“Tell us a time that you were a leader.”
“What drew you to the position?”
Yes, yes we all know those interview questions they teach us in college to have pre-made answers for, but when in an actual interview what really stands out?
Only two years ago I was an interviewing queen, hoping from one job interview to the next trying to find someone in Chicago who would hire me so I could stay in the city. I remember at one point I started looking at interviewing as coffee dates to meet new friends since it was becoming such a regular thing for me.
I even remember one day thinking, is there a way to become a professional interviewee? If so, I could totally get hired for that job!
Fast forward a year later and I not only got hired at the company of my dreams but also became the intern manager where I was on the other side conducting interviews for the internship program. Since I had been in their shoes only a year prior, I could totally relate and found myself having a hard time telling people “no”. So I told myself I would give everyone who applied the opportunity to interview because I remembered how many times I got shot down just by my resume and I would think to myself “just give me a chance and I can prove it to you that I’m a good fit”. Well, the thought of that was great until I was conducting 2-3 interviews a day and ended up hiring 9 interns one summer.
Yes, I managed 9 interns while still doing my own work. What was I thinking? I still really don’t know but safe to say, lesson well learned.
While I don’t give interviews anymore to every applicant, I do try to still interview most who apply and have recently managed interviewing for all positions within the department.
So after being on both sides of the conversation many of times, I’m sharing a few tips and tricks I found helpful and key for interviewing.
Do your Homework.
If there is a golden rule when it comes to interviewing, this is it. Make sure you research the company backwards and forwards before stepping foot inside that office. Check out their website and social media, do a quick google search, research their competitors and know what the position entails within the company. Just like the night before a big test, research and study the company so you know what they are referring to or asking about in the interview.
Show Your Passion.
Being able to answer all the questions is great, but showing your passion for the company is key. When looking to hire someone I look for their passion for the product and what we do. I know I can train them for the position but I can’t make them like the company so visibly seeing their passion for the job is a must!
Sell Yourself.
I’ve never been a fan of sales but when it comes to interviewing selling yourself is of the utmost importance! You have to sell yourself as if they don’t buy your product (aka hire you) then they are the ones missing out not you. The best example of this is a girl I interviewed once who’s only experience was being a hostess but she sold that position to me like she ran that restaurant. She related the position to teaching her time management, multi tasking, thinking on her feet, etc. By the end I wanted to say “you go girl” but instead followed up with a polite “we’ll be in touch shortly”.
Prepare 3 Questions to Ask.
Always have three questions prepared to ask at the end. My suggestion is only asking two but prepare three since most likely they will answer at least one within the interview. If you really are interested in the job you should have a million questions about the position, the company, their day-to-day, the office life, the person interviewing you and how they got to where they are, etc. so not asking a question at the end shows lack of interest. Even if it’s a generic question such as what drew you to this company when first starting, it’s better than saying “I can’t think of any questions at the moment”.
Send a Thank-You.
Yes, call me old fashion but I always wait to follow up with someone on next steps until I receive a thank-you card or note. When in hiring season, I interview 2-3 people a day so a follow up is key to me remembering the interview and if I would like to move forward with the hiring process. It also again shows your passion and interest for the company again.
Any interviewing tips you’ve found helpful? How do you prepare the night before?
These tips are so useful, I have been doing a lot of interviews myself recently. I think doing your research is such an important point, which a lot of people overlook.
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Thanks Rosa, so glad you found them to be of help and couldn’t agree more! Hope the interviewing is going well for you and best of luck in your job search:)