The following article is written by Jack Thomas, Guest Blogger and Author of our Nifty 50 Series. The excerpt is from an interview with the head of a local University. The source has asked to remain anonymous to avoid any response directly to their institution. We of course have granted this request, and hope you find the advice as insightful as we have.

Interview tips from Leaders in Business

1. What are some of the most common mistakes you see in the application process?

From the agency/organization’s side: When the organization creates a job description, it lists 15 to 20 pieces of information in it:  job functions,     responsibilities, and candidate qualifications.  Usually, all of this is good.  However, most organizations don’t take the next step to prioritize which are most important or which are required.  So when applications come in, it’s hard to screen them.  I would recommend identifying 3 to 4 qualifications that are required and create a “gate” with them.

All applicants who meet these 3 to 4 qualifications move to the next step; those who don’t are out of the process. Another mistake is underestimating how much time it takes to review applications and move the process along.  How an organization treats its applicants acts as the front door.  It’s common to hear, “I applied to XYZ corporation and never heard anything from them.”  That’s a mistake because it’s bad for the organization’s image.  The entire process from application to termination should be smooth, timely, and in good form.

From the applicant’s side: A generic cover letter: If an applicant wants the position, she must make a case for it. Many cover letters are so generic; they are not interesting.  An applicant must find a way to connect.

2. Can you share the importance of an Individual Development Plan in business today?

In my experience, such a plan is not particularly important.  If an employee or employer needs a skill, that’s the time it becomes apparent and professional development is offered.  That being said, an individual must keep an eye to the future and his “next position.”   It’s the individual’s responsibility to keep developing his/her skills. The only exception to this is if the organization has a succession and development plan. To be in that pool guarantees professional development on a sustained basis.

3. In your experience, how many examples do you need to validate a behavior or accomplishment?

It depends…if the accomplishment is a significant difference  from “normal” behavior, it would take more examples to sustain or validate the behavior.  I might think that the accomplishment was “luck.”

4.  Is their a difference in the way a question should be answered in a phone or email interview as opposed to a face to face interview?

Yes…face-to-face has the advantages of proximity, eye contact, body language, and interaction.  In a phone or email interview, the applicant and interviewer must be so much more careful to project the intended image.

5. What do you look for in potential employees?

Energy: work is hard and every successful organization needs people who will lend an energetic spirit to the work

Skill: be sure the applicant can really perform as he/she says they can.

6. What makes someone stand out as a potential leader in your organization?

Someone who is present at work, who gets the job done, and brings others along for the journey.

7. Has anyone ever surprised you with their path to success? Without revealing names or other sensitive data, could you share something about that?

Those who get the job done, bring others along for the journey, and persist never surprise me.  It’s the really good people who derail or the less than able who catch the eye of a promoter that continually surprise me. Fortunately, there are more in the first situation.

8. What do you consider to be the three keys to conducting an interview?

Preparation, interest, ability to engage in conversation, the same as the person being interviewed! Interviewing, both on the interviewee and interviewer side, is like a first date.  It’s the same tension!  Being prepared, interested, and engaging is about all that you can bring to the table for the first encounter.

9. Does appearance matter when the interview is face to face?

YES!  Both the employer and applicant need to provide a neat, clean, appropriately dressed, mannerly approach to an interview.

10. What is the best tip for getting from the application to actually obtaining an interview for a position?

Persistence…After sending the application, wait a week, then call the contact. If you get voice mail, hang up.  Call back until you get a live person.  Ask about the process in a polite manner.  Ask if you can call again in a week.  Be upbeat, friendly.  It’s a tricky balance between being a pest and being persistent. If you can’t tell which category you fall in to, ask the person on the phone.  Only do this IF this is a job you really want!

11. In today’s marketplace, what is the best piece of advice you can give to someone who is unsure about what they are qualified for?

Find people in many areas of work and talk to them about what you can do and what they think you might be able to do. Anyone who has a job usually knows what others do in their organization.

Scour the want ads and research what job titles actually do based on the “responsibilities” part of want ads. Find an HR person (someone you know must know someone!) and discuss your research with them.

If you have attended or graduated from a college or technical school, go to the Career Services department and ask for a consultation about your job possibilities.  It might even help you search for a position.

Closing remarks from Mr. Thomas:

Great tidbits here. In today’s market, you must be able to sell yourself! It is also very apparent to know what exactly what it is that you’re applying for. You can’t talk about your skill sets if they have no bearing on the job you’re applying for! And, just as in the articles I have previously posted on this blog, it is the persistent person who usually gets at least to the interview. Don’t give up! Let the interviewer know that YOU are the right candidate to select.

Coming up next: We ask the same series of questions to the head of a Government Agency.