Interview Prep

Offers are extended to candidates for many reasons, but decisions are based largely upon how well people interview. People who interview well will get many offers. Some people with average abilities can change jobs easily because they interview successfully.

No matter how talented you are, or how great the demand for your type of experience, you must learn to sell your assets to a prospective employer. Also, you must do this during an interview. Start by approaching the interview and the negotiation processes with a POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Avoid being arrogant or "hard-to-get," but never under sell yourself. Learn to speak and think in very positive terms. SELL. Approach each interview with two objectives. To get an offer! To evaluate the opportunity they are presenting!

Preparation is the first step toward a successful interview. There are no second chances to make a great first impression. Company interviewers are always amazed at the job candidates who drift into their offices without preparation or knowledge of the company, and only a vague idea of what they will say. Here are some of our top tips.

13 interview tips to land you the job

Basic Planning & Preparation 
Know the exact place and time of your interview, travel time (allow for bad weather, road work, etc.), the interviewer's full name, correct pronunciation and proper title. Do a little research before, this insures you don't start the interview off on a bad note. If interview is on zoom there are some additional things to prep for, see below!

Practice good nonverbal communication
It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning or quick ending to your interview.

Dress for the job or company
Today's casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as "they" do when you interview. It is important to know what to wear to an interview and to be well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

Basic knowledge on company
Learn specific facts about the company and the vital statistics of the industry. Where are the company's divisions, HQ, offices or stores located? What are its products or services? Its reputation? What has its growth been like? What is its growth potential for the future? Exciting projects they're currently working on?

Listen
One of the most crucial interview tips: Listen. From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and pace.

Don't talk too much
Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have not prepared ahead of time, you may ramble when answering interview questions, sometimes talking yourself right out of the job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job posting, matching your skills with the position's requirements and relating only that information.

Don't be too familiar
The interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend. Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer's demeanor. It is important to bring energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as a candidate looking for a job.

Use appropriate language
It's a given that you should use professional language during the interview. Be aware of any inappropriate slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics, or sexual orientation these topics could send you out the door very quickly.

Don't be cocky
Attitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence, professionalism, and modesty. Even if you're putting on a performance to demonstrate your ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved. All the interview tips in the world won't save you if you come off as unpleasant to work with.

Take care to answer the questions
When interviewers ask for an example of a time when you did something, they are asking behavioral interview questions, which are designed to elicit a sample of your past behavior. If you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don't answer the question, but you also miss an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.

Ask questions
When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, "No." Wrong answer. Part of knowing how to interview is being ready to ask probing questions (examples below) that demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. An interview is a two-way street. The employer will try to determine, through questioning, if you are qualified for the job. You will try to determine, through questioning, whether the company affords you the opportunity for growth and development in your chosen field. Take your list of facts, questions and research notes to your interview!  The best questions come from listening to what you're asked during the interview and asking for additional information. Listing out the questions you intend to ask during the interview. 

Don't appear desperate
When you interview with the "please, please hire me" approach, you appear desperate and less confident. Reflect the three Cs during the interview: cool, calm, and confident.

Bonus tip: Work on your answers (Practice)
You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too. One way to do this is by preparing well-thought-out answers to questions they're most likely to ask.(See the 20 Questions segment).

 

Probing questions you might ask are:

  • What are the common denominators in successful employees?
  • What are outside influences that effect the company's growth?
  • What are some areas that the company excels or has limitations?
  • What are the primary responsibilities of this position? (Get a detailed description.)
  • What does a typical day look like?
  • Why is the position open? (Retirement, dismissal, resignation, newly created)
  • What kind of training/indoctrination program is there? (Will you be trained formally or "turned loose"?)
  • Are there advanced training programs for people with outstanding abilities? (Can you get ahead there?)
  • What are the company's growth plans? (Do you have a future there?)
  • What's the next step in the hiring process? (Do you have to see anyone else or take tests?)
  • Understand in advance how your strengths will have value to the employer, to show how you fit the position. Bring these points out at appropriate times during the interview.
  • PREPARE in advance to answer questions which you suspect the interviewer will ask (See the 20 Questions segment).

 

Zoom Prep

1) Get rid of distractions
Obviously you don’t want a child crawling on your lap or a dog barking during your interview, but smaller distractions like a text message or even a neighborhood child falling from his bike outside your window can throw you off.

In a face-to-face meeting, distractions are shared, and so both the interviewer and the candidate break from the conversation at the same time. But in a Zoom interview, the hiring manager won’t know that there’s a knock at your door or an email notification on your screen. You could miss an important detail, a question or an opportunity to display your knowledge. Turn off those notifications and set up in a quiet, distraction-free area.

2) Wear your background like an accessory
You dress up for an interview, right? And in all likelihood you’ve dressed appropriately for your video interview. Don’t spoil your appearance with a messy background.

Keep it simple. A blank wall, for instance it’s neutral. If you do have things in your background make sure it's organized and doesn't draw too much attention. You don't want to compete for attention with your background. This communicates that you’ve spent time and resources creating a space that allows you to work effectively.

3) Pay attention to lighting
Overhead fluorescent or incandescent lighting is not the most flattering. You don’t need a professional light kit but you do need to think about how you can use natural light from windows to project a clear and detailed image of your face. Try sitting in front of a window, allowing the light to hit you directly. At most times of the day, this will provide perfect, even lighting. However, if the sun is low, it may be too bright. In that case, move around until the light is diffused on your face. With computer cameras, backlighting never woks, so always avoid putting the light source behind you.

4) Wear headphones
Technology isn’t perfect. There’s a chance there could be a lag, which causes an echo if you’re not wearing headphones. Headphones also improve sound quality and help block out distracting noises.

5) Be on time (set an alarm)
Nothing worse to be late to any interview, leaving a hiring manager or recruiter waiting is a bad look. Give yourself time to for unforeseen issues (i.e. technical problems) as you would travel time with unforeseen weather or road work.

Pro Tip: Set an alarm for both 10 minutes and 5 minute before the scheduled time. When the 10 minute alarm goes off, try to be at your desk, reading my notes and checking my technology. When you hear the 5-minute alarm, sign on.

6) Don’t interject
In a face-to-face interview, interjecting is minimally disruptive. We learned as toddlers how to perfectly time our interruptions, after all. But in a video interview, it’s best to let the hiring manager or recruiter finish their thought before jumping in. A tiny lag can throw off the rhythm and make your interjection even when you intended it to be gentle and polite sound like a rude interruption.

7) Wear pants
Pants give you confidence whether you can see them or not. You will want to be prepared for any angle your camera decides to pick up. Also, there is a real psychological impact of dressing for success, even in a Zoom interview.

8) Test your tech 

Technology mishaps happen a lot but they can be avoided. A good practice is to do a test run with a friend. You may find that you still need to install Zoom on your computer. Or that your mic is not configured correctly. Stay calm if your tech is not working and follow these tried-and-true tips:

-Move closer to your router if your connection is spotty (and try not to give a tour of your messy house while doing so).
-Always assume your camera is on, even when you know you turned it off.
-Check to make sure your speakers and mic are turned on if you’re having audio problems.
-Use the chat feature to inform the interviewer that you can’t hear them.

9) Use A "Cheatsheet"

This tip applies to all video and phone interviews. Utilizing a cheatsheet can be especially valuable in video/ zoom interviews when done correctly. If you carefully place it below the camera’s view you can occasionally reference it if you get lost or want to remind yourself of questions you wanted to ask the hiring manager. We would recommend writing short reminders/ phrases not long sentences that would be noticeable to the interviewer. 

 

Company interviewers pick their questions carefully so they can glimpse the "real" you from your answers. Be prepared, in any case, with HONEST answers that support your contention that you are the best person for the job! Remember to take extra special care in your grooming before Interviews. Dress conservatively, but in keeping with the type of position you will be considered for.