Playing on Your Strengths: Preparing for the job interview

May 1, 2000

Playing on Your Strengths

Preparing for the job interview

By Fred Workley

May 2000

Fred Workley is the president of Workley Aircraft and Maintenance Inc. in Manassas, VA. He is on the technical committees of PAMA and NATA and participates in several Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committees. He frequently speaks to groups on issues of current interest to the aviation community. He holds an A&P certificate with an inspection authorization, general radio telephone license, a technician plus license, ATP, FE, CFI-I, and advance and instrument ground inspector licenses.

You may not be looking for a job, but the market for skilled aviation maintenance professionals is very hot. There are many employers looking for you right now.

If you are on the market, what do you know about a prospective employer? Your preparation homework becomes important even in an excellent job market. Let's take a close look at some of the issues you need to address when you are selling yourself as the world's greatest aviation maintenance professional who is, of course, worth a lot of money. Companies also want to know what you can do for them. Why not be prepared to tell them?

Knowledge is powe
r One way to research a prospective employer is through that company's web site. Another way is to ask people who are already employees. During the interview, knowing about a company puts forth a positive impression and gives you an advantage over other applicants.

You may not wear a suit and tie while servicing and repairing an airplane, but when you are interviewing, a suit tells them that you mean business. Remember that the suit doesn't make the person, but it lets the interviewer know that you take the interview very seriously. Erica Goode of the New York Times, in a syndicated series, published in many newspapers, had an article titled "Incompetence is Bliss, Say Researchers." A Cornell University study has shown that incompetent people do not know that they are incompetent. David Dunning, a professor of psychology reports that people who do things badly are often more confident in their abilities than people who do things well. The conclusions were published in the December 1999, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. "Not only do they reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it." The deficiency is in "self-monitoring skills."

It's like continuing to tell the same joke time after time even though it's not funny. Another example would be to repeat something that didn't work the first time exactly the same way the second time even though you should, by logic, assume that it would not work again. Albert Einstein gave this explanation for this flawed procedure, "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." I say that humans are creatures of habit, and they can get stuck in the same rut.

Know thyself
The researchers found that people who have a good grasp of language and grammar, can reason logically, and can understand humor, have fewer tendencies to "grossly overestimate" how well they perform. Poor performance in these skills led to distortions in the individual's self-estimates. Have you thought about your ability to assess your own performance?

There are reasons why people overestimate their competency or are not even aware of whether others judge them as competent, say the researchers. Often, people will not give each other feedback out of polite courtesy. It's very seldom that adults will tell another "how it is" even though they will tell someone "where to go." So, what does this have to do with interviewing for a technical position of fixing airplanes?

I have always contended that everything takes a certain amount of time. You can put the time on the front end or the aft end to get the same result. Usually it is more productive on the front end. Preparing for the interview will require you to take stock of yourself, a self-assessment. Be honest with yourself. You may have to expose your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you don't have a good sense of humor. The way to fix that is to stop telling bad jokes. Once you have taken stock of your abilities, you may find that you are just exactly what a future employer is looking for in your upcoming interview.

I recently reviewed the FAA video titled "Put Wings in Your Career." The video stated that people become mechanics for several reasons. They like the satisfying work, responsibility, use of independent judgment, and the opportunities for advancement. If all of us became mechanics for these reasons, you have to some how differentiate yourself from the other candidates.

Selling points
Here are some points you can use to sell yourself: You work safely and efficiently. You have a flair for mechanical things. You can figure out how things should work as well as analyze defects. Also, you have the ability to make the correct repair for the situation and can reassemble complex components and systems. You can then install the repaired unit and perform functional checks. You have a high sense of responsibility. You have a willingness to keep learning. You possess precision skills. You can align and calibrate complicated, highly technical systems.

You don't mind getting your hands dirty. Thus, you can service and maintain all types of aircraft. You can fabricate and finish intricate parts. You have an extensive knowledge of sophisticated equipment. You have a genuine interest in aviation and technical things. You have a solid academic background in arithmetic, mechanical systems, aerodynamics and communication skills. You can think on your feet while multi-tasking (doing 10 things at once). You have specialized training and keep up with the latest changes in technology within the aviation industry. You understand how to comply with the guidance and regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Troubleshoot your appearance
Avoid anything that distracts from your appearance. I once interviewed a young man for a technical position who had just bought a new suit for the interview. The reason I know this is that every time he raised his right arm, I could see the sales tag on the underside of his sleeve. I knew exactly the price of the suit "on sale." I hired him and seven years later, I hired him again for another company for a different job. I would recommend, however, that you cut the store tags off your new suit. Apply a little "spit and polish" from head to toe. Start with a hair cut and end by polishing your shoes. In between, wear a suit or a sports jacket, a dress shirt with a plain tie. Remember, you've got about seven seconds to make a good first impression. Neatness counts!

Befriend the gatekeeper
Be nice to everyone. The person who answers the phone can make the difference as to whether you get any information and whether your calls and messages get through. Don't get too relaxed and chummy if you are invited out to lunch. Be sociable, but know that you are still being scrutinized. They want to know how you'll fit in, and how you will represent the company to others.

Be prepared for anything
Now that I have told you how great you really are, what would you do if during the interview you were given this assignment? Part one of the assignment is to write a 20- to 30-word summary on an aviation topic that you already know about. Part two is to stand up in front of several people and explain your summary in not more than five minutes.

Would you walk out, loudly questioning the selection process, or would you decide to play the silly game? What does this kind of interview have to do with repairing aircraft? Indeed, this is an exercise in organization, writing, and communications.

If you already know your way around airplanes, would this be one way to test you? But still you ask, "How does this type of exercise tell the interviewer how well I will perform as a technician?" You will have to come up with your own opinion. The point I want to make is that if everyone goes through the same exercise, then you need to be the most successful to get the job.

Remember that every company has a bottom line; simply stated, that means the company must make a profit to stay in business, according to Bill Robinson, Special Services Coordinator, ITT Technical Institute. He says that during the interview, your task is to convince a prospective employer that you can make and/or save money for the company. During the interview your answers should be original and memorable! Forget, "I'm a people person, or I'm a hard worker," — anyone can say that. Interviewers usually want to determine your strengths and your weaknesses.

Robinson says it's wise to have developed three to five success stories to work into the interview. It's easy to brag about your successes because they're true. Your challenge is to take a negatively framed question and answer it to your advantage. Use a story about something that worked for you. In preparation, try these steps: 1. List the challenge 2. Tell how you overcame the challenge to achieve victory 3. Tell the interviewer, "If I can do that, then I can do the same for your company." Always ask for the job Robinson also recommends three things to do at the end of the interview. Use the three steps in this order:

1. Thank them for their time
2. Say, "Based on what we've talked about today regarding my skills and your company, I think there is a good fit with my skills and your needs."
3. Make it very clear that you want the job and that you want to work for this company. Ask the interviewer, "Is there anything else that you would like to know about me now, that would make the hiring decision easier?"

If yes, talk some more. If no, ask the question, "May I call you in two or three days to see if you have any further questions?" If the interviewer agrees, set a specific time for you to call.

Know your motivation
Changing companies can be the opportunity of a lifetime. It may mean a significant salary increase; however, if this is the only motivation for the move, then be careful during the interview. Remember that the company wants you to make money for them. Often technical people leave a job because they are not challenged at the old company. Sometimes a technical person realizes that it's the time in their career to accept a higher level of responsibility. Whatever your motivation, remember: Do your homework, look your best, and sell yourself. You are a highly trained aviation professional. Be proud and Keep Ôem Flying.