I’ve gotten every job I’ve interviewed for.
People have told me …
“You got lucky!”
“You must not be applying to challenging roles!”
HA! I wish that were true.
Interviewing is a skill and I’ve spent years working on that skill. I take interview prep very seriously because I understand this truth: There is a direct relationship between your preparation and your performance.
More time put in = higher chance of getting hired
Less time put in = less chance of getting hired
Interview success involves both “science” and “art”.
You have to prove that you can do the job and do it well (the “science”)
You have to get people to like you (the “art”).
So, how do you accomplish both?
You must do 3 things well:
#1 - Show Interest
#2 - Show Preparation
#3 - Show Value
Today you’ll learn how to execute all 3.
Let’s get started!
#1 - Show Interest
This seems like an obvious point but a lot of people miss this one. If you seem too casual or not interested enough during the interview process, it will turn managers off. As soon as you get invited to interview, you have to continually show that you want the job. If the experience among applicants is somewhat equal, these things will become the difference maker for whoever wins.
Here are 5 ways you can show interest:
Be responsive. If a candidate takes several days to respond, I automatically think that they’ve lost interest. If you’re involved in the interview process, keep a close eye on your email. Be quick to respond and make it easy for the team to schedule with you.
Ask good questions. “I don’t have any questions” is the worst thing you can say during an interview. The interviewer will automatically assume that you’re either not interested or not prepared. I recommend writing down 3-5 thoughtful questions for each meeting. No fluff here. THOUGHTFUL questions.
For example, instead of asking, “what’s the culture like?”, you could ask a manager …
“Can you tell me about your promotion process? Were any team members promoted last year?”
“What’s your approach when a team member makes a mistake?”
“As the manager, do you feel you’re able to take enough PTO?”
“How do you protect and advocate for your team?”
“How does your team cover when someone takes time off?”
“Do you have a budget for continuing education?”
Other topics you could ask about are work schedules, training, onboarding, team dynamics, team goals, team struggles, expectations of the role, company products, etc.
Show interest in people. People like to talk about themselves so help them do that. Take an interest in the life and role of your interviewer. Make sure you understand their role, why they came to work for that company, and what they look for in a teammate. Use peoples’ names too (it’s music to their ears).
Follow-up emails. There’s some debate over these but every hiring manager I’ve worked with appreciates a good follow-up email. I would ask for email addresses after each meeting and send a follow up message a day or two after. The purpose is to show appreciation and speak to specific things you discussed during the interview. Also, don’t be afraid to follow up with your Recruiter for updates. They are your life line!
Say you want it. Yep, it’s that simple. A few things to keep in mind with this one. Be genuine. If you’ve been through the process far enough and you’re confident it’s the right fit, you can tell the interview team that. Just by expressing direct interest in a role can show initiative and potentially put you ahead of other candidates.
Warning: don’t ever put your interviewer on the spot by asking them to make a decision about you in the moment. I hear candidates say things like “would you hire me?” or “is there anything we discussed today that would deter you from hiring me?” This makes things awkward and creates an uncomfortable situation for the person you’re asking.
Here’s how I would do it. “I realize the process isn’t over but I wanted to express my interest in the company and this role. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone and this specific position seems like a great fit for [these reasons]. I want to be transparent and let you know I’m super interested in the role and am excited for next steps. Despite the outcome, I really appreciate the opportunity!”
#2 - Show Preparation
An interview is a giant test and you have to do your homework beforehand. If you are prepared you become a much more desirable candidate. People can tell if you’re ready.
Here’s how to approach this section:
Research. You should spend at least an hour or two digging into the following topics:
The company - understand the founding, mission, and core values (highlight things that interest you specifically)
The products - what does the company make or provide? who are their customers? who are their main competitors?
Latest news - google the company name and filter by news. This will bring up some relevant topics you can discuss during the interview. You could also read the company blog if they have one.
Leaders - CEO, exec team, and who will be your management
Teammates - can be hard to find depending on the size of company but try to see who has the job you’re applying to
Job description - this is the most important part. Every time you apply and get invited to interview, print the job description or ask the Recruiter for a copy. Do a deep dive into the responsibilities and requirements of the role. Read up on the tools listed and any topics you’re not familiar with.
Become an expert on the opportunity. The more research you do, the better. I always bring a notepad to the interview with highlights from my research.
Prepare answers to specific questions. I’m not saying you should be a robot and recite a rehearsed answer to every question. Definitely be yourself and have a natural conversation. But you should have some structure in place for common interview questions. I’ve gone as far as doing mock interviews with family before the big day. Practicing your answers out loud gets the kinks out and sharpens your delivery. You should absolutely have a thoughtful answer to the following:
Why did you apply here?
Why do you want this job specifically?
Tell us about yourself.
What are you career goals?
What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
Situational questions - “what would you do in this situation with [xyz variables]?” … “tell us about a time when …”
Technical questions - refer to the job posting for these. For example, if the requirements section is asking for experience with Python or a SIEM tool, be ready for questions related to those topics.
You will always get curve balls to some difficult questions (especially the technical ones). Don’t be afraid to pause, think about your answer, and give your honest thoughts.
It’s okay to say “I don’t know” or “I don’t have specific experience in this area.” Transparency goes a long way and they will appreciate it.
Last thing, don’t forget the administrative stuff. Here’s a quick checklist that can help you be ready for a virtual interview.
1 - Block 30 minutes before and after the call. This gives you time to settle in and extra time in case the conversation goes long.
2 - Eliminate distractions and noise
3 - Sit or stand in front of a window or good lighting. A dark image goes against you.
4 - Set your camera at eye level. Don’t look up or down at your audience.
5 - Make sure the app is working (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
6 - Memorize the interviewers’ names
Show Value
A hiring manager’s dream candidate is someone who has done the same job somewhere else. Why wouldn’t they want someone who they know can do the job and do it well? It’s okay if you don’t fit this criteria but it’s an important point to understand.
Your goal in this section is to prove to the hiring manager and interview team that you are qualified for the role.
How?
You have to SHOW them through examples and stories.
Here’s how to approach this in 3 steps:
Review the job posting responsibilities and pick out the things that you are really good at or have close experience with. Can you think of a time you’ve been successful with one of those points? What was the situation or problem? What did you do? Who did you work with? What was the outcome? What did you learn?
Write down some examples if you have any. If it’s an entry level role or if you have some gaps in experience, think about examples that are as closely related as possible. In any previous job have you had to solve a problem, work with a customer, or create a solution? Great! Be ready to share.
Same exercise but write down the things you DON’T have experience with. If you have some obvious gaps in experience be ready to admit to those and discuss them. No experience with a specific tool? coding language? methodology? compliance requirement? It’s ok. Write those things down and familiarize yourself with them. You will impress your audience when you can 1) admit you aren’t great at something, 2) provide your understanding of that thing, and 3) share how you will overcome that weakness and ramp up quickly.
Think about soft skills. If the role requires communication, leadership, or initiative, think of examples when you’ve demonstrated those abilities.
Closing thoughts
Don’t kill yourself preparing for the interview. Remember, it’s just a conversation between people. However, if you take it serious and put the time in, your chances of getting the job significantly increase.
If you have a good interview experience from what you learned today, hit me up on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear about it.
See you all next week!