Handling Interviews

Before Stephen Baird interviewed for the position of VP of corporate security for United Rentals in 2004, he did his homework. Sure, he checked out its financial filings and the stability of the executive suite, and he networked with a few peers. But Baird also went a step further. He visited a branch office to see what customers experience. “I learned how to rent a piece of equipment, and I basically hung around watching and listening,” he says. During the interview, when the CFO asked how Baird saw security playing into revenue generation, he had a ready answer. “I told him, ‘I will never make security a revenue generator, but it can contribute to cost savings and increased efficiencies,’” he says. Baird then explained how he had watched customers renting equipment and noticed that although they were offered the option to buy insurance on the equipment, there were no security products available onsite. He talked about products United could offer, like security locks for Bobcats that cut down on damage and theft of rented equipment. “The CFO [who would also be his new boss] just sat back and smiled,” Baird recalls.

This article on how corporate security professionals should handle interviews has some great points that can be easily translated into other types of job interviews.