Pre-Interview Preparation
10 steps to getting hired
by Deb Kloeppel, MSCCN
Reentry into your corporate field of expertise takes the power of knowing and negotiating realistic expectations. Corporate recruiters wouldn’t have called you in for an interview if you didn’t possess the skill sets necessary to perform the job. If your work history indicates a break in the work cycle, and you’re competing for a highly sought-after job, you must shine to the recruiter as a star producer. Star producers show up early, contribute fully, make themselves indispensable to the team and become the “go-to” person regarding clients, team members and supervisors. Use these terms to a corporate recruiter if you’re re-entering the corporate workforce.
During your interview, compartmentalize everything else in your life. Do not leave your military culture behind, however. Many employers depends on the great work ethic that military spouses bring to the table. A job interview is not a therapy session; it’s a race for the best. Corporations can afford to be very particular these days. Make yourself competitive; make yourself stand out appropriately.
TEN TOP TIPS FOR GETTING HIRED:
1. Ensure that your résumé truly reflects your skill sets. Use a one-page résumé. List the job you want in the first sentence of the cover letter. Place your desire to work from home in the body of the résumé.
2. Ensure that you are truly job ready. Recruiters are trained to weed out people who waffle.
3. Ensure that you can pass a criminal and credit check.
4. Ensure that you can pass a drug tap.
5. Ensure that you check the Internet for digital dirt surrounding your name if it is “Googled.”
6. Ensure that you have prepared your military family for your reentry or initial entry into the workforce.
7. Ensure that you don’t negotiate salary and work hours during any part of the interview process. Wait until you become indispensable to the employer before negotiating terms of employment.
8. Ensure that you know the difference in interview processes between making a reentry into the corporate workforce (break in work cycle) and snagging a corporate job in your field of expertise (no break in work cycle).
9. Ensure that you have a surefire answer to the question: “Do you move a lot?” A surefire answer is this: “On average, a civilian stays in a job two months less than a military spouse. I intend to remain a star producer when working for your organization by fully contributing to the mission of the project assigned to me. I’ll become the go-to person.”(Corporate recruiters love this sentiment.)
10. Ensure that you believe in your abilities and talents. Recruiters are trained to know when you don’t.