P n rila n h O bserver
Take It From the Experts:
Smart Advice on Interviewing for a Job
COMPI LE D BY. J oyce K ia W I TTER
Know Your Librarian
“G et to know the reference librar­
ian in the career section o f your
public library. He or she can help you
research com panies that use (and
probably need) people w ho do what
you do.” - M arvin W alberg writes
“Getting H ired," a national w eekly
column.
Talk About the Next
Five Years
.
“Q uestions about your future
plans have becom e interview clas-
-sics. Jobseekers ca n ’t expect to
• avoid the issue. So, i f som eone asks
about your next five years, you
should realize that there is no perfect
answer. W hile it’s good to have
goals, it is very, very bad to stick to
them too rigidly. Be honest, focused,
realistic, and flexible. M aybe you
should say, ‘1 hope I’ll be working
somewhere I can continue to grow
while know ing that I have already
contributed and learned a lot.” -
Ana Honigman, a freelance writer on
careers.
Crib Notes for Job
Seekers
During a telephone interview,
keep your notes handy: H ave any
key information, including your re­
sume, notes about the com pany,
and any cue cards you have pre­
pared, next to the phone. You will
sound prepared if you d on’t have to
search for information. M ake sure
you also have a notepad and pen so
you can jo t dow n notes and any
•questions you w ould like to ask at
the end o f the interview.
Don’t Forget to Ask
Prepare five good questions. Un­
derstanding that you m ay not have
tim e to ask them all. A sk questions
concerning the job, the com pany,
and the industry orprofession. Your
questions should indicate your in­
terest in these subjects and that you
have read and thought about them.
Research the
Company
The m ore you know about the
com pany and the jo b you are apply­
ing for, the better you will appear in
the interview. Find out as m uch key
information as you can about the
com pany, its products and its cus­
tomers, I f possible, talk to people
who w ork at the company. Search for
the following: O ffice locations, prod­
ucts and services, customers, com ­
petitors, philosophy, history, recent
new s, financial info, including salary
and stock.
June 13,2001
Focus on Careers
by actually dropping by the office
unannounced (for instance you could
go disguised as a bike messenger). -
Apuma Kumar o f wetfeet.com.
Get the Offer in Writing
"The written offer should spell out
the important terms o f the job and your
obligations to the company. Even if
you’ve had some time to think over an
offer and you’ve assured the company
tht you’ll accept it, you should still ask
to see the offer in writing. Make sure the
job title, salary and benefits match or
improve upon w hat you had in mind
Page 11
when you said you’d accept it If it
doesn’t measure up, promptly send it
back and let the com pany know
w hat’s amiss. You may want to find
out when you will be paid, too; some
com panies pay every two weeks,
while other p3y twice a month. This
will m ean the difference between 24
annual paychecks and 26!” - Amy
Boutell ofw etfeet.com
Tell Them What
You Make
“H ow can you make the m ost
o f your current salary without
lying? The sim plest w ay is to
consider the value o f your total
com pensation. W hen providing
salary inform ation, include not
only base salary and bonuses
but also benefits such as car al­
lowance, reim bursement forclub
dues, expense accounts, deferred
com pensation, stock and stock
options, pension benefits, 401 (k)
plans, com pany-paid insurance,
and so on. If possible, avoid be­
ing too precise, at least during the
prelim inary discussions.” - Lee
M iller, author o f “G et M ore
M oney on Your N ext Job.”
Negotiating the Deal
“ So w hat rights and perks are
fair gam e at the bargaining table?
Surprisingly, a lot more than you
may think. Forstartcrs, learn your
“street value” and try to justify
your salary' requirements. D o n ’t
forget to factor in your cost o f
living and any travel expenses.
D iscuss your opportunities for
jo b advancem ent and, if appli­
cable, a fair commission rate. A d­
ditional negotiating points in­
c lu d e v a c a tio n , o v e rtim e ,
telecom m uting, and tuition as­
sistance. “Non-negotiables” are
those things offered to every
employee, regardlessofposition:
pension and profit sharing com ­
pensation, health insurance, and
disability plans. Those things are
typically carved in stone and
shouldn’t be subject to change.’
- Erika W elz Prafder, president o f
Real W orld C areers and colum ­
nist for the “N ew York Post.”
P0RTLAND PARKS
& Recreation
Portland Parks a n d Recreation is
pleased to participate in this Special
Edition o f The Portland Observer.
Our relationship with The Portland
Observer is special. Portland Parks and
Recreation receives a very high approval
rating from the Citizens o f Portland, and
your coverage o f our plans and events is an
important Contributor. Thanks fo r the
Support and the Great work that you do__
Suggest an Audition
Note: In situations where other
candidates appear to have an edge
because o f stronger educational
qualifications or experience, you
might w ant to suggest an audi­
tion. Y ou could gain a lot, and you
have very little to lose!
Breaking the Rules with Style
“A com m on piece o f advice
that’s given to job seekers on the
issue o f dress is to scope out the
com pany before your interview
Charles Jordan