Interviewing for a health system CIO position is both an art and a science, and avoiding major gaffes during the process should be your utmost concern. It’s important to be well-prepared before doing an onsite interview, of course. And sometimes mistakes can’t be helped (we’re all human).
Nevertheless, allow me to share some recent CIO interview gaffes that I have witnessed in order to help you know what to avoid. Some of these are classic interviewing mistakes and others just funny anecdotes about what not to do:
Major gaffes to avoid
- Getting lost and arriving late.
- Being discourteous with administrative staff and receptionists.
- Carrying a briefcase in one hand and a glass of water in the other, so as not to be able to shake hands when you meet someone.
- Dressing too casually—such as an open polo shirt underneath a jacket or no tie for a man, or a casual dress or slacks outfit for a woman—for a formal selection committee meeting.
- Wearing excessive amounts of cologne or perfume.
- Using slang or cuss words during the interview with a selection committee or hiring manager.
- Looking down or not making eye contact with anyone.
- Over-selling one’s abilities, being pompous, and talking too much.
- Bringing unsolicited presentations or handouts.
- Not listening, not taking notes, not answering questions directly.
Preparing for your onsite interview
If you are working with an executive recruiter, you should receive help and tips on what to expect and things to avoid. The recruiter should coach you prior to your onsite interview and go over all the people and staff you’ll be meeting, as well as exact times and locations. He/she should give you some idea what questions will be asked by the hiring manager or selection committee.
In addition, the recruiter should help you with travel suggestions, even though you may have to pay for travel expenses up front and get reimbursed later. Make sure you understand the process of submitting receipts for reimbursement, since detailed and original receipts are now needed by accounting departments.
If you are working directly with the health system or hiring manager, here are key things to help prepare for your interview.
- Research the company and executives thoroughly prior to your meeting.
- If local, drive by and even take a tour of the campus and buildings. If you’re coming from a distance, arrive early to get the lay of the land.
- First impressions still mean a lot. Invest in an expensive formal business suit, preferably black, gray or navy—and being well-groomed is always important.
- Practice your answers to key questions in front of a mirror; keep your answers to less than two minutes.
- Bring only extra copies of your resume to the interview, not presentations, strategic plans, etc. unless asked for by the hiring manager.
- Bring a leather briefcase or portfolio and turn off and store your cell phone or tablet.
- Practice a strong handshake, good posture and making eye contact.
- Be yourself and remember to act like you really want the job without over-selling yourself or acting too informal.
After the onsite interview, ask for any next steps and be sure to send either individual hand-written or e-mail thank you notes to the key hiring executives you met. You are lucky to get to the onsite interview stage, so enjoy and learn from the experience.
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