I can go on and on with
advice and I do, every week. Of the many things I suggest, there are three things
people fail to do that are critical to one’s interview success. As a result,
many people doom their own chances right from the start and later scratch their
heads wondering what went wrong. These three seemingly obvious measures are not
mere window dressing for appearances; they are integral steps without which
you’re barely going through the motions.
The interview process
is, in many ways, a ritualistic event; styles and methods can vary but hiring
officials are watching for and expecting certain rudimentary steps, a checklist
of sorts. The three components to which I am referring, that you ignore at your
own risk are one each before, during and
at the end of the interview. They need to be a part of your own ritual and
applied to every interview in which you participate, throughout your entire
career. If you’re looking for shortcuts, the Internet already provides you with
plenty but, at some point, you must personally engage and participate directly,
face to face. But if that’s too much for you and you want the easy way out, if
you want to zombie walk your way through life, get a government job.
For those who want to
better influence their own fate, here they are:
Interview
Prep
– Before your interview, invest 30 or more minutes to learn about the company
and, when possible, the division or group, however narrow you can focus your
inquiries. It’s all available online. Start with the company website, look for
new products or services, check out press releases, etc. During the interview
you are very likely to be asked, “what do you know about our company?” and/or,
“tell me why you’d like to work for our company?” These are a couple of basic
questions and a threshold you need to meet and get beyond. “It’s a great
company” will not cut it. Or take it even further; whenever possible, you might
even find a career bio of a hiring official with whom you may meet. Who knows,
maybe you’ll find some commonalities, such as having attended the same
university, both served in the military, similar interests or something else
potentially helpful. Do your homework before you shake hands at the interview.
Ask
Questions – refer to my previous blog entry for more on this
one but, suffice to say that if you don’t have any questions, you’re either
lazy or not as interested as you claim to be and that is precisely the impression the interviewer will have. This is another
critical interview threshold if you want to be taken seriously, and how will
you know the right time to ask? In most interviews it is pretty obvious, and
it’s near the end of the interview and sounds like this, “Do you have any
questions?” Or preferably, simply be engaged in an interactive discussion and
ask when the feeling hits you. Just be sure to do it before you shake their
hand and depart.
Ask
for the next step – a somewhat ritualistic threshold
telling you it is near the end of the interview is when they ask if you have
any remaining questions. So I have one more for you to ask; your final question
should be, “What’s the next step?” And this, ladies and gentlemen, is a most
critical threshold, indicating your interest in continuing. Or -- you can blend
into the background, like countless others who leave and are quickly forgotten
after they depart, by saying, “um, uh well, I hope I hear from you.”
Each of these three is
important, but each is more critical than the previous. My book provides many
more details and variations for these and a long list of other steps to improve
your odds of being noticed. And if you’re noticed, you’ll stand out from the
legions of others trudging along and competing for the same jobs by doing the
bare minimum. Be different to make a difference. If you’re serious about your
career you may have only one shot at a good opportunity, so don’t squander it.
In my vocabulary, regret is a dirty
word.
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