Column: Job Search: Interviewing Issues

There are a number of problems that crop up in interviewing. Here are some potential ways to deal with the most common ones.

A. Portfolios and Work Samples

Some organizations want you to bring in samples of your work when you interview. Others ask for them before or after a first interview. When you create a portfolio of your work, keep these ideas in mind:

• It should be comprehensive and well-organized.
• It should show your breadth as well as depth of knowledge.
• Pick out examples of your best work.

These sound obvious, but like resumes, some folks think they have to toss everything they ever did into a portfolio. Not so!

When bringing a hard-copy portfolio to an interview, tailor it to the job's needs. And never bring originals, copies are fine.

Remember your 'success stories' that we talked about in Preparing to Find a New Job and Other Marketing Avenues? Tie your portfolio into some of those so you can illustrate your achievements.

Got a great boss or client commendation note (e-mail or hard copy)? If it has some specifics that tie into what you want to demonstrate about yourself, put a copy in.

Web portfolios and resumes:

Web portfolios are an added piece of information about an applicant. They show a hiring manager how an applicant thinks about what is important. Is the applicant Web-savvy? Do technical tricks take precedence over relevant content? Does the site load quickly and easily? Relevant links and ease of navigation are big positives. Links to samples of one's work are useful for what they say about what the person chooses to show, not just as an evaluation of her skill set. Web-savvy folks know that clients change Web sites. So, keeping those screen shots from your version with a comment about what work you did or how you designed it is always helpful.

One online version of your resume is fine. It can be more comprehensive than the 1- to 2-page version you use for job search. But keep it focused and show your relevant achievements. Remember, online or not, a resume is an advertisement for you.

B. Dealing with Potentially Illegal Questions

Unfortunately, not all interviewers are trained to conduct effective interviews. And one area that this shows up in most commonly is the asking of questions which violate federal and state equal opportunity laws. When you are faced with such a question, you can always ask "I am not sure how this relates to the job requirements, could you explain?" Or, if it is your style, you can say something like "That question seems to be an illegal one." But remember, one mistake by an interviewer is not worth a big reaction.

However, if you receive a number of such questions or several interviewers in the organization ask such questions, you may want to think about what this tells you about the organization. And whether you really want to work there.

C. Been Fired? Laid Off?

This is not so uncommon as you think. No, you do not have a scarlet letter on your head. But how you discuss it when asked is what is important to the hiring manager. If you have lost several jobs because you had lousy managers, how willing do you think this manager is to become your next 'lousy manager'? Get your grief and defensiveness under control and develop a short reply to the inevitable question about why you left.

Been fired? Something like this may be your best answer:

"After x time there, we had a major restructuring. This resulted in my working for a boss with whom I had significant professional disagreements and I left. I can provide you with excellent references from people there with whom I worked closely."

That is it. No details. Most of us have been in a similar situation at some point and do not worry about it unless it is part of a larger pattern.

Caught in cutbacks? Try something like this:

"We had funding/revenue/contract problems, and x percent of us were let go. The company was very reluctant to take this step, but treated us well."

or,

"I was really happy with my work there, even after we had had some layoffs. But the company was in ever more trouble, and finally I was also let go."

Been unemployed for a long time? The answer again is a simple variant of:

"I am looking for the right opportunity to contribute and to use my skills effectively. I have been actively looking, but I also have improved my skills through volunteer work, additional study, experiential projects," or whatever is relevant.

D. Titles

Titles can be quite confusing. Not only do different organizations call one job by a variety of names but also levels, such as Director, can have widely divergent meanings. Also, some job titles have changed meaning over time. So, you should be looking at a wide range of possible titles when you are looking for jobs that might interest you.

But what happens when the job title sounded right when you applied but in the interview the job doesn't? Ask questions!! Clarify with each interviewer what the job really entails. The title is not as important as the job content and its value in the context of your goals. However, if it is not the right job for you, tell them so. Ask if they have other jobs that match your skills better and tell them what you are looking for.

Maybe a specific title is really critical to you. Some organizations do have very specific rules on what titles are allowed. Others may be willing to change a title if they really want you. You should pick up a feel for how regimented the organization is in the interviewing process. So if you just have to be a your favorite title here and you think they might be willing, then wait till they make the offer and try to negotiate your desired title.

But do remember that titles do not make the job any better or worse, so don't be swayed by what the job is called; go for the real attributes!

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