I get lots of questions from readers asking for all kinds of job interview tips, and so thought it might be helpful to provide a handy-dandy guide to what I actually look for when I sit down and interview candidates for a job. Obviously each interviewer and industry is different, but I think these tips offer general interview advice that should work for most people.
So with that in mind, this is what I would be looking for if you walked into my office for an interview:
- Be yourself! I can’t say this often enough. I just read a popular work advice blog (to remain nameless) and I saw one of the first bits of advice for job interviews was to prepare a slick presentation of yourself and wow them with it. Ouch! While this might perhaps be useful if you are interviewing for a high-powered sales job or maybe an industry like entertainment or advertising (although even there they want to see who they’re really hiring), for most of you doing that will simply trigger a red flag, leaving the interviewer wondering if you’re all bluster and no substance. Now I’m not saying to be all shy and gawky either (see next section), but real and conversational trumps one-dimensional & slick any time. (Since most places do ask a version of tell me about yourself, it helps to think about your answer ahead of time. But when the time comes just tell it as naturally and 3-dimensional as possible.)
- Be confident in who you are and what you have to offer. Don’t spend time worrying if I think you’re right for the job and what I (the interviewer) am thinking at any given moment. Just know who you are and help me see that. Know that you are a good worker who is reliable and will go the extra mile when called on – or whatever your own strengths are. Everybody has their own unique strengths. I want to know what they are. So make sure you prepare yourself ahead of time to be able to talk about who you are and/or what you have to offer so that YOU believe it as much as you want them to. It shows.
- Look me in the eyes. Not saying stare at me…but when you answer my interview questions, I want to see you connect with me. I’d like to see when your eyes show real enthusiasm about something you’ve accomplished or sincerity about wanting to do a good job for me. Now of course I make room for nervousness, but if I see eyes skittering all about unable to focus on me, how can I be sure you’re being real with me?
- Tell me a good story. When I ask you about things you’ve done that you are proud of or obstacles you’ve overcome, I want you to have some stories to tell me. Did you ever take on a tough situation and turn it around? Did you ever come up with a new process that saved the company money? Did you ever encounter something you knew nothing about and make a point of becoming an expert? Like I said…tell me a good story. And make it real!
- Sit up straight. Slouching comes off as lazy or uninterested. You want to use your body language to show me you’re someone who is fully engaged and can handle any situation – even one that makes them nervous. Job interviews are tough for most people, but you’ll think clearer and come off as a more attractive candidate just by having good posture and looking alive and alert.
- Relax. I purposely listed this after my posture suggestion since some people go to extremes and sit like there’s a stick up their backside. When I interview people, I’m looking for someone who I want to work with on a daily basis. Too rigid would be a drag. Of course you don;t want to look like you’re ready for a nap either. Practice in front of a mirror to see how it feels when you sit up straight while also letting yourself relax a little.
- Practice practice practice. Spend time before the job interview doing mock interviews with friends or family. You can also record yourself to hear your voice (good for phone interviews too) and if your voice sounds kind of weak, practice speaking with strength and commitment. Talk about something you really care about to see how you sound when you are relaxed and fully engaged. If you have access to video equipment, even better.
- Know about the job and the company. So much is out there on the internet now, take time to do research beforehand – it will pay off. One sharp Work Coach Cafe reader wrote us that he learned about a recent merger the company was going through and used this information to his advantage. One warning from my own interview files: don’t get too personal! I went for an interview once and, in doing my research, learned the man taught at the same university I was consulting for. I thought it would break the ice to mention it, but he was NOT amused.
- Make sure you know your own resume! Nothing casts more doubt on your veracity than having to glance through your resume to answer questions. And worse than that is actually giving different information than the resume contains. So study it carefully well before you go in. And always remember to bring a clean extra copy with you.
- Show me you understand the job you’re interviewing for and have the skills. This sounds so basic, but I’ve had many people not even familiar with the terms in the job description. If there is anything you don’t know, look it up! And if there’s a skill you don’t have, research it a little so you can show how quickly you could pick it up.
- Listen! More than anything I’ve mentioned so far, listening is a skill that can make or break you. Really listen to the questions and whatever the interviewer is saying to you. Don’t be thinking ahead or about other things while the interviewer is talking. It really does show. Just be in the moment.
- Answer my questions. If I ask a question that you aren’t comfortable answering, it’s ok to answer briefly and maybe shift to a short story or related thought that leaves a good impression. But make sure you don’t just jump to something else trying to divert me from what I actually asked. It not only makes you look like you’re hiding something, but it leaves the impression that you might be slippery to work with. And don’t go on for too long with any one answer. No one wants to work with a wind bag!
- Come prepared with a few really good questions of your own to ask the interviewer. This is interviewing 101, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t have questions – or ask really lame ones like “”what’s the salary?” – especially when the salary was listed in the ad. (Not that it can’t be negotiated later on in the process.) It’s best to save questions like salary talk for the last interview (unless you only get one of course.) A great question shows you’re thinking about the work process or some of the interactions with other areas or what your typical day might be or something about the business/industry or anything that shows you are really thinking about more than just surface details. Try to come up with a question an average person wouldn’t ask. Best of all, I love it when someone asks a question that shows they were listening to me. Helps me see this is a person who can think on his or her feet.
- Don’t forget to smile. I don’t mean to send you out looking like dazed idiots who just sit there smiling. But you are selling yourself and want the interviewer to know you’d be a pleasant person to work with. Many times I call people in who all could do the job. I’m looking to see if there’s a good fit and if we’d actually enjoy working with the person. Since you have no way of knowing what the place is really like, all you can be is yourself. It really is your best shot at getting to the next round and beyond.
- When the job interview is over…stand up, smile, thank them, and shake hands if it feels appropriate. Then try to walk out without shaking too badly or falling.
You made it!
Hope that helps even a little. Good luck! Oh…and feel free to share your interview stories and questions with us here at the cafe.
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More job interview articles I hope will help:
Job Interviews: What’s Your Greatest Weakness?
Job Interviews: What’s Your Greatest Strength?
Job Interview Questions: How To Handle Tell Me About Yourself
How to Answer Why You Left Your Last Job When You Actually Quit
Help! I Get Nervous When I Interview for a Job
18 Practical Tips to Help You Ace that Interview
The Single Most Important Thing in Any Job Interview
15 Things I Look for When I Interview People
10 Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job
How Do I Ace My Phone Interview?
How Do You Interview If Interviewer Doesn’t Know as Much as You Do?
Hi Ronnie Ann,
I have a quick question. I found out that the HR VP used to work for my current employer and has been asking around here about me. My colleague who was approached gave them an over the top reference. I am assuming this is a good sign?
Yes it is, Myriam. An excellent coincidence! Really hope you hear good news soon. Fingers remain crossed.
Hi Ronnie Ann,
Well guess what, they called me back (5 months later), asking if I would like to apply for another position that has become available, which is similar to the original one I applied for. When I asked what happened to that position, they told me it was given to an internal candidate (?) Why interview outside candidates then?
Well I guess the fact that they remembered me is a good sign, right? Anyway, I am being interviewed by the last interviewers’ (Stone Face) bosses. (?) Wish me luck. Thanks for the great interview preparation advice on WCC.
Myriam
Hi Myriam,
Yes, the fact that they remembered you and called you back is a very good sign!
Internal candidates almost always win over external candidates for many reasons that have nothing to do with the qualifications of the internal candidate. Outside candidates are often interviewed just to be sure no one a whole lot better is out there, waiting to be hired, and also to fulfill some other requirements.
Good luck, Myriam! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you
Regards,
Susan
Hi Ronnie Ann,
I emailed each person who interviewed me and I have not recieved a single response. So much for Inhuman Resources.
Moving on.
ps. won’t name the company but they did not use their “Easy” button.
Sorry to hear that, Myriam! But please remember that some interviewers are legally not allowed to respond to any candidates. So it may not be over yet. Still, always best to move on with full determination to find something else, and then if you’re surprised…great.
Best of luck finding a job that is right for you!
i would just like to know how i can tell my boss in a nice way that i want to quit my job???????????????????????
Your question made me smile, Kurtis – although I get the point. And you will need references, so best to leave on good terms.
It all depends on the person. Grown-up bosses (with ample notice of course) will see your choice as just that and wish you well. Ones with other issues, could take it as a personal attack. All you can do is assume the best and let your boss know you need to speak with him/her privately. Then just say that, although this is difficult for you, you have decided to leave this job. You need to have a few good reasons that talk about why from a point of view that doesn’t blame the company, but instead focuses on what you want.
But my first question is: Is there anything worth exploring first before you quit? If you sat down with your boss and expressed some of what you really want or need, would that help? Might there be something that could be worked out that maybe you just don;t see yet? Or are you really sure it’s time to go.
Best of luck either way, Kurtis!
I’m so glad I found this site! I’m currently a week and a few days into major post interview OCD and after reading here I feel a bit better. My interview did go really well and I REALLY want the job, but my interviewer pretty much told me they couldn’t hire anyone until October (fiscal year and all), so I’m trying to stay patient. In the meantime I’ve had a mandatory Unemployment Office job finding seminar, where the instructor made me super nervous–he was telling us about how we needed to call every company after submitting a resume and even gave us tips on how to get past the receptionist and call other people in the company that might transfer us! It was a bit bizarre, but he was in sales beforehand so I wonder if that was part of his thinking. So between that talk (BE AGGRESSIVE or they’ll think you don’t really want the job) and my aforementioned OCD, I’ve really been pulling my hair out over whether to contact them or not. But after reading some things here (and remembering that a big question in the interview was whether I am patient), I’ve elected to wait until at least closer to the end of the week. Thank you!
Thanks for your great comment. My latest post is for you, Kim:
Is Mandated Job Search Advice Hurting You?
Best of luck!!
Thanks so much!
I applied at a restaurant about 2 months ago. First by application, then I braught in my resume. Finally I walked in with a follow up letter & was able to hand deliver it to the general manager. He interviewed me on the spot & had been impressed by my resume. He informed me that he had been trying to fill the position for 4 mo’s, but only few of us were qaulified and noone before me had open availability for the open shifts. He had also grown up in my home town & had gone to college with my former district manager whom I am great friends with. This was one of the best interviews I have ever had. The manager spoke to me as if I was hired and had a huge smile when the interview was over. He told me he would call because it was mandatory for me to be interviewed by thier district manager, and then I would be put through training. A week went by & I called him. He told me the D.M. had been out of town & that they had been short handed but he hadn’t forgotten & hopefully that weekend he would be there for my interview, That was over 2 weeks ago & still no phone call. I knew in my heart I had the job but now I am just frustrated. How can I approach him again with out being a pest. This is too good to give up on yet i’m at a dead end here.
Hi Jonni!
Well… A thousand things could have gotten in the way of an interview with the district manager to finish this hire, most of them having nothing to do with you. With the economy still a bit uncertain, many employers are very cautious about hiring until they are 100% positive they can afford the added cost. That could be part of the reason this job has been open for 4 months.
Before you approach this general manager again, I’d check with your former district manager friend to see if s/he has heard anything from anyone associated with this restaurant. Also, ask your friend if s/he knows the GM, and what s/he thinks of him. Your friend might have some hints on the best way to approach the GM, or other useful information about the person and the restaurant.
I think I’d wait until Tuesday, if you can manage, and – unless your friend suggests otherwise – I’d drop by the restaurant during a quiet time, and see if you can talk with this GM or even the DM. Don’t be angry or confrontational. Tell him that you just “happened to be in the neighborhood” and thought you would stop by to see how things are going and if he has any questions for you. Maybe it’s an opportunity for you to meet with the new DM.
Good luck with this job search!
Susan
Hi Ronnie Ann,
I applied for a teaching positon and the interviews went well.
But I was surprise to hear that the position was fill by an existing employee.
More surprise when one of the interviewers told me the school decided to hire someone because they did not want to burden the existing teachers.
Is there something else behind this answer (job for an existing employee)
I sent an e-mail to know what was wrong. Is is my teaching skills or the interviews I had. Is it OK to do so?
Thanks,
Taous
Hi Taous,
Internal transfers are a perferred way for employers to fill jobs – the person hired already knows their way around the organization, so the learning curve is short. And, the person is already well known by at least a few other employees, so their skills, strengths, and weaknesses are known. They are a “known quantity” and often liked by others in the organization.
In this case, I would do three things:
1.) Thank them – very sincerly – for letting you know the outcome of the hiring process. So many people these days are left hanging and never find out what happened.
2.) Don’t ask what was “wrong.” Ask for feedback on how things went and what you could do to possibly improve for “next time.
3.) Ask if there are any part-time positions available, like substitute teacher or teaching assistant.
Then, hopefully, next time they have a teaching position open, you will be the “existing employee” who lands the permanent job. And, it will look good on your resume for other employers, showing you are building your experience and are valued by another employer.
Good luck!
Susan
Thank you Susan for you insight.
Taous
I did send a note to the interviewers asking for their feedbacks.
But they never answered.
Is this attitude is common?
Taous
Yes, Taous, not replying is common. Rude, but common. However, the fact that you did reached out to them is a good thing. Thank you notes and asking for feedback are signs that you are a grown-up, and a good candidate.
Good luck with your job search!
Susan
Thank you Susan.
Your site is very helpful and keep me in a positive mood in my job search.
Taous
You are very welcome, Taous! Keep at it – you’ll land that good job soon!
Susan
Hi Ronnie Ann,
Very nice detailed article. It is definately helpful as I am on the job hunt right now. Recently, I gave interview at two different companies. One of the companies, interviewed me on the phone twice, and decided to call me in person. I met the manager, director, and a regular employee. At the end, they said everything seems a fit and translates to what they are looking for, however, a culture misfit is a concern. They would not give me more details. At the end, no job offer. Few days, later, another company called me for an interview. I met two managers and a senior level employee. Everything went well, and the next morning I got a call for invitation for second round of interview with Sr. Manager and director. Same day, recruiter reached out to me to conduct a background check and asked for references. My hopes were very high until I met the director and he grilled me down with some challenging questions. I did answer them in the best possible way, but no job offer.
When I apply, my background matches the job description, and I have gone in-person interview after phone screen, and also been called for second round of interviews. I am not able to figure where I am going wrong. Why would there be a culture misfit? if they did not think I was match, why do they call me for the next round? I have another interview scheduled in couple of days. I am doing all the research to find out where I am going wrong. . Any thoughs from you? Any advise from you will definately be helpful. Thank you,
Hi Rhythmics -
The reality is that there is probably very little you are doing “wrong.” And you are obviously doing many things “right” or you wouldn’t be invited to so many interviews!
It drives recruiters and job seekers crazy, but hiring managers usually make hiring decisions based on “fit.” And fit is much more than meeting the job’s requirements (which are often just a best guess about what the job will actually be). “Fit” is how the employee will work with the other employees and the formal and informal systems that make a workplace work – the existing organization’s “culture.” And an organization’s culture is made up of many things – from mission to management structure to sense of humor to a million other things.
If you’ve ever worked in a bank or in high tech – or know people who have worked in those places – you know they are very, VERY different. Working at CitiBank is quite different from working at Apple. A small business’s culture is usually quite different from a large business. Having worked at Harvard University, I know that the culture at Harvard is different from almost anywhere else – and that there are different cultures within Harvard (central admin vs. Harvard Business School vs. Harvard Divinity School vs. Harvard School of Public Health, etc.)
It’s why some people think Company A is a great place to work while other equally intelligent people think it’s a terrible place to work.
Hopefully, you’re learning from these interviews about how to respond to questions, getting comfortable with the process (or as comfortable as you can be), and meeting many interesting people. Given how many interviews you are having, you’ll find the right “fit” soon. Keep trying.
Good luck!
Susan