Jobseeker Tip #3 - Land the Plane

As the talent market continues to be a place of turbulence, key hires are still being made and in this competitive market, being a good interviewee is of utmost importance.

This brings me to Jobseeker Tip #3, Land the Plane, which, for the purposes of this post, means staying the course in interviews, and succinctly answering questions.

While this might sound like a rudimentary tip, you'd be astonished to learn how many executive-level candidates haven't yet mastered the art of brevity.?There are candidates who are convinced that they're SO perfect for the role that they approach the interview with "I'M the best person for the job!" energy, and immediately explode into a vibrant rant about their qualifications, and accomplishments.?

Recruiters love the confidence, but it takes a turn when we can't get a word in edgewise.?

I've had interviews where I asked exactly one question and received 30-minute-long epic adventures, which invariably contained a lot of information that I wasn't looking for.?(To be clear, I'm well accustomed to controlling the interview, but sometimes fascination gets the best of me, and at that point, even though the interview is a wrap, I'm curious to see how long they'll continue to talk, unprompted.)

Being concise in interviews is an important skill to master for a few important reasons.?

First, lengthy answers that stray from the original question suggest a lack of organized thought, confidence, and/or preparedness.

Also, rambling is time-consuming and precludes us from completing the interview - which is to your detriment.?We have a lot of information to learn about you in a limited amount of time, and if you burn 20 of our 45 minutes together on one question, we won't be able to get through our list, which means that we can't properly present you to our clients.?

If you're a classic rambler and generally unable to land the plane, I'm here to help!

1. Follow the leader. Allow the interviewer to guide the call.?If the interviewer is slow to take the reigns, ask what he/she would like to learn about your background.?You will ramble less if you're answering questions rather than trying to direct the conversation.
2. Rehearse. Prepare and practice concise QUALITY answers to regularly asked questions.?At a minimum, recruiters will want to walk through your background and understand your impact throughout your various roles, your reporting relationships, team sizes, any growth to speak of (in revenues), and the reasons for your transitions.?For example:?"I was hired to launch the direct-to-consumer division of my company, which was previously a B2B organization.?I reported to the Chief Marketing Officer, and grew revenues from 0 to $15M in the three years that I managed the function.?My team began with one Director and grew to an overall team of 10 through five direct reports.?I left because I was recruited to Company Y, and was offered an expanded set of responsibilities and a more senior title."?This example contains plenty of information, and if we want more details, we will ask.?
3. Don't bury the lede. If you find yourself wanting to begin what should be a straightforward answer with "a quick story," opt instead for a more succinct reply.?Those stories are never quick, and your interviewer is always waiting (desperately) for the punchline.?Begin with the punchline, and let your interviewer ask clarifying questions if they're curious.
4. Time yourself. If necessary, practice with a timer, and get your career narrative down to ten minutes or less. Again, we will double-click on any points of interest.
5. Research. Please do your homework, and prepare to share your motivation for discussing the opportunity (hint: the answer should NOT be "I need more money.")
6. Keep it professional. Yes, we're in the "bring your whole self to work" era, but in the first rounds of interviews, you want to avoid personal overshares, especially if it means that you're reducing your time to share your professional accolades.
7. Calm down. This is a conversation about a topic that you know really well: yourself! Yes, you might really need a job, and of course the stakes are high. However, nervous rambling will only cause you to get in your own way, so practice some relaxation techniques before the interview, and have fun with it.

Have a fantastic weekend.??