How To Nail (Or Blow) The Interview

I believe you have two situations in life where it's okay to brag about yourself: an interview and a first date. It's no wonder I had so many of each! But, honestly, at least for interviews, you need to put your best foot forward to show potential employers your value. As many have lost jobs due to COVID-19, the job market is extremely competitive, with few openings available as the true economic impacts remain. So, if you get that precious interview, how do you stand out from the crowd? As someone with extensive experience on both the hiring and interviewing sides of the table, let me provide some key insights to help land the job... and two crazy interview stories!

Practice?

Fun fact for those that clicked the link - did you know AI got paid $1,000 each time he said practice? Okay, back to the matter at hand. Yes, we're talking about practice and preparation for the interview. Once you get the call for your interview, the clock starts! The first step is doing research on both the company and job. If it's a position with your current company, you certainly have a leg-up. Reach out to people you can trust who may be familiar with the position to give you any insights. If you're an outside hire, do your best to learn the company. Google is a powerful tool - look up the company website, any publications mentioning the company, general industry information, etc. The job description is also critical. Make sure you save it for future reference, as many job boards pull postings down right away. Next, it's important to practice your general interview skills. Many companies use some variation of behavior-based interviewing (STAR/CAR/SCAR), where the questions ask about a previous situation and how you handled it. The theory behind this line of questioning is your previous actions are an indicator of future performance. Of course, you will not know specific questions, but have good examples from previous work situations. Think challenging projects, difficult employees/coworkers, balancing competing interests, etc. I recommend going as far as listing some questions and asking a friend or loved one to pretend to interview you and provide feedback. You also will want to have a few questions for them, either about the company or the position. Have a few copies of your resume, cover letter, a notepad to jot down notes, and a concise sample of work (depending on job/industry) available to hand out to the hiring leader and interview panel. Bonus points if you get your resumes and cover letters printed on some nice, higher-weight paper! Finally, as the date draws near, make sure you have a professional suit picked out, date/time confirmed, even map the directions to provide yourself enough travel time.

Don't smile like this in a job interview, unless the job requires a lot of chewing.

On Deck

It's almost showtime! The interview pops up on your daily calendar. You're dressed to impress, have your leather-bound binder with your documents in hand, and remember the details of the company's latest product launch. Plan to arrive early - maybe 20 to 30 minutes - to buffer against any traffic or unforeseen circumstances and gather your thoughts. Wait until 5-10 minutes before your scheduled interview time in your car before going into the building. If it's a secured building, and you need to call to get access, do so 5 minutes ahead of time. As an interviewer, I had someone call my cell phone - twice, after I declined the initial call - 20 minutes before her interview. I was actually finishing up an interview with another candidate at the time. Don't be that person.

So Tell Me About Yourself...

Now, the fun (or excruciating) part... the actual interview. Introduce yourself to the hiring leader, recruiter, and/or whoever is on the interview panel. Many interviews start with an overview of the company and/or position. I recommend taking some brief notes through this and the rest of the interview, but maintain eye contact as much as possible while doing so. This demonstrates your interest as well as helps you retain the information. Be confident, pleasant, and thoughtful in your responses. As I joked in the introduction, you can certainly talk up your accomplishments, but avoid frivolous boasting. Even in a team situation, avoid using "we" too much. While you want to demonstrate you're a team player, you need to demonstrate what you did specifically. They're looking to hire you, not Jane from Accounting and Kevin from Marketing! Most interviews end with an opportunity to share more about yourself or ask any additional questions. I highly suggest you do both, if offered. In sharing more, keep it brief, but add any pertinent experience or skills not covered in your responses to their questions. Have at least three questions ready to go - this shows additional interest and can reflect your research and preparation for the interview. Finally, thank the interview panel, both in-person as you walk out and send a follow-up email later that evening. Go home, get out of that uncomfortable suit, put on your Snuggie and turn on that Holey Moley marathon to relax.

Job interview went great, but he's upset his Snuggie is at the dry cleaners.

As Promised... Worst Interview Experience Ever

As I promised in my blog post about how to get a raise, I present for your consideration the worst interview experience ever. After applying for a position with a new company in a different state, the recruiter asked my salary expectations. Considering the new position was very comparable to my current position, I provided a range where my current salary would fall right in the middle. I was asked to do a phone interview. Then, I was selected for an in-person interview. Again, this was out-of-state, but I was not reimbursed for any travel expense. I did well enough that they requested I make another trip a week later, again no reimbursement. This time, I had a 4-hour session/interview with a psychologist contracted by the company, required as part of a new initiative for any leadership positions. Yes, you read that correctly. I would get this level of scrutiny for a VP-level position, but this was for a supervisor role. After all this time and expense, I got an offer... for 10% less than the lower end of the salary range I provided upfront. I tried my darnedest to be professional, and explained to the recruiter that this offer, while appreciated, was outside my salary range. I countered with the lower end of my range; for personal reasons, I wanted to move, and was willing to accept a small pay decrease. Somehow insulted by this proposition, the recruiter rescinded the offer on the spot in a very unprofessional manner. Yes, this is absolutely true, and if I wasn't so stinking professional I would air the company out on this blog for your enjoyment. Honestly, I saw red flags galore throughout the process, and I am glad it fell through. But guess what? I got another offer, above that same salary range, with a great organization a month later.

Note: Her right jean leg is capri, left is boot-cut. Not fit for job.

BONUS Interview Story

After my sophomore year of college, I was debating staying in my college town or going home to work over the summer. I had a phone interview for a "high-end" retail sales position in my hometown, which led to an in-person interview on a Friday afternoon the week before finals. While excited for the opportunity, for me this meant a two-hour bus trip and getting picked up at the bus depot by my father. While this took me out of the party scene for a weekend so I could study, it was certainly not convenient. I arrived at my parent's house, quickly changed into a suit, and borrowed the parent's beautiful, pearl-blue Chrysler Town & Country minivan to show up to my interview in style! As I meandered through small-town "traffic", I had to come to a stop for a car ahead of me to turn left... then WHACK! A Ford F-350 with the tow package plows right into the back of me at about 40 MPH. After shaking off the collision, and with both the other driver and I safe, my immediate thought went to the interview. Since I didn't have a cell phone (yes, I'm that old!), the other driver was kind enough to loan me his. I promptly called the police to report the accident and my parents to let them know what happened to their dream ride and to have them call the business I was interviewing with to inform them I would be late. After waiting 45 minutes or so, the police arrived. Let's just say this officer made Barney Fife look professional. Short of going to the local bar to grab a Miller Lite with the other driver, the cop let him go without any sort of citation. Awesome. Now, I'm 30 minutes late and navigating this now-compact T&C to the interview. When I arrive, the manager was clearly upset. I apologized and explained the situation, and asked if my parents called. He didn't seem to believe my story, so I pointed out to the parking lot at the crumpled back half of the vehicle. He barely glanced, let alone asked if I was okay, then proceeded with the interview. After waiting a week, I heard back and he offered me 10-15 hours/week. In the meantime, I was offered a pretty sweet gig working at my university in the foreign language department, where I had many wonderful experiences!

In light of these stories, let me end on this note. The interview process can be frustrating, time-consuming, and sometimes just plain awful. But if you stay optimistic and confident, the right opportunity will come. With proper preparation and execution, you're sure to land the job you deserve.