Work Coach Cafe

A lot of “experts” (click to read my take on experts) will look you in the eye and assure you there’s a guaranteed way to ace job interviews by giving “the right answer” to their questions. Well there isn’t. But there are some tips that can help a lot:

Before the Interview:

• Take time to prepare - Find out all you can about the company. You aren’t expected to know everything, but if it’s a public company there is no excuse for at least not knowing their business line(s) and a little about their products.
• Read the job description CAREFULLY - It will help you aim your answers toward things they are actually looking for. Not that you should simply give them back what they asked for, but you can use the description to help guide you.
• Know your resume very well - This may sound obvious, but I’ve interviewed people who can’t quickly remember a job I referred to that was on their own resume. Review the order of your jobs, the tasks at each job, and the reason(s) you left. Also look through the resume to remind yourself of some stories where you found a problem and solved it, came up with a ways to save the company money, etc. A good story that rings true can make a big difference.

The Interview Itself:

• First and foremost, walk into the room with good energy and a smile, making eye contact with the interviewer(s) as you shake their hand firmly - but not painfully!
• Be yourself. Even if “yourself” is shy or a little awkward when you speak. Interviewers want to see the real person. They understand that you’re probably nervous, but it will help you be less nervous to know that it’s ok to just show them the nice person that you are.
• Interviewers are looking for the right fit. So even if you are great in every way, you might not get the job. But you have to trust them to know this. Trying to present the person you think they want rather than who you are won’t help anyone. Again..just be yourself. Emphasize those aspects of you that they are looking for, but don’t lay on the BS.
• Stay alert and interested. Don’t let your mind get lost in what you just said nor what they might ask next. As they say in Zen…be in the moment.
• Keep eye contact with the person asking the question while they are asking it. If there are others, as you answer, look at the questioner more often, but be sure to catch everyone else’s eyes too.
• Look for chances to use the stories you prepared that show you’d be a real asset to the company.
• Don’t go on too long - as interesting as you may think you are. But also, don’t just give a one or two-word answer. They want to see who you are. Give them a chance to hear your voice, see how you think, and hopefully get to know you a bit.
• Interviewers are looking to see whether you’d be pleasant to work with and how you handle situations. They want to know you are a hard worker who sees problems as challenges and finds a way to solve them. They also want to know that in a crunch, you roll up your sleeves and pitch in.
• Interviewers want to know you’ll be a good team player…but also able to think for yourself. You want to make sure they see both parts of you.
• Most of all, they want to know if you can handle the job. But since only they know exactly what they are looking for and what that means, you should let them guide you in the interview. Don’t try to lead them. Listen. Ask questions if you don’t understand. And show them you are able to respond to what they asked and not what you wish they asked.
• One contradiction to my last point: If they ask you a question and you only have a short uninteresting answer, if you can find a NATURAL way to throw in one of your strongest stories, then go for it. Just don’t take them on a long winding trip to nowhere.
• If it looks like you don’t have the required skills after all, try to figure out which skills you do have that show similar aptitude and then stress these. Make sure you let them know you are a quick learner and would be excited to add these new skills. Work needs often change, and many employers know that a person who can easily and willingly change with the times is a real asset.
• Of course, if you don’t have the skills and they need them on day one, there’s not much you can do. But you are not only interviewing for this job, but for the possibility of a job they don’t even have yet or know they need. So continue to show them what you do have to offer and what makes you a person they’d like to have on their team. I recently interviewed someone who didn’t have the skills needed, but we liked her so much that the boss is thinking about a way to create a position for her. You never know!
• Stay focused right to the end. Even if you think it’s not going well, show them you can hang in and do your best no matter what. It’s true that interviewers get an impression within the first few minutes (which is why it’s so important to start with good energy), but you never know when you can recover a fumble.
• Leave with the same positive energy you started the interview with. And remember to follow-up with thank you letters or e-mails. They can’t hurt and may help. Oh…keep them short and pleasant - and check the grammar and spelling.

So in the end, I can’t give you the exact words that will help you ace all those interview questions. No one can. But I can tell you that a positive attitude, careful listening, resourcefulness, flexibility, willingness to learn, and good positive energy will get you far. Give each interview your best shot. And though not every job is a fit - yes…even if you give a great interview - at the very least, each interview is terrific practice for eventually nailing the right job.