Interviews are an opportunity to communicate your ability to succeed in a new role.  Recruiters and hiring leaders alike look for competent, prepared, critical thinkers whose experience matches the needs for their open position.  A solid resume gets you in the door, but the interview is your time to shine.  We all get nervous when it comes to interviewing for our dream job, and the key to overcoming your nerves is preparation.  These interview tips will help to ensure you make your best impression.

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Do your homework  

One of my greatest pet peeves as a recruiter is speaking with a candidate who hasn’t done his or her homework before an interview.  When a candidate squanders the opportunity to ask questions by requesting information that he or she could have easily found via online research, I take that as a sign of unpreparedness and disinterest.  To avoid this snafu, I recommend the following: utilize a company’s corporate website to read about their history, corporate performance, mission statement, values and any recent headlines; look up industry terminology or jargon that you may not be familiar with, especially if these terms are referenced in the job description; research the company’s leaders’ profiles on LinkedIn and read about their backgrounds and career paths.  There is a wealth of information available to you.  Arm yourself with as much intelligence as you can.  When you come to the interview prepared, you will not only be less nervous, you will ask informed questions, and  demonstrate the investment you’ve already made as a candidate – leaving the recruiter or hiring leader feeling confident you will continue that dedicated and thorough performance as an employee.

All in the details

Once you’ve demonstrated your industry and company-specific knowledge, the next mistake to avoid is misrepresenting your own brand.  Your resume matched the profile of the ideal candidate and landed you the interview; use this opportunity to bring those bullet points to life.  Interview questions are designed to reveal how your background, skills, and experience have prepared you to perform the duties of the job you’re applying for.  A major mistake candidates make is failing to prepare and provide detailed examples.  Without specifics, the integrity of your answers will be questioned.  Feeling stumped with where to start?  Take the job description and turn each point into an interview question that asks how you’ve accomplished that particular task.  Prepare specific examples of situations when you performed those job duties, and as often as possible, provide specific figures, obstacles you overcame to achieve those results, and the skills you learned along the way.  Completing this exercise helps you predict which questions a recruiter will ask you, and polish your responses accordingly.

Recruiters and hiring leaders want you to be the right candidate.

Your weaknesses are your strengths

So you’ve gone through the above exercise, but you’ve come across a duty you’ve never performed.  Now what?  A common mistake candidates make is revealing their weaknesses without complementing them with strengths.  It’s okay to be transparent and share that you haven’t had that particular experience, but take that opportunity to think creatively and provide an example as how you would handle it, given the opportunity.  The key is to turn any challenge into a positive response.  Doing so will convey your confidence, problem-solving ability, and willingness to learn and grow.  A hiring leader will be impressed with your honesty, and the ability to think on your feet.

Remember: recruiters and hiring leaders want you to be the right candidate.  It’s your job to effectively convey the reasons why you are.  Research the company, prepare your detailed examples, and project confidence in your ability to overcome challenges, and you’ll be on your way to the next step of your dream career. 

Through her love for travel, and an enchanted six months in Edinburgh, Scotland, Amanda discovered her calling to story tell.  Combining her 8+ years of corporate recruiting experience with her passion for writing, she launched Amanda Wowk Creative to offer a myriad of career and creative writing services directly to clients.  You can learn more about her writing and editing services, and follow her blog at www.amandawowk.com.  

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