Finding a new job and/or changing industries can be an invigorating experience. It’s a chance to redirect your life, meet new people, and engage in fresh experiences!
But wait…it also means you have to interview.
You might have the skills of an interview god; however, I’d wager you experience mortality like the rest of us – sweaty palms, nonsensical replies, and a lingering fear you said something wrong. Of course, nerves are an inherent part of the experience, but there are strategies you can employ to make the process easier and improve your chances of landing the job you want.
Let’s start off with a simple yet powerful technique:
1) Shift your mindset
After landing an interview, it’s easy to focus on becoming the right fit for a company.
Rather than defaulting to that frame of mind, it’s important to remember that interviews are a two-way street. While it is the company’s opportunity to see if you’d be suitable for that position, it’s also your chance to see if the company/position is a fit for you.
To avoid leaving your needs out of the job-search equation, you can do the following two things:
- Come prepared with well-designed questions. It’s widely known that questions are important to have for an interview, but it’s easy to forget that they aren’t merely a formality. They are a prime opportunity to gather more information for yourself. Rather than asking cookie-cutter questions to appear prepared, take a few extra minutes to craft queries that provide relevant information to your situation:
- Is work-life balance critical for you to have? Inquire as to how they support a reasonable schedule.
- Is the company culture important to you? Ask them to describe their work environment.
- Is a specific management style crucial for your productivity? Inquire about the way management likes to run the office.
- Consider your post-interview feelings. You don’t need to debrief with your therapist after an interview (unless you think it would be helpful); however, there’s value in paying attention to your first impressions and initial instincts. While facts (salary, benefits, hours, etc.) are essential, intangibles (feel, vibe, energy, etc.) carry equally significant weight as they can tip you off to an interview’s subtext. Thankfully, you don’t need to meditate or practice yoga to tap into this – you just need to pay attention:
- Did anything the interviewer say raise a red flag?
- Did you leave the interview more excited than when you entered?
- Did the interviewers seem authentic or fake?
Shifting your mindset isn’t a panacea for poor interviewing, but it does a beautiful job of creating perspective – which in turn reduces nerves and provides clarity.
2) Research the job and company
Even if you’re the most qualified candidate, if you aren’t knowledgeable about the job you’re applying for, you’ll come across as a poor choice during the interview. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who’s been caught off guard by a question I should have known – it’s an awkward spot to be in, and most people can sniff out when you’re spewing bull shit like a fire hose.
To avoid this happening, make sure you thoroughly research the following two things:
- The Job. Read the job description twenty times. Come with a copy of the job posting. Do whatever it takes to commit that information to heart. Of course, many job descriptions consist of standardized language, but it’s still worth knowing exactly what the company says it’s looking for. By having a working knowledge of the job description, you’ll not only avoid looking stupid – you’ll avoid having incorrect expectations about the position.
- The Company. Thankfully, this process is easier than ever. You don’t need to become a history buff about the company – you just need to browse the website, LinkedIn, GlassDoor, and any relevant news articles. This will prepare you for company-specific interview questions and with essential knowledge before you accept or deny an offer. It will also help to ensure the company’s values align with your own.
Researching the position and company won’t qualify you for a job you have no business applying for, but it will help you avoid simple blunders during the interview.
3) Be yourself
There’s a gray area when it comes to “being yourself” in an interview. For example, where would you place the following on a scale from Deceptive to Smart:
- Covering up tattoos with professional clothing.
- Rounding up two months of experience to a full year.
- Removing unique piercings for an interview.
- Saying the job you’re applying for is a dream job – when it definitely isn’t.
- Failing to mention that you have a two rather than a four-year degree.
While pretending to be someone you’re not might raise the chances of landing a job, it’s also likely to get you fired a few weeks later.
In contrast, by choosing the route of authenticity, you can improve the likelihood of a skills and workplace-culture match:
- Skills. As discussed in my post about landing a remote job, it’s an intelligent idea to tailor your resume to fit the position you’re applying for. That being said, be cautious of over-embellishing your experience. This could convey inaccurate information to the interviewers and give them the impression that you’d perform better in the role than you actually would – resulting in a huge waste of time and resources for you and the company. Instead of feeling the need to fake your experience, embrace where you’re at. If it’s not right for that company, it’s not an indication of a failure on your part – just a mismatch of talent.
- Culture. On top of finding out if you have the necessary experience for a position, interviewers often try to gauge how you’d fit in their business. Would your personality and values align with the management style and people? By presenting authentically, you’ll give interviewers a more accurate idea of how you’d fit. Are you outgoing and funky? Don’t be scared to let that shine. Are you quiet and measured? Embrace that part of who you are. If you wouldn’t vibe in the company, it’s better to find out before accepting the job rather than two months in.
Embracing your unique identity is not only a smart strategy for interviews – it’s an ideal way to live in general.
Final Thoughts
Will the nerves disappear as you prepare for a coming interview? Probably not, however, by implementing these three techniques, you’ll set yourself up for success in whatever job you choose to accept.
As you continue on your interviewing journey, I’d love to hear about how it goes! Also, let me know if you’d add any strategies to this list – it’s fascinating learning what I may have missed.