Interviewing 101 – How to land that dream role

With the new year rapidly approaching, companies are slowly beginning to re-open their available positions. With a heavy pool of qualified candidates, how can you make yourself stand out amongst the crowd? This blog will walk through helpful tips to help nail your interview and other resources available to streamline this process and kickstart the new year with your dream role.

Interviewees should prepare days before to ensure a strong interview.

Think of your interview as a skilled dance. You have taken the time to perfect the choreography and readily anticipate each step. Before going into any interview, prepare yourself with answers to general interview questions. Prepare what skills set you apart, what experience you will bring, how you describe your work style, and so forth. The ultimate question: Tell us about yourself. This question can often be seen as a test. As much as you may wish to share about your family life, this is not the reason for this question. This is your chance to jump into your experience and share relevant skills, knowledge, or any work experience related to the position. Moreover, remember the 20-second to 2-minute rule when answering questions. Ensure your answers stay within this time to ensure a thorough but not overdrawn answer is given.

Employers want to see how you solve issues.

How can you show them the situations you have been through, and how did your skill set help you find a solution? If you choose to share an experience that didn’t go as planned but showcases how your skills fixed the problem, make sure you are sharing from a factual viewpoint and not a personal view where it may seem like you are badmouthing your past employers. This will show them professionalism and how you can be an asset. This will show your experience, help them visualize you in this role, and see how you connect to their mission.

Employers want to know you care about their business.

Start on the right foot by accurately researching the company. Find what you enjoy about their organization and share that with them. This shows them you took the time to understand their business and how you can positively contribute to the team. Being prepared with who they are and what they stand for can be a primary differentiator between you and everyone interested in this role. Your research may even give insight into something you disagree with and help determine if you believe this position is the right fit.

This leads us to the idea that an interview is a 50-50 relationship. As much as you want them to see you fit with their organization, you must also ensure the business fits your needs and values. As much as you are speaking about your experience, you should also ask questions that allow you to learn about the inner workings of their business beyond what your research has told you. Ask questions you couldn’t find; what key facts matter to you? What does a typical business day look like, how would they describe their company culture, and how does their business measure success? Questions like these can give you a better understanding of the workings of the business.

Finally, always end the interview by asking when to expect them to follow up.

It is pivotal that you do not leave these questions vague. You want to know when to expect to hear from them and to let them know you anticipate their follow-up. If this is a job you know is a great fit, tell them, thank them for their time, and let them know you believe you could be an asset to their team and are excited to hear about the next steps in the process. It can be helpful to send a follow-up email, or a thank you card to let them know you are seriously considering this role and show a strong interest even after leaving.

Even though you are beginning the next step in your career journey, Great Jobs KC is always here to support you!

Contact our Career Resource Team, [email protected], with further questions or concerns. Moreover, don’t forget to utilize our Job Search Toolkit, https://greatjobskc.org/job-search-toolkit/, to help you navigate your job search.

About Great Jobs KC:

Great Jobs KC is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that provides access to college scholarships and tuition-free job training, along with job placement assistance for young people from low- and modest-income families in the metropolitan area, providing a pipeline of talent for a strong regional workforce. Please join us on our mission for economic independence for all. For more information, visit www.greatjobskc.org.