Woody Allen once said, “80% of success comes from just showing up.” As true as this may be, when it comes to job interviews, simply showing up is not enough. You also need to be prepared and connect all the dots involved in a successful job search.
Interviewers have a problem. They need to hire someone – the best someone they can find who is available in their labor market at the time they are looking. To solve this problem, they create a shopping list—a job advertisement—and post it. Some employers are good at this, and some are not—just like the applicants applying for these jobs.
To be prepared to succeed in your interview, you need to start to prepare for success even before you find the advertisement or when someone tells you about a job opportunity.
Getting Ready
Resume: Your resume is a two-dimensional sales tool that promotes your most valuable commodities: your time, skills, attitude, and behaviors. I recommend a one- or two-page document that begins with a summary, followed by a section listing and briefly explaining your skills and abilities. The order of your skills should be tailored to match those listed in the job advertisement to which you are applying.
Cover Letter: I believe you should use a cover letter to stand out for every job you apply for. Begin with the job advertisement and strip away everything that doesn’t pertain to what the employer is looking for. This is their shopping list. Tailor your cover letter to address these core skills. Remember, employers are just like any shopper: they look for the items on their list and ignore the rest. Even if you have wonderful skills, if they are not what the employer wants, they are not going to choose you for an interview – this is about solving their problem, not yours.
Applying and Following up. Apply as soon as possible and never wait until the cut-off date. Remember, employers have a problem, and as soon as they find someone with all—or most—of the skills on their list, they may hire them immediately. Certain organizations, like government agencies, may wait but don’t count on it. If you don’t hear anything back regarding your application, follow up with an email. You have nothing to lose, and if done respectfully, it may actually give you an advantage. If you don’t have the contact information, look online or call—the organization will tell you.
Interviews. Typically, most employers will interview 4–6 applicants for each opportunity. Congratulations if you receive an interview! Up to this point, your resume and cover letter have done their jobs. Now, it’s time to stand out even more. Usually, everyone selected for an interview is capable of doing the job. This is where your preparation and your ability to connect your answers to their questions will show that you’re the best candidate. This is your prime opportunity to shine because few people bother to do this step.
The questions.
I believe there are about 20 common interview questions, and some of them are simply the same question worded differently. In general, I strongly believe practicing and role-playing these questions will give you the competitive advantage you need to be successful. Learn to remember 3–4 key bullet points for each question. In an interview, expand on them with examples. Don’t try to memorize your answers. Remember, it is okay to be nervous – everyone is, including the interviewers. Arrive early, try to relax, maintain good eye contact, and be yourself—you’re good at that.
Tell me about yourself. This is not the opportunity for you to share your life story, as interesting as it may be that is the wrong approach and most people do that. Instead, remembering 3-4 of the key points from the job advertisement, tell your interviewer about your skills and abilities for each one of these points. Remember, this interview is about solving their problem. It will also address the common issue people have about being thought of as “over-qualified.” If you tell an interviewer about all the things you can do without addressing what they need, they won’t see your value to them.
What are your greatest weaknesses? This is a “trap” question and should really be asked as “Why should we not hire you?” and so many people have told me the most horrible things about themselves. There are hundreds of wrong answers to this question, but my advice is to use a weakness that you have overcome; begin with “In the past, I did not do ___ well, but this is what I did about it ____.” Interviewers know none of us are perfect, but they want people who can see a problem and overcome it. Remember, the goal of “connecting the dots” for this and all other questions is to show how you are the best choice to solve their problem.
Why should we hire you? This is usually one of the last questions in an interview, and many applicants wonder why it’s asked—since it’s almost identical to “Tell me about yourself.” The reason for the question is that it is an opportunity to reinforce why you are the best solution for their problem, and it is okay to use the same answer to “Tell me about yourself,” but be sure to reinforce what you have learned in the interview. This is an important “connect the dots” answer.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Personally, I don’t ask this question because of the unpredictability of life; however, if asked, it is a good opportunity to reflect on how you plan to grow as a person and as an employee of the organization. It is also a good way to share the connectivity of your short/medium/and long-term goals with the organizational goals.
Tell me about a conflict with a coworker. This is a behavioral or situational type question. Interviewers like these because how you responded to a situation in the past is sometimes a good indicator of your future behavior. Use the STAR approach (a specific situation, explain the task you were given, what actions you took, and what was the result). Prepare prior to your interview by thinking about situations that had a positive result for you and your organization.
Why did you leave your last job? For anyone who has left a job for less than positive reasons, this can be a difficult question to answer if you haven’t prepared first. You should never “bad-mouth” a previous employer—both as a matter of principle and because your interviewer may know them. My suggestion is to focus on growth and moving forward; each of us may encounter jobs or organizations that are not a “good fit,” and having an answer that reflects this reality is a good answer.
What’s your greatest strength? This is an opportunity for you to choose one of the key requirements of the employer that you do well and provide one or two examples of how you have used this strength in the past.
What do you know about our organization? A typical interview will last 20-30 minutes, and you should spend at least that much time researching the organization before the interview. Mention specific projects, news, or values that align with your background and interests.
Describe a time you failed. Using the STAR approach, share an example that demonstrates self-awareness, humility, honesty, and relevance to the position you are being interviewed about.
How do you handle stress? Answering “poorly” is not going to help you, as does saying you “don’t get stressed.” Your ability to handle stress and prioritize tasks is a key element in many careers and jobs and taking 2-3 minutes to explain 3-4 bullet point examples of your process will help you connect to the interviewers and to help address their needs.
Do you have any questions for us? Before your interview, take the time to write out 5-6 questions about the job, use a small notebook with the page bookmarked for easy reference, and when asked, open the book to the page and ask two of the questions. Your thoughtful preparation and organization will be noted and is a great way to demonstrate why you are the best candidate because most people do not make the effort to do this.
Describe your leadership abilities. Too often, people respond poorly to this question because they assume leadership implies looking after a group of people. Certainly, this is one form of leadership; however, leadership is also about your work ethic and the example you set for others, your willingness to help develop those people around you.
If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be? Often, in an interview, you will get this type of question, which doesn’t seem to have any clear purpose. The interviewer really doesn’t care what you choose, but what they are interested in is why you have chosen what you did. Try to avoid choosing a destructive animal or one that is really timid.
What’s the next step?
At the end of the interview, if the interviewer has not addressed this question, ensure that you ask what to expect. Be polite and respectful, but it is important for your peace of mind.
Within 24 hours of the interview, send a thank you email to each of the interviewers.
What if you don’t get the job?
Too often, if an applicant doesn’t get the job, they either meekly accept the result or angrily lash out. Instead of either, take the initiative and ask two questions: (1) Tell the person who contacted you that you’re happy they found a candidate. Then, let them know that if the person doesn’t work out, you would still be very interested in being considered. (2) Ask what advice or feedback they might have for you based on your interview.
From your resume and cover letter to practicing interview questions to following up—there are many dots to connect on the path to a successful job search. A common theme throughout this process is to focus on solving the employer’s problem. By doing so, you’ll stand out—because few job seekers take this approach.
Good luck,
Paul