What You Need to Know to Ace Your Next Job Interview

Interviews are make-or-break moments during a job search. These encounters can decide whether a company decides to hire you, wants to learn more about you, can see you as part of their team, or is not right for the opportunity. Unfortunately, there are many variables that can either put you in the make or break column, including a ton that you can't control.

There are things you can do to put your best foot forward and increase your odds of success, though. Matt Abrahams , who is a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, teaches all about strategic and interpersonal communication. He also hosts the very popular Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast and is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot.

He joined me on the latest episode of LinkedIn's Career Talks to discuss how to elevate your interview game. You can watch the episode and see some of his top tips below!

Interview Preparation: Matt said there are three main components to interview preparation.

• Research Phase: Learn what you can about the position, company, interviewers, and anything else you know ahead of time.
• Create Themes: Come up with the main messages you want to convey during the interview. Even if they don't remember the details, these are the overarching themes that they will take away from meeting you.
• Gather Answers: Make sure you have details to support your themes and to answer questions that you're likely to be asked.

Answering Questions: There are a lot of strategies you can use when answering interviewers' questions. Matt suggests using A-D-D.

• Answer: Tell them directly what they're asking about.
• Detailed Example: Give a detailed example of how you've previously put that answer into action.
• Describe the Relevance: Explain how that example relates to the questions.

I personally like the A-D-D method Matt describes because it's easier to remember than many others. Also, it doesn't just describe what you've done, the method explains how well you do it.

You can check out a lot of other tips in the conversation, which you can watch above or by clicking here.

Melissa Grabiner is a global HR and talent acquisition leader. She has not only witnessed numerous individuals make significant career pivots, but has also embarked on her own professional journey. Melissa joined me on the latest episode of his Get Hired podcasts to share valuable insights into what it takes to successfully transition into a new role, new employer, or new field. We also discuss what employers look for when taking a chance on someone exploring uncharted territory.

You can listen to the episode above or on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. A transcript of the conversation is available by clicking here.

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