25
Nov
Click the link to read the original post about interviews from the interviewer’s perspective.
Yesterday, I gave an interview of a different sort: for a freelance (re: temporary) position. Since the criteria, competencies and job itself are different from a more permanent position (that was discussed in part 1), this post is to serve as a reference point for those wondering what their interviewers may be thinking during an interview for a contract job. Here are a series of tips based on what I found out during the interviews:
- Asking more questions is a good thing, but don’t steer the conversation. Since the position is time-sensitive and there are a lot of details that you need to know about quickly, it’s all right to start asking questions almost immediately. But if you start trying to steer the conversation, it might go in a direction that you don’t want it to.
- You can bring up money on the first interview, but back up your numbers. If you are pitching for a job of a certain type and ask how much the competition is charging, your interviewer may give you a large range (ours had a difference of over $100,000 from lowest to highest bids) that won’t really help you determine how much to ask for. But if you are throwing out a number, use facts, previous projects, client testimonials and any materials at your disposal to show that you are worth your asking price, or else you may come across as cocky and overpriced.
- Be prepared to get an offer for something you didn’t come to meet about. My company has several projects in the pipeline, and we found that one of our candidates was better-suited to working on a different project than the one he came to interview about. Despite changing the conversation to reflect the other position, he kept clinging to the first project, and lost out on actually getting the job we could have hired him for.
- Don’t make assumptions about your employer’s business, especially if you haven’t done your research. The same interviewee had not bothered to look up any information about our company, and jumped right into his assessment of a project that we were showing him – but that project was completed months ago, and was actually quite successful. He put his foot in his mouth so severely that it left a bad taste on the rest of the interview.
- Speaking of that, make sure to do your research. It helps if you know what a company does, has done, what its competencies are, what its limits are, and so on. This way, you can tailor your approach (and payment figure) to the specifications that will make you seem more attractive, qualified and employable to interviewers.
- Speaking “business” is not as essential, but make sure you sound socially competent. A number of interviewees for the position are technical workers, and as such, did not understand much business jargon or many of the results-driven terms that were used during the interview. But that’s okay – it’s almost like speaking another language. However, being able to understand what your interviewer is asking you (and what they want the person they eventually hire to do) is critical, so ask for clarification if you need it.
- Don’t make your knowledge gaps apparent. If you start trying to lead the conversation, the interviewer may touch on certain points that expose weaknesses in your experience or knowledge. If asked if you know something, or about it, at least show more interest or learning potential than saying “no.” That makes you seem unpleasant and unwilling to compromise.
- Leave a great last impression. I was one of two interviewers yesterday, and although I did not do the majority of the talking (the other interviewer did, as he understands technical stuff better), my assessment is still a part of determining if someone is hired. When one candidate left, they forgot to acknowledge me or shake my hand, doing so only with the other interviewer. As a result, I was less impressed with this candidate.
If you’re going to enter the freelancer’s world, make sure that you are armed with the right knowledge to get the best results from your interviews as possible. The tactics that work when applying for full-time positions don’t necessarily apply.
