For some people the thought of sitting in a room answering questions about themselves, how they will perform on a job, and what they expect from an employer sets their nerves on edge. For others, they assume the interview is going to be a piece of cake only to get in the room and find themselves at a loss for words or stumbling over their thoughts. The truth is interviews have a way of getting us off balance.
The first thing you should understand is that your situation will likely place a great amount of stress on you. You may experience thoughts like: "I really need this job," or "This job will provide more money for my family," or "I'm so ready to get another job because I cannot take another day working in this place." Stress can lead to fear which can in turn cause us to make mistakes when we are interviewing. However the biggest mistake you can make is going into an interview unprepared.
Undergoing some interview preparation techniques will go a long way in making you a memorable candidate in an employer’s mind. The process of moving from anxiety and fear to one of confidence and assurance starts with becoming familiar with yourself and how you connect with the job and the company. Realize that knowledge is power. Each technique in this post is based on you acquiring knowledge that will increase your power in an interview.
Research the Company
I have conducted more interviews than I can count or remember. One of my leading questions was always “Tell me what you know about XYZ Company?” It irritated me when a candidate would say they knew nothing, gave a too short answer, or wrong information. How are you applying to a company that you know nothing about? There is simply no excuse for this, especially with the abundance of technology we have at hand every day.
Before you sit in front of an employer, take the time to learn about the company. I’m not saying commit the entire company biography to memory, but you should know enough to let the employer know that you have done your homework. A good place to start is the About Us section of the company website or the company mission statement. Do not just memorize information, but look for areas where you can connect yourself to the organization.
Connect Yourself With the Company
Most interview coaches will tell you that one of the earliest questions in an interview will be about you. For example: Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?
I tell my client’s their aim when answering these type questions should be to make an employer see them as a natural fit for the company. Your response should tell the employer how your past, present, and future are connected to their overall goals.
The first thing you must do is find out what the company goals are and what the employers expectations are for the position you are applying for. Next, undergo a self-evaluation that includes reviewing your past employment performance and how those experiences have prepared you to meet the challenges of your target position. Also what are you doing in the present that will make you more equipped to be a success for the company? Lastly, help the employer understand how a partnership with you will lead to future success for the both of you.
Turn Your Interview into a Conversation
I had a co-worker a couple of years ago who was amazing at turning her interviews into conversations rather than question and answer sessions. This made her a memorable candidate and helped employers develop a connection with her. Of course her personality and confidence played a key role in accomplishing these tasks. Yet her ace in the hole was her ability to learn something about the people that were interviewing her so that she could bring up similar topics within the interview. I give this advice with a warning, DO NOT TURN INTO A STALKER.
My co-worker did not break any laws when doing her research and she did not come off creepy to her interviewers. The information she found was usually located on the company website and during the course of the interview she would look for key areas to bring up the information casually. For instance: We exceeded our program objectives by launching a student services program similar to the one that Dr. Joe Smith used here at XYZ University. That little statement would open the door for her to connect with Dr. Smith and talk about similarities and differences between the two programs.
There is so much more to talk about when it comes to interview preparation, but for the sake of not overwhelming you the reader, we will continue this discussion in a future post. Until then if you have any questions or would like additional advice, contact me at gmproresumes@gmail.com or submit your question(s) on our Contact Us page.
The first thing you should understand is that your situation will likely place a great amount of stress on you. You may experience thoughts like: "I really need this job," or "This job will provide more money for my family," or "I'm so ready to get another job because I cannot take another day working in this place." Stress can lead to fear which can in turn cause us to make mistakes when we are interviewing. However the biggest mistake you can make is going into an interview unprepared.
Undergoing some interview preparation techniques will go a long way in making you a memorable candidate in an employer’s mind. The process of moving from anxiety and fear to one of confidence and assurance starts with becoming familiar with yourself and how you connect with the job and the company. Realize that knowledge is power. Each technique in this post is based on you acquiring knowledge that will increase your power in an interview.
Research the Company
I have conducted more interviews than I can count or remember. One of my leading questions was always “Tell me what you know about XYZ Company?” It irritated me when a candidate would say they knew nothing, gave a too short answer, or wrong information. How are you applying to a company that you know nothing about? There is simply no excuse for this, especially with the abundance of technology we have at hand every day.
Before you sit in front of an employer, take the time to learn about the company. I’m not saying commit the entire company biography to memory, but you should know enough to let the employer know that you have done your homework. A good place to start is the About Us section of the company website or the company mission statement. Do not just memorize information, but look for areas where you can connect yourself to the organization.
Connect Yourself With the Company
Most interview coaches will tell you that one of the earliest questions in an interview will be about you. For example: Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?
I tell my client’s their aim when answering these type questions should be to make an employer see them as a natural fit for the company. Your response should tell the employer how your past, present, and future are connected to their overall goals.
The first thing you must do is find out what the company goals are and what the employers expectations are for the position you are applying for. Next, undergo a self-evaluation that includes reviewing your past employment performance and how those experiences have prepared you to meet the challenges of your target position. Also what are you doing in the present that will make you more equipped to be a success for the company? Lastly, help the employer understand how a partnership with you will lead to future success for the both of you.
Turn Your Interview into a Conversation
I had a co-worker a couple of years ago who was amazing at turning her interviews into conversations rather than question and answer sessions. This made her a memorable candidate and helped employers develop a connection with her. Of course her personality and confidence played a key role in accomplishing these tasks. Yet her ace in the hole was her ability to learn something about the people that were interviewing her so that she could bring up similar topics within the interview. I give this advice with a warning, DO NOT TURN INTO A STALKER.
My co-worker did not break any laws when doing her research and she did not come off creepy to her interviewers. The information she found was usually located on the company website and during the course of the interview she would look for key areas to bring up the information casually. For instance: We exceeded our program objectives by launching a student services program similar to the one that Dr. Joe Smith used here at XYZ University. That little statement would open the door for her to connect with Dr. Smith and talk about similarities and differences between the two programs.
There is so much more to talk about when it comes to interview preparation, but for the sake of not overwhelming you the reader, we will continue this discussion in a future post. Until then if you have any questions or would like additional advice, contact me at gmproresumes@gmail.com or submit your question(s) on our Contact Us page.
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