Be Center Stage at your Next Interview!
The Interview
Three Acts to Get Your Dream Job
A job interview is an event in three acts - pre-interview, interview, post-interview. Each act is equally important to ensuring a successful outcome. Each act also requires different preparation and execution. Here are some do’s and don'ts for each stage of the interview process from expert recruiters in Pittsburgh, articles, and recent studies.
Act I: Pre-Interview
Now that you’ve scheduled your interview, it’s time to prepare! Interview preparation is more than picking out an outfit the night before. There is a lot of research to be done in advance to ensure that you present yourself in the most professional way and nail the interview!
Research the company - This is the number one advised tip from job recruiters! You want to thoroughly understand the company culture. Remember, just as you are being interviewed to see if you will be a good fit for the position, you are interviewing the company to see if they will be a good fit for you! Thoroughly understand the product or service the company provides by using their Twitter and LinkedIn to check out what they’re up to.
Understand the role you are applying for - Understand why you want the job - your main “selling points” that have drawn you to the position, and how your qualifications match these selling points. Prepare this answer in advance, because this is going to be your main sell in the interview. Also understand weaknesses and areas you would need to learn on the job. Anticipate the interviewer asking this and impress them by acknowledging weakness and offering a solution for how you would counteract this.
Proofread your resume - Double check for spelling and grammar. Ensure the formatting is clean and that your contact information is correct. This seems obvious, but this is a common error that recruiters at Basilone Executive Search in Pittsburgh see often! Don’t let something like this ruin your chances for the job.
Print hard copies of your resume - Your interviewer will probably bring one to the interview, but it is impressive to offer one to them. This shows you have prepared thoroughly for the interview.
Prepare a list of references, JUST in case - This has been cited as a common mistake amongst college graduates. Come prepared with personal, educational, and professional references. Offer this at the end of the interviewer as a way to show confidence in your abilities and skills. But remember, ALWAYS ASK your references first if you can use them! Do not blindside your reference; prepare them for who may be calling and in reference to what. Also ensure that you provide their best contact information on the reference list.
Plan travel arrangements in advance - Ensure you know how long it will take to get to the interview location, and know where in the building you will need to go. Do not leave any of this to chance! For large corporate buildings, know who to ask for at the security desk. If you have to park downtown or at a parking garage, allow extra time to walk to the interview location. Arrive fifteen minutes early to the interview and take some deep breaths before you go in. Remain poised and professional. Your efforts to be prompt will show dependability, which, according to recruiters, is one of the most important, unconscious messages you can display to an interviewer.
Get a good night’s sleep - Remember that all of your preparation and hard work is not to be completed the night before. Get a good night’s sleep before you go interview! This will benefit you immensely in your personal presentation.
Act II: The Interview
And now for the main event! All of your preparation and excitement is building to this moment. You are dressed to impress, and ready to knock the interview out of the park. Remember to smile, and engage the interviewer with a firm handshake to get things started off right! Once you get in there and start the conversation, remember these tips to help you wow them in the interview!
Tell an engaging story about yourself - When asked the question, “Tell me more about yourself,” take this opportunity to tell your interviewer something interesting or your best selling point. Do not provide them a basic, formulaic answer. This is the moment to bring your resume to life! Take full advantage of this opportunity to impress them.
Body language says it all - After starting off with a firm handshake, make sure that you have good posture, keep eye contact, and speak clearly throughout the entire interview. Ensure active listening by nodding your head, and reacting appropriately to what is being said. Your posture says a lot. You want to exude friendliness and confidence! Do not wear perfume or cologne. This has been shown in studies to be a huge turn off for interviewers.
Do NOT check your phone during the interview - Put your phone on "do not disturb" and keep it in your bag. This goes for smart watches too! Do not allow distractions to enter the interview. This is a common mistake in younger people because technology is such a regularity in our culture. However, technology is not considered professional. Even if your interviewer looks at their phone, do not take that as an invite for you to do the same.
Ask for business cards! - Asking for business cards shows interviewers that you are serious about their company and the job. It also ensures that you have their contact information to follow up with them!
Ask how to follow up - As the interview is coming to a close, ask how to follow up and what the next steps are. This lets the interviewer know that you are serious about the position. This also clues you into the expected time frame of the job posting. This is a great note to end on, showing that you want to make a connection and get this job!
Act III: Post-Interview
The main event has now finished, and it’s time for the final act. At this point, you will have a lot to reflect on. You will have a lot of decisions to make, and you will need to take some time to do this.
Write down what you are feeling - After you get home from the interview, write your thoughts down. Good thoughts, bad thoughts, things you could have done better, if you liked the company, if you liked the interviewer, etc. Putting thoughts into writing will help you remember exactly how you felt to sift through later. Look at these thoughts the next day, or later that week as you continue to decide if this job is the right fit for you.
Send a Thank-You Note - Make sure to send a thank you note, even if it’s a thank you email! If you do not have the contact information of the interviewer, send it to the person who you have been coordinating with and ask for them to pass it along. Make sure to include the names of all who interviewed you! This bit of personal connection goes a long way, and is commonly overlooked in today’s age. Impress your interviewer by taking this necessary step to solidify your professional connection. Try to send it between 12-24 hours after the interview, this will give the interviewer time to reflect on their experience with you too!
Keep up the job search - Do not put all your eggs in one basket. It’s important to have a few leads going at once, and it is acceptable to be open with your interviewer about what other opportunities you have. This takes the pressure off of each interview and allows you to be relaxed and not desperate for a job.
Send a LinkedIn message - Send a tailored LinkedIn message a few days after the interview. Something short saying, “Thanks again for meeting with me, have a nice weekend!” will do the trick. Solidifying the connection will allow you to keep up with the company, and possibly ask for feedback and advice in the future.
As your final curtain call to the interview process, remember the more you interview the better you will get at it - practice makes perfect! Do not get discouraged if a few interviews do not go well. Instead, use your notes that you write down at the end to reflect on how you can improve for the future.
If you need more advice on the interview process, or want to learn about other ways to prepare, check out these articles below.
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-should-do-after-a-job-interview-2016-11
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-interview-tips-2058577
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/the-ultimate-job-interview-preparation-guide/
https://www.exechunter.com/2019/07/15/common-job-seeking-mistakes-recent-college-graduates-make/
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