Job interviews are intense, aren’t they? Even when they go well! And when they don’t go well? Ugh.
I have a story to share about a job interview when I almost walked out.
I was in my early 30s, on the job market for a university faculty position, super keen, and very well-prepared.
This particular interview was for a state school in the U.S. I remember walking into the interview room, where two middle-aged men sat and looked at me, then turned to each other and rolled their eyes. (You can imagine what that did to my nerves.)
One of them pointed at a chair and told me to take a seat.
I didn’t understand what was up until one of them said, “You probably wouldn’t accept a job here anyway. But why don’t you tell us about yourself and why you’d want a job at this school.”
Ah-ha. It was the H-bomb. That’s what we call it when the Harvard credential backfires.
I contemplated walking out, but instead, I stayed for 45 minutes and let them grill me.
It. Was. Torture.
But I know I did the right thing by staying. Imagine if they later met with faculty members from other schools and told them that I had walked out? That wasn’t the reputation I wanted.
I still think about that experience, and how stressful interviews can be–even when you know the interviewer is on your side!
So this week I’m sharing some coaching advice to help you nail your job interview!
3 Things to Talk About This Week
- How to prepare for interviews
- Communication tips for during interviews
- Post-interview follow-up (even if you don’t want the job)
1️⃣ How to prepare for interviews
Preparing for an interview can feel overwhelming. Where to start? Here’s what I suggest:
1. Research all aspects of the role you’re interviewing for. This includes:
- The interviewer
- The position
- The firm
- The industry
Based on this research, you can also identify questions to ask the interviewer at the end of your interview.
2. Identify three of your strengths that reinforce your unique personal brand.
These strengths might include your industry expertise, your functional expertise, your leadership style, a unique skill, credentials,…
3. Prepare two stories that exemplify each of your strengths.
Identify at least two stories that demonstrate each of your three strengths listed above.
4. Practice answering interview questions using frameworks, not scripts.
There are all sorts of interview questions, from warm-up questions to “tell me about yourself” to “tell me about a time…” to the dreaded “what’s your biggest weakness?”
Instead of memorizing your answers to anticipated questions, I suggest learning frameworks to guide your answers, always referencing the strengths and stories you listed above.
For example, the S.T.A.R. method is a great framework for answering behavior description questions “tell me about a time.”
The S.T.A.R. method is one of the frameworks included in my FREE 2-page download, Ace Your Interview Checklist.
2️⃣ Communication tips for during interviews
The day is finally here, and you’re about to walk in to that interview (or click on that virtual meeting link!)
Here are three communication tips that I encourage you to focus on during interviews:
1. Be enthusiastic
Research demonstrates that enthusiasm can help you in many contexts, including negotiations, teaching and coaching, sales, and yes, job interviews. The more enthusiastic candidate gets the job. Of course, you don’t want to go overboard, but I encourage you to share your enthusiasm in a job interview.
2. Be precise, but not evasive
Answer questions directly and with clarity. If you’re concerned about being too brief, simply say, “I’m happy to elaborate!”
3. Encourage the interviewer to talk
When I was looking for my first job out of college, I attended an interviewing seminar hosted by my university. The job-counsellor told us: “The more you can get the interviewer to talk, the more likely you are to get the job.” ( I turned this advice into a game I played with myself – and it worked!) Again, you can go too far with this advice, but I encourage you to ask questions and encourage the interviewer to talk.
You can learn more tips in the Ace Your Interview Checklist, including one thing that always helps ease tension in an interview and how to answer a certain annoying question without sounding cliché.
Can you guess what it is?
Download the checklist now: Ace Your Interview Checklist.
3️⃣ Post-interview follow-up
A thank-you note after an interview goes without saying. Here are a few tips to optimize your follow-up and boost your chances of getting that job offer!
- Send your thank-you email immediately, while you’re still fresh in the interviewer’s mind. Many organizations make hiring decisions immediately after the interviews are complete. A thank you note days after decisions are made is a lovely gesture, but it doesn’t help your cause.
- Make your message specific. Reference topics that came up during your interview, and reinforce your unique strengths.
- Add anything you missed during your interview. We all ruminate about what we should have said (“I forgot to mention my success in leading that product launch!” or “I should’ve focused more on my people leadership skills!”). Your thank you email is your second chance to share information you might have missed or to reinforce what makes you a strong candidate.
Now you’ve got some tips to help you before, during, and after your interview.
For more information on acing your interview, I encourage you to download the free checklist and listen to the Talk About Talk podcast, ep.185, Ace Your Interview (available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts).
If you have any friends or colleagues on the job market, please forward them this email!
Talk soon,
Dr. Andrea Wojnicki
executive communication coach