Interviewing…Will Make You or Break You! 12 Steps to Getting THE Job!

As I have mentioned previously, your resume’ is a living document and your gateway into your next role. At this stage, you set your resume’ up to attract the interest of the employer. If you have submitted your resume’ (and sometimes application) to a future employer and they have responded with an offer for an interview, CONGRATULATIONS! You have gotten past the AI screening, applicant tracking systems (ATS) or that first reviewer of your resume.

NOW comes the hardest, yet most important part. Selling yourself enough to show your future employer that YOU are the right person for the role.

So let’s start with some basics and work our way up. Planning is an important first step.

1. DUE DILIGENCE: You should have already researched the employer prior to submitting your resume’ and/or application. Now is the time to dig a bit deeper. Don’t just visit the employer’s website. Google them and see what is being reported or written about them.

a. What industries does it serve?

b. What products, services or solutions does it provide?

c. Who are the key leaders and movers and shakers?

d. Are there any new projects planned?

e. Bring this information to the table and try to blend it in throughout your interview. You should get a better feel and understanding for the organization.

f. If you are asked “What do you know about the company?”, you will have a basis to speak from.

2. USE LINKEDIN and GOOGLE: Do your homework on WHO will be interviewing you. Check them out on various websites. See if there is anything in common that you may have with them. It’s also a good idea to see a photo of them. With “TEAMS” and other video conferencing software, many interviews are moving in this direction, though there still are quite a few that will utilize the phone, especially for gathering preliminary information about you.

3. PRACTICE: Do your best and try not to be nervous. Practice talking about your work background, accomplishments and/or what is contained on your resume’ in a mirror. Watch for your facial expressions and body language. Ask a friend or family member if they can help. When you just be yourself, you will see that your communication flows much better.

4. DRESS/GROOMING: It goes without saying that you should dress professionally for any video conferencing interviews but you should always take an interview serious. So if it’s a phone interview, still dress appropriate. For grooming, the magic word is “CLEAN”. You shouldn’t look like you just woke up after an all-nighter pub crawl.

5. AVOID DISTRACTIONS: Try to get yourself into an area that is quiet, where all parties can clearly hear each other. If you have small children or pets that can make distracting noises or allow you to lose focus, see if you can have someone else help you with them until your interview is over.

6. SMILE: Smile while on video, smile while on the phone. No one wants to see you frowning, yawning or angry. Even if you have interviewed for many different jobs and are burnt out, don’t let this new interviewer see it.

7. SPEAK TO WHAT YOU KNOW: When answering questions, be confident. Don’t lie or embellish about jobs or projects. Take ownership in the position before it’s even yours, as if you were already part of the team. If you don’t know something or can’t answer the question, just say so. But try to spin it into a positive light.

8. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF: This is the one question that most job candidates do not know how to answer. It’s actually quite simple.

a. Answer this question in only 2-3 minutes.

b. Starting from your most recent role, speak to your job title, your employer and how long you were there.

c. Then move on to your previous role, and so on. In order to not to date yourself (Age discrimination does exist), I would not go back more than 20 years.

9. WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES: As we do not like to look at our faults, this question can also jumble us up. The best way to answer it is to come up with something that is professional or business-related (not personal). Then take what “might” be considered a negative and turn it around into a positive. For instance, I might say the following: “ I multitask a bit too much (at times) but I remind myself to prioritize my tasks better and balance them out so the work does not build up or become overwhelming”.

10. SHOW ME THE MONEY! Oh, this is a BIG one. Often, so as the first interviewer doesn’t waste additional interviewer employee’s time, they will ask the desired salary question toward the end of the interview.

a. LET THEM ASK FIRST! DON’T EVER BRING UP MONEY FIRST!

b. DON’T GIVE THEM A NUMBER!

c. Instead, ask the interviewer what is the budgeted range for base compensation. Then let them provide the information.

d. You will then have an idea about where you can go, if an offer of employment is extended to you.

e. If the interviewer is insistent on YOUR NUMBER and you have done your homework on salaries for this role, don’t be afraid to say “Given the market salary for this role and the experience I bring to the table, I would like to be at…..”. This can be a few thousand or tens of thousands more. BUT, don’t go too high or you may talk yourself out of the job before you get it.

Sometimes, the interviewer wants to see if you are acceptable to that range. If the amount is lower than you would like, I recommend that you answer "YES". In many cases, you can always negotiate a higher compensation after an offer of employment has been presented by the employer.

11. YOUR QUESTIONS: At the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions about the role or company. You should ALWAYS prepare a few to help gather more information to see if there is a match. This is not the time to ask about benefits or time off. All of that can be answered once/if an offer is made. Instead, consider the following questions to ask the interviewer. These may change depending upon the person’s role. But you will get the idea.

a. What is it about this organization that keeps you up at night?

b. What is, in your opinion, the organization’s greatest opportunity as it relates to this position?

c. I see by your Linkedin profile that you have been with the company 5 years. Why did you choose to work for this company? What keeps you here?

d. What future projects and development are planned?

e. What divisions within the company do you anticipate the most growth in the next 3-5 years?

f. How soon are you looking to fill this role?

g. If I were to start the position tomorrow, what could I do immediately to make your job easier?

12. FOLLOWING UP/KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN: After the interview, send an email to the person/s who interviewed you. Thank them for their time and careful consideration but also express your excitement, qualifications and further interest in the position. Invite them to contact you with any further questions. Now if you are not selected for the position, don’t be discouraged. Often, selected candidates do not last for a myriad of reasons. Stay on the interviewer’s radar and let them know that you would welcome the opportunity to speak with them again for this or another role that may be better suited toward your qualifications.