Why You Didn’t Get The Job Part III: Your Appearance and Interviewing Skills
If you haven’t read part I or part II – definitely start here!
Part I: Your Resume and Cover Letter (or lack thereof)
So after a bit of a hiatus, I am back in the swing of action. I apologize for the gap in this series but in the past few months I started a new job, got engaged, and bought a house. So I had a bit going on. Hey – better late than never right? Thanks for coming back to read Part III!
Now that you built a killer resume and researched the company you got an interview at, you’re ready for the next step: Appearance and Interviewing.
Let’s start with the easiest piece of advice that I can give you.
“WEAR A FREAKING SUIT. ALWAYS.”
At least do it in the first interview.
“But Joey – I am interviewing at a fun tech startup that loves a casual culture!” I don’t care. This is your first opportunity to show that you’re serious about this opportunity. I work at a progressive tech startup and if someone comes in not wearing a suit for an interview it’s an automatic no. To me, this shows you don’t care enough to get yourself together for an hour. Yes, we are a laid back company but I still need you to try just a little in the beginning.
If you don’t have a suit – rent one. If you can’t rent one, borrow one. If you can’t find one to borrow let me know and I will personally help you get one. I can’t stress how important it is to look professional.
For some additional info on professional dress take a look at this document that Emory University put together here:.
The Interview:
Now that you’re dressed to perfection -You should always be prepared for questions about the company, what they do, how they came about, etc. If you read Part II of the series you should be super prepared by now.
A few questions you should always have the answer to in your back pocket. These are 10 standard interview questions that get asked frequently.
1. What are some of your Strengths and Weaknesses? (Have at least three ready to go)
2. What areas do you feel like you need to work on? (Example: Organization, asking for help, analytical reviews…)
3. Tell me a little about yourself. (This is such a critical question, you should have your 30 to 60-second elevator pitch ready to go)
4. Why do you want this job?
5. What is your greatest professional achievement?
6. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you faced at work and how you were able to overcome that objective?
7. Are you currently interviewing with any other companies?
8. Why are you leaving your current job?
9. What are your salary requirements?
10. Do you have any questions for us?
Now here are some of my answers. Note – these won't work for everyone but this is a good starting place.
1. I would say my strengths are working in teams, the ability to come up with solutions quickly and effectively, and conflict resolution.
2. Personally, I need some work on being more of an analytical type person. I tend to be more of a big picture viewer so I like to have someone on my team that can look over some of the smaller details. (Turn a negative into a positive if possible. Here I was able to say I am not super detail oriented but it’s because I like to look at the big picture.)
3. I’m originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania (yes, home of The Office) and I went to school at the University of Tampa for Advertising and Public Relations. While I was in school I realized that my calling in life was working with people and helping them solve problems. This is when I realized sales was a perfect fit for me. I love working to solve complex problems and seeing the outcome. Since I’ve graduated, I’ve been working in SaaS tech sales in a multitude of positions ranging from business development to management roles. Most recently I was the Channel Sales Manager for a sweet startup and was able to learn a lot about a new industry while also perfecting my management skills. Is there anything I could go into more detail about to help you understand my background?
4. I want this job because I really feel that not only do you have an innovative product but also a culture that fits my personality well. ~Insert sentence you researched about their company culture~ I also feel that my prior experience will help me succeed in this role while also presenting new challenges I’m excited to solve.
5. My greatest personal achievement was when I was able to close a large deal that 3 reps before me weren’t able to. It took me a solid year and continually going back to the drawing board and working with various teams to get in front of the right people with the right information.
6. At my last job, I realized that deals seemed to get held up because the finance director had to approve everything. So I was able to come up with process improvement that if a deal fell within certain guidelines you no longer had to get finance approval and could continue the process on your own. This improved the department overall because it took less work off of Finance and decreased the amount of time to close.
7. **The answer is ALWAYS yes** Yes, I am currently interviewing with two other companies, one of whom I have an offer from. However, I was holding off on responding to that company because I really wanted the opportunity to interview with you and your company.
8. I am leaving my current job because I don’t feel challenged on a day-to-day basis. My current job allowed me to grow in a number of ways (give one or two examples) but I feel that in order to continue my career growth I need to look for a new opportunity.
9. I am currently looking to be between X and Y Salary. Is this position within that range? (Try not to give an exact number if possible as this will limit your negotiation power later in the process. Also, try and get some industry numbers or glassdoor numbers for the position.)
10. **ALWAYS HAVE A QUESTION** Yes, I do. Can you tell me a little bit about the competitive landscape of the company? Also, what’s your or my direct manager's management style? What is the companies 1 or 5-year plan?
These are just some of the ways I answer the above questions. Keep in mind; I am in sales so these answers may not be super relevant to you. Try and make sure that the answers you choose are relevant to the industry and position you're applying for.
An additional tip would be to check out your school or local areas for mock interviews. Companies, non-profits, and other agencies host these all the time. This is a great way to practice interviewing before you step into a room with the real deal. This is helpful for recent grads, current students, or anyone who hasn’t interviewed in awhile!
If you follow the steps above as well as the steps outlined in Part I and II of my series you’ll be to the next round of interviews in no time. Look out for Part IV next week!
Happy Job Hunting!
~ Feel free to leave a comment below and give me some feedback. I’m an ever-growing person and I love hearing what you think or how I can improve.