mind. You can show these qualities in conversation. To do this, find out everything about the company in advance and tell us what you think about its position in the market. Ask what priorities the director of the company puts before you. Find out if the owner plans to expand his business. All these questions will show your competence, maturity, and intelligence at the same time.

Types of interviews and principles of behavior

Since competition in the labor market is high, education and experience do not play a decisive role in choosing. So get ready for trials and anxieties. An interview may be arranged to test your knowledge, mental toughness, or other criteria. Everyone knows about the usual biographical interview. But let's talk about some types of interviews that go beyond a simple face-to-face conversation. And how to deal with them.

panel. During such an interview, two or three people can talk to you. Each of them evaluates a certain criterion. And then he delivers his verdict to the director who makes the decision.

The principle of behavior. Each interviewer has their own set of questions. Don't interrupt him. You will be able to ask prepared questions at the end of the interview. Don't make excuses. Be honest in your answers and be kind.

stress interview. It is carried out by one person or several at the same time. Their task is to take the applicant out of the comfort zone. That is, a person is deliberately pissed off: they can scream or, on the contrary, turn away and not listen at all. Try to be calm and natural. The candidate is deliberately angered to see how he copes with stressful loads.

The principle of behavior. Be courteous and answer questions with dignity. If you remain calm and act confident in dealing with a clearly inadequate interlocutor, you will successfully pass the selection.

Competency interview. You are asked a series of questions that will be analyzed further. The questions will be about the content of your work. Or simulate a situation from which you must exit in a certain way. So the employer extracts the necessary information about the applicant and evaluates the level of his training. The problems of psychological compatibility of employees often fall on the shoulders of the manager. Perhaps the employer wants to know about your experience in solving such problems.

The principle of behavior. Try to imagine this situation and find at least some solution.

Knowing about all the pitfalls that can block your path to finding the desired position, you can better prepare. By working on yourself, you will certainly achieve your cherished goal. After all, luck favors the strongest.