5 Tips for Interview Domination

There are a million blogs out there about how to master the art of interviewing. Do this. Don’t do that. Don’t wear strong perfume. Have a firm handshake. Make eye-contact, and the list goes on. I read my fair share of these when I was in the interviewing process, and admit, although the abundant advice was overwhelming, it was helpful.

After enduring several interviews (rocking some and sinking others) over the past years, here are my top 5 tips:

1) Do your homework.

When you walk in the door you should know more about that company than the secretary. Do they have a mission statement? Memorize it. Did they double in size in 2008? Figure out why. Read their board reports, news articles written about them and know their current state of affairs. You never know how this information might help you during the interview.

My husband is in natural resources and was recently preparing for an interview. He was researching the organization when he found a brief, small town article explaining how a piece of land had recently been donated to the company. During his interview, he asked about the land and what their plans were for developing it. The interview panel was thrown off, and yet completely impressed that he had 1) found this information (it wasn’t on their website) and 2) cared about the land’s development.

2) Prepare & practice answers for some of the most common questions.

What is your greatest weakness? Strength? Tell us about a time when you faced confrontation and how you handled it. What is your 5-year plan? How do you react under stress?

This is just a short list of common questions that could be asked, and they are all important to prepare for. Instead of just jotting down notes while watching TV, invite a friend over and have several mock interviews. Practicing formulating these answers in dialogue will be much more helpful than staring at some notes and talking to yourself. Your friend will be able to tell you if you are adding too many “ums” and if your answers make sense. Practice everything from eye contact to the handshake. This will help calm your nerves for the big day.

3) Interview the interviewer.

My very first interview was a train wreck. After answering all of their questions, they asked if I had any of my own. I hadn’t done any research on the company and actually knew very little about the position. We stared at each other for a while until it was quite obvious I didn’t know anything about the job, which in turned signaled to them I didn’t care.

Coming with questions for the interviewer proves you actually care about finding a job that fits you best. In a way, this is your opportunity to interview them.

Here are a few suggestions:

• What does success in this role look like?
• Tell me about the team I would be working with.
• What does an average day in this position look like?
• What are the next steps in the hiring process?

4) Start and end with these golden questions:

Begin: “What would make an ideal candidate for this position?”

Put your interviewer on the hot seat and make them tell you exactly it is what they are looking for. This gives you the opportunity to share why you are the perfect candidate, and hear what their true expectations are.

End: “Do you have any hesitations about my qualifications?” Or, if you are feeling bold, “is there anything that would keep you from hiring me today?”

This is your last opportunity to calm any fears they might have about hiring you. Now is a good time to express you are a hard worker and willing to do what it takes to get up to speed.

5) Follow up.

We all know we should follow up after an interview, but especially when you are applying for several positions at once, it can be hard to remember. Make it a priority to send an email out before the end of that business day. Here is a quick example:

Thank you for your time today. It was great to meet you and hear more about the position you have available. After learning more about the role, I am even more interested, and anticipate being able to be a part of your team.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email. I will look forward to hearing from you (insert date they said they would contact you).

Again, thank you for your consideration.

I have heard fabulous success stories of applicants taking the time to write a hand written note. Personally, I think snail mail is too slow, and might not even make it into your interviewer’s hands. If you want to write a thank-you, I would suggest personally delivering it to their office the next day.

What has made you stand out in an interview?

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