Page 140 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

SELL YOURSELF IN ANY INTERVIEW

Interviewing with Human Resources (HR) Personnel

An HR manager is usually the first person in a company to see
your résumé. His or her primary job is to weed you out. If you
get a call or an e-mail from an HR manager, keep in mind that
what you say and how you say it will determine whether you
move forward in the process or are eliminated on the spot.
Although the HR manager is usually not the final deci-
sion maker, he or she does wield a great deal of power—par-
ticularly at the beginning of the process—because he or she
will decide whether or not you get an interview. Therefore,
you must make a good impression. Let the manager know
that you are interested in the company and the position by
using specifics from your research. Again, use your excellent
listening skills and soft questions to hone in on which bene-
fits are important to him or her and the department he or
she is representing.

Establish a Good Relationship to Get to the Next Interview
These three professionals—headhunters, recruiters, and HR
managers—serve as screeners for the hiring manager. They
want to send only the best, most desirable, and qualified can-
didates on to be interviewed by the hiring manager and his
or her team. By establishing a good relationship with these
individuals, you can move yourself along to the next step in
the process.
In addition, headhunters, recruiters, and HR people are
valuable sources of information. Here are some questions
they may be able to answer for you:

❏ “Who will be at the interview?”

❏ “What are the interviewers’ names and positions?”

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