- Closing the Deal -
uh oh... the company wants me to prepare a
presentation aka "The SIM"
by fergus mellon
I may be a weirdo here, but I actually enjoy the part of the interview process where I have to prepare an exercise to show that I have the right skills for a job. This is what a Simulation or SIM is. I think of the SIM as a way of sharing my ideas with the company ahead of joining and also seeing if the people I would be working for are receptive to my ideas.
This is how I would recommend you approach the SIM. Spend as much time as you humanly can on it. If you have a weekend to work on the SIM, then spend the weekend really making it the absolute best that it can be. If you have questions that come up along the way and you have a contact email for someone to help answer the questions, ask them! Don't bombard the person with 20 emails as you will seem like someone who cannot think for themselves. Instead one or two well thought through questions will showcase your brain, enthusiasm for the project as well as the fact you can also be self-sufficient and think for yourself. One don't. Don't assume that because you put a lot of work into the SIM that you should get the job. I had one candidate who did a great SIM, but who was not a good cultural fit for the role. Instead of being mature about the decision not to employ her, she instead referenced all the work she put into it (the SIM should have taken just 2.5 hours). Instead of making me feel like I had made a mistake in not hiring her, it made me relieved that I had not! If you get a SIM, then think of yourself as lucky. It means you are joining a company that has put a great deal of thought into the application and selection process and so is a place that values its people. Lucky you! Next section: Uh oh, I have to go on interview with other applicants... or head back to The Interview Overview ==== Visiting these pages because you've been to a number of interviews and not yet got a job? Don't worry. Or if you're worrying know that it's common for a job search to take months and not days. Here are some related columns on keeping motivated and dealing with the stress of it all: Keeping Positive During Your Job Search Dealing With Rejection and Feedback Overwhelmed? Try a Mental Refresh
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