So you got the interview. Great, but that is only half the battle. Next up…….going to the interview. This might come as a surprise to some of you, but you can’t just show up in the clothes you wear to the mall. A suit is usually preferred, no matter who or where you are interviewing. If you don’t have a full suit, for sure a shirt and tie. This shows the interviewer that you are serious about the job and you are taking the interview seriously as well.
The Company
So you have a suit, now it’s time to research who you are interviewing with. 2 reasons why researching the company is beneficial to you as an interviewer. Reason #1 is pretty obvious. You need to know what the company’s primary functions are so you know what you are getting in to. Reason #2 is to impress the hiring manager. Let’s put ourselves in a manager’s shoes. You are choosing between 2 candidates, one that didn’t know much about your company during the interview and the other that did. If these 2 are the same candidate in the manager’s eyes would you hire someone who took the time to educate him/herself on the company or one that didn’t? The answer is pretty obvious I think.
The Interview
The moment of truth, you walk in with your suit, the notes you took about the company burned in your brain, and now you meet the man/woman of the hour. The manager that will be saying “yes” or “no” to you getting a paycheck from this company. This is a big deal, no one else matters at this moment(unless there are multiple people in the interview). You sit down and he/she starts the interview right? Wrong! Either you have a bit of a walk to the interview or it is not a far walk at all, there will be small talk. Have 1 or 2 questions ready for this time. If the manager is asking you questions, great! If it is silent, break that silence with a couple of questions that you have prepared for this. You want everyone involved to feel like you are already part of the family when you start the interview. This will make it easier for them to picture you as part of the team.
While interviewing, be sure you make eye contact with everyone in the room as evenly as possible. This seems like a minor detail, but is a big deal to some. Don’t leave your fate to one person who wants you to make eye contact with them. Just do it. Be humble. Confidence is ok, cockiness is not. The final thought I have for you to succeed in an interview is always(or as much as you can) answer a question with an example of your work. Manager – “Have you ever had to deal with adversity in the workplace?” You – “Yes.” NO! Manager – “Have you ever had to deal with adversity in the workplace?” You – “Yes I have, at my last position………” YES! The rest is up to you.
And there you have it, my guide to getting the job after you get the interview. Pretty easy right? When nerves are high and the opportunity is right in front of you, it gets a little more difficult. Take a deep breath and just think of it as just another networking conversation. You have networked before right? Wait, you haven’t? Ok, so we have a lot more work to do than I thought….. I’m outta here for now!
Please leave your comments below! I welcome any and all feedback!
The Des Moines Recruiter 