Tip #10 - Interviewing Essentials

Your networking and resume writing has paid off.  You have been invited to the company for an interview.  Believe it or not, this is the part that most people mess up the most.  Some are so nervous they can't get comfortable, some are overly confident and go in under prepared, and others are just unable to get the words out that get their point across.

Again, as a professional recruiter, I would like to share the most common interviewing mistakes that we see everyday.  

  1. Not understanding yourself - If you haven't read my previous tips, go back to the first tip.  Understanding who you are, where you have been, what you have done, and where you want to go are key to determining if the role you are interviewing for fits into your master plan.   When we see people who are unclear about these questions, it makes it hard for us to assess what they would be suitable for.  I am not suggesting that you know exactly what you should be doing and where, but by knowing what you are good at, what you enjoy, and where your interests lie, will give you the ability to assess which roles you want to pursue.

  2. Not knowing enough about the company - I can't stress more the importance of knowing as much as you can about the company you are being interviewed at.  If all you have to go on is a job description and a brief glance at the website, you will find it difficult to determine whether the company values are aligned with your own.   Talk to people who have dealt with the company, read their press releases, financial statements (if public), and Management Discussion & Analysis (if public).  See if there have been any items in the press about the company.  Do they contribute to the community?  What can you see (or not see) about them that gives the company a personality?  

  3. Not being able to answer tough questions - Be prepared for the predictable questions such as:  Tell me about your strengths, tell me about your weaknesses.  But more importantly, is to be prepared for behavioral type questions.   These questions focus on applicants past experience and behaviors in order to determine their potential for success.  They will try to assess specific competencies required for the role.  Typically, they start with "Tell me about a time when...".  For example:
  • Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a conflict with a customer.
  • Give me an example of when you worked in a team. What role did you play?
  • Tell me about your most important contribution to your last employer.
  • What qualities or talents would you bring to the job? Give examples of how you used these talents in your last role.

We recently had a situation with a candidate who was unable to come up with tangible examples when asked to describe what she accomplished in previous roles.  The questions were very specific to the job she was interviewing for and the employer wanted to dig further to have her explain what she did, how she did it, and what was the end result.  Due to the fact that her explanations were light on detail, she was not invited back for a second interview. 

  • 4. Not following the interviewer's lead - Determine how much time you have in the interview and be sure to use it wisely. Watch the body language of the interviewer. If you think you are on a tangent, ask the interviewer if you have answered their question. The more you can turn the interview into a back and forth conversation, the more comfortable you will be.

  • 5. Not dressing appropriately - I have only one thing to say about this (more next month), but for now, you can never be overdressed for an interview.

Lastly, the ONE thing you absolutely need to do is PRACTICE.  Practice out loud.  Practice in front of a mirror.  Be sure you can quickly and confidently come up with specific examples of situations in your career that will demonstrate why you are the person for the job.  

This is particularly important because as women, we tend not to talk ourselves up.  So it will actually feel strange to talk out loud about how great you are and what you have done to bring value to others.  In an interview, you are on your own.  Be confident and be able to let the interviewers know about YOUR accomplishments.  I know I know, you really want to give credit to your TEAM and how you couldn't have done it without them, but really, they couldn't have done it without YOU. 

Before you go into your meeting, take a deep breath, dry your palms, and say to yourself, "I rock".  You do.  Now, get in there and blow their socks off!<