Nail the Interview
by Eric November 12th 2010
Once you find a job and get your foot in the door, you have to rock in the interview. That was an important step in my recent job search. Interviewing is more of an art than a science, but there are proven methods to prepare and do well in the interview.
Setting the Interview
When a company wants to interview you, you will most likely be contacted by phone by someone from the company’s HR department. If you are expecting a professional call, make sure you have a good, clear, professional voice mail greeting.
When you speak to the HR representative, be friendly, courteous, and honest. They understand if you currently have a job that you will need to have the interview at a certain time of day, but make sure you are flexible. Remember, the ball is still in the company’s court until you are given an offer. Do not be a prima donna and expect them to bend over backwards for you.
Being friendly is incredibly important at this stage. You know they are interested, but if you sound arrogant or rude the HR rep will surely let the hiring manager know.
Pre-Interview
Read. Read. Read. Get to know the company inside out. Depending on your desired position, focus on the relevant part of the company. For instance, preparing for interviews I read the company’s 10-k and most recent 10-Q and earnings release because I want a finance job. If you are looking for marketing, focus on company expansion and marketing tactics. If you are looking for a job in HR, you suck at life. (Think Michael Scott-Toby Flenderson, no offense to my HR friends and readers, learn to take a joke, jeeze)
When you are preparing, make sure to come up with good questions about the future of the company, the culture, the nature of the position, the people you will be working with, and the management style of your hiring manager. You do not want to take a job that is not right for you just as much as the company does not want an employee that is not a good fit. Many managers use questions as a way to determine how interested a prospective employee is in the company and position, so make sure to put your best foot forward with good preparation.
This should go without saying, dress for an interview. Wear a suit and tie with a pressed shirt and shined shoes (or the woman’s equivalent). Guys: shave and get a haricut. Look like you want the job.
Interview Day
This should go without saying, dress for an interview. Wear a suit and tie with a pressed shirt and shined shoes (or the woman’s equivalent). Guys: shave and get a haricut. Look like you want the job.
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview and find the building and the right place to go. I usually find the building at least 15 minutes early, but don’t go in that early. Showing up 15 minutes or more early can interrupt the interviewer. You don’t want to do that. Walk in five to ten minutes early. That shows promptness and ability to follow directions.
Be friendly to everyone you meet. Managers generally trust receptionist’s opinions. Be nice to them. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and have copies of your resume with you in case one if needed. If you have to walk to an interview room together, use friendly small talk to learn about the company, location, or interviewer. When all else fails, talk about the weather or local sports team. But don’t just walk silently, that is awkward.
In the interview, be yourself, but be the best version of yourself. Don’t ever lie. Think before you answer. Be forthcoming, but do not bore the interviewer with irrelevant or long stories. Pay attention to body language to gauge your interviewer.
Sit up straight. Mirror your body language to that of your interviewer to establish subconscious report. Make eye contact. Nod and show you are listening when the interview is speaking. Karen Friedman wrote a great essay on interview body language that is worth reading.
Be sure to ask your prepared questions or ask something based on what the interviewer has said. Show interest. One of my favorite questions is to ask “what types of goals and deliverables are you looking for over the next month, six months, and year.”
When the interview concludes, be sure to thank the interviewer and ask about the process moving forward. That shows you are interested in continuing the process. Do not be pushy, but show that you are assertive.
When you are in an interview, there are a few taboo subjects. Do not talk about salary. That comes later unless the interviewer brings up the topic. Ask about work/life balance, hours, and vacation time, but do not make it look like you are not willing to work hard for the company.
Post Interview
There are several opinions on what to do after the interview. They involve both e-mail and hand written thank you notes. I will give you my opinion, but be aware that there are several ideas for what to do, and any could be correct depending on the circumstance.
If you have communicated by e-mail prior to the initial meeting, send an e-mail thank you note the day of the interview or the following morning. If you do not have their e-mail address or you do not believe it would be appropriate based on your interactions, you do not have to send an e-mail thank you note.
Either way, send a hand written thank you note the next day. Mail it the same day as the interview or the following morning. The timing keeps you fresh on their mind and shows that you care about the position and company. A hand written note is a good personal touch in a society where text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages are becoming the standard. A hand written note is a good way to stand out from the crowd.
If you have not heard anything back within a week (or the timeline given to you by the interviewer), do not hesitate to follow up with an e-mail or phone call. It shows assertiveness for the position and that you are still interested. Do not hound the person with calls and notes, but a follow up is reasonable.
