Robert Moment is The Get Hired Expert – a coach who specialises in preparing people for job interviews. He helps people who are having trouble turning interviews into offers to go that extra step and stand out from the candidate pack to get the job.

Robert, how did you get into the business of interview coaching?

After college graduation, I prepared for several job interviews but was unsuccessful in getting a job offer.  I experienced disappointment and could not figure out why I wasn’t getting hired.  I had a few interviews with major companies that I thought had gone well, but I did not receive a job offer from any of them.

After receiving my 5th job rejection letter, I decided to take action and write a personal letter to the Vice President of the last company I interviewed with asking if we could meet for lunch so that I could get his honest and constructive feedback on my interview with him.

My invitation to meet was accepted, and I received an invaluable interview coaching lesson. The Vice President of that company told me that I was confident, had a great personality, I was prepared, professionally dressed, and answered all of his interview questions correctly. So I asked him, “Why wasn’t I given a job offer.” His response was, “You didn’t stand out from the competition.”

That simple yet powerful feedback was an essential turning point in my career growth and development.   I recognized the importance of having a strategy to “stand out” from the competition, so I developed a 7 Step Get Hired Strategy customizable based on the position, and the company that allowed me to successfully interview and get hired working for iconic Fortune 500 corporations.

Included in my 7 step get hired strategy are four primary questions that every job candidate must answer in the mind of every Hiring Manager:

1. Can you perform the tasks of the job?
2. What problem would hiring you solve?
3. Why should we hire you?
4. Are you a good cultural fit for the company?

Because I have been fortunate enough to be on both sides of the table, I realized that most people don’t have a get hired strategy to stand out from the competition, so I decided to share my knowledge to help make a difference in the careers of others.

What would you say is the most common problem people have in interviews?

Many job candidates don’t sell their talent, skills and abilities to the hiring manager in an interview.

Many job candidates don’t ask smart questions that will make them stand out.

Many job candidates don’t have a get hired strategy on how they are going to stand out from the competition.

Many job candidates don’t have the correct body language, make eye contact.

Many job candidates do not research the company in-depth, they are not prepared for the interview.

Many job candidates believe their resume qualifies them to receive a job offer, so they don’t prepare.

Many job candidates do not dress for success.

Many job candidates don’t utilize active listening skills.  By not focusing on what the hiring manager is saying an interviewee can miss cues that will help them uncover the hiring manager’s business pain and needs.

What are the top skills you teach people?

How to display the top 5 soft skills hiring managers are looking for in a candidate.  Those soft skills are adaptability, problem solving, creativity, time management and critical thinking.

How to sell themselves in an interview to make them an irresistible hire.

How to develop a 30, 60, 90 day action plan to stand out from the competition.

How to ace an interview using the STAR method.

How to sell the value they bring to an organization.

How to successfully answer the top 20 commonly asked interview questions.

How to turn an interview into a job offer.

How to close an interview and ask for the job.

How should someone prepare for a job interview?

Research the company online to find out who is the CEO, what is his/her vision, understand the company’s culture, their products and services, their mission statement, their philosophy, what is their yearly revenue, where do they rank in their industry and, know their top competitors.

Prepare answers for commonly asked interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself.”

Have a mock interview to practice how you answer the most commonly asked interview questions; you want to be confident, clear and concise in your responses.

Prepare 10 smart questions to ask the hiring manager that will make you stand out.

Prepare a killer elevator pitch that will tell the hiring manager who you are, what you do, and what you want.

Know your resume inside out.

Dress for success, image is everything.

Always send a personalized thank you note recapping the interview and the value you will bring to the company.

What kinds of questions are particularly common in interviews?

Tell me about yourself.

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Why do you want to work here?

What do you know about this company?

Why should we hire you?

What kind of questions should you ask an interviewer?

Can you describe the daily roles and responsibilities in this position?

Can you describe your management style?

How is performance measured in this position?

What are some of the tasks you want accomplished in the first 30, 60, and 90 days in this position?

What are some of the challenges one will face in this position?

What do you like about working here?

Where do you see this company heading in the future?

Are there any differences in how you should approach a phone interview compared to one in person?

No, both types of interviews are treated the same.

The only difference is that you can have your notes in front of you as talking points in a phone interview.

Don’t have a casual mindset for a phone interview, be mindful of your environment, be enthusiastic smile when you are speaking, and keep your responses short and to the point.

Be prepared to answer commonly asked interview questions.

Have a list of questions to ask the hiring manager.

Be prepared to close the interview by asking “What is the next step?”

Send a thank you note after the interview for both types of interviews.

If you could only give one piece of advice for a job interview, what would it be?

“A job interview is NOT just a two-way conversation; it’s a strategy to get hired.”

                                                            —Robert Moment, The Get Hired Expert

Have a positive attitude and show enthusiasm about the opportunity.

Interview preparation is the #1 skill to ace an interview.

Know how to sell your talent, skills and abilities.

Be a problem solver utilizing the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Results).

Display your soft skills in work related scenarios.

Show the hiring manager that you are a cultural fit for the company.

Have a strategy to stand out from the competition.

Always ask for the job (not in a desperate way).  Summarize your talent, skills, abilities and the value you will bring to the company.

Thank you Robert for sharing your thoughts and tips with us!
You can follow up with Robert Moment at www.howtoaceaninterview.com