8.4 Mastering Your Interview
You’ve been invited to an interview – Congratulations! You’ve already put a lot of work into getting to this point, so now, let’s look at some strategies to help you get that job.
Selling Yourself During the Interview
You cannot control the interview’s outcome, but you can control the preparation that goes into the interview. Preparing beforehand and knowing what to expect will set you apart from your competitors and put you in the best possible position to let your personal brand shine.
Here are ten steps to guide you through preparation for and follow-up after every job interview:
Step 1: Be Ready to Show and Tell
Build your confidence and reduce your anxiety. Use positive self-talk, and believe in your own awesomeness by repeating to yourself things like, “I’m prepared,” “I’m the best candidate for this job,” and “I can do this.”
Don’t come empty-handed! Here is what you need to bring:
- Interview details, including the address, phone number, and interviewer names.
- The original job posting to review while you’re waiting.
- Additional copies of your resume and cover letter.
- A pen and paper for taking notes.
- A list of prepared questions to ask at the end of your interview.
- Your references, neatly typed on a single sheet of paper.
Step 2: Accept and Confirm the Interview
Do you have the correct day and time written down? Do you know the name, title, and office location of the person with whom you’ll be interviewing? Do you have directions to the company’s location?
Step 3: Research the Company and Your Interviewer
Begin by reviewing the job description on the company website if it’s available. Then spend some time on the website, researching the company’s mission statement, description and operations.
Don’t forget to research your interviewer. Chances are, they have a profile on LinkedIn.
Step 4: Rehearse Your Elevator Pitch
Do not be surprised if one of the first questions your interviewer asks is something along the lines of “tell me about yourself.”
Step 5: Prepare Your Answers to Popular Interview Questions
While there’s no way to know which questions you’ll get for sure, you can be relatively certain that your interviewer will ask at least one or two of the common standbys. Preparing answers to popular interview questions beforehand will empower you to respond with clarity and ease. Practice telling your stories out loud to be concise and focused yet sounding natural.
A few pointers for difficult questions and pointers for coming up with a response are below:
What Are Your Salary Expectations
This is a potential problem you should avoid responding to directly if possible. A good response would be to deflect the question: “I would expect compensation that falls in the standard salary range for this industry.”
It’s a good idea to research salary ranges for your industry so that you will be ready to negotiate when the topic of salary does come up, but let your employer put a figure on the table first. If you feel that you have to respond to this question with a direct answer, just be warned that once you name a figure, you should not expect your employer to offer you more than that if you decide to take the job. It is a good idea to do your research before any job interview by researching current salaries for the position for which you are interviewing.
What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?
Interviewers often ask this question to get you to reveal conflicts. Avoid going this route. In job hunting, you should never reveal anything negative about a former employer. Whatever you mention in your response, choose something that isn’t directly related to the job for which you are applying. And make sure to end your response positively: “I’m ready for the challenges of my new job.”
Step 6: Prepare Your Questions
Toward the end of the interview, every interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. Make sure you have three to four questions in mind. You can ask these questions even if you already know the answer.
Here are a few questions to consider asking:
- “What skills make the most successful employees here?”
- “What is the top priority of someone who accepts the job?”
- “What is your favourite part about working for this organization?”
- “What would the ideal person for this position look like?”
- “What are the next steps in the hiring process?”
When do I ask About Salary?
Finally, even if you have questions about salary and benefits, don’t ask them now. Always delay a conversation about salary as long as possible. It is best to let your interviewer bring up salary – which might not be until after the second or third interview. Be patient; The longer your prospective employer takes getting to know you, the more opportunities you have to point out why you would be a good candidate for the job. If you sell yourself well throughout the interview process, you might even receive a higher offer.
Step 7: Prepare for the Logistics
Control the things that are in your power to control so that you can focus on your performance during the interview. Double-check that you know where you’ll be going (including building, room, and/or suite number) and allow extra time for travel in case you get stuck in traffic. Ensure you know the position title for which you will be interviewing.
Arrive early and get ready to give a fabulous interview.
Step 8: Professional Image
Your wardrobe is part of your personal branding, so dress like a professional for your interview. Even if you are interviewing in a more casual industry, you can always dress down after you get the job.
- Avoid clothing that is too tight, revealing and uncomfortable. Avoid shoes that may be difficult to walk in.
- Choose solid colours and subtle patterns. Avoid distracting patterns or bright colours.
- Dress in clothes that make you feel good: you will project yourself more confidently.
- Avoid noisy or distracting jewellery, watches, and heavy makeup.
- If you have tattoos or body piercings, you may want to ensure they are not visible during the interview.
- Be aware of scent-free policies.
- Lay out your clothes the night before so that you will have one less thing to worry about on the day of the interview.
Feminine Business Professional
Masculine Business Professional
Feminine Business Casual
Masculine Business Casual
Step 9: Make a Personal Connection During the Interview
Make an effort to connect personally with your interviewer. People want to hire people they like. Smile and make eye contact!
Types of Nonverbal Communication
Be sure you are sending the right nonverbal messages to your interview. Be aware of:
- Handshakes
- Body language
- Gesturing
- Nodding or shaking your head
- Eye contact (or lack of eye contact)
- Facial expressions
- Bad posture
- Dress
- Exuding nervous energy
- Smiling
- Active listening
Step 10: Follow-Up, Follow-Up, Follow-Up
Do not wait to do this! Get in contact while you are still fresh in your interviewer’s mind: write a thank-you email the same day.
During your interview, you should ask the interviewer for a time frame so that you will know when to expect a response. If you haven’t heard back by the appointed date, follow up with a phone call. Be persistent, but remember there is a fine line between persistence and pestering.
Sometimes, hiring decisions get delayed because of issues that come up at the company, so not hearing back by the date you were expecting is not necessarily an indication that you weren’t selected for the position.
Building Your Brand: Becoming a “Careerpreneur”
As fewer permanent jobs become our reality, we need to create our own successes and generate new opportunities. We need to take direction of our futures by being “careerpreneurs.” This is an idea where you manage your own career path like a small business. Instead of waiting for your future to magically fall into your lap, it becomes imperative that you build and maintain a network of contacts, develop your own personal brand, and maintain an active online presence. Graduates today will experience more job changes than past generations; by gaining a broader range of experience through different roles, you will diversify your skill sets while becoming more adaptable to new challenges.
It’s time to be the boss of your career!
“Practical Strategies” from Career and Workforce Readiness by Trent University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used paragraph one.
“Professional Image and Attire” from Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Edited.
“Careerpreneurship” from Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used paragraph one, edited.
“The Power of Preparation” from Introduction to Sales by Saylor Academy is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Unported license, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Edited, summarized.
