Nothing frustrates me more than a candidate who hasn't demonstrated the best version of themselves in an interview process. This isn't always the fault of the candidate, because we don't tend to be coached on how to perform in these situations, in fact more than often, we've been advised to go to as many interviews as possible to 'practice'.
Interviews are nerve-racking, but what we can do is to prepare well to ensure we perform our best.
Below are some suggestions to get you started once you've got an interview booked in.
Double check the booking
What format is the interview in, onsite, virtual or phone? If you're unsure, double check with the person you've booked the interview with. And remember, every interaction is part of the process, no matter the label of the booking, some businesses will call this a "Coffee Chat", it definitely is an interview!
Conduct some research into the business you're applying to
As simple as it sounds, there are so many candidates who fail at the first hurdle. You don't necessarily need to know every-single detail about the potential employer, but what would be beneficial is knowing their values, their product/services, the latest news. Researching the company shows that you are actually interested in joining them.
Check for a strong connection and find a suitable location
Whether virtual or phone call, ensure that you have good-quality connection, having unreliable wifi or reception will disrupt the flow of the conversation and it's off-putting for everyone. Likewise when choosing a suitable location for the call, it's incredibly distracting for the interviewer if there's a lot of background noise, so find a space with limited distractions. Recruiters and hiring managers alike have lots of candidates to speak to, they may not have the time for you to reconnect or have you repeat an answer, you want to make a good impression, so make sure this step is thought out properly.
Be punctual and check your travel ahead of time
Regardless of what type of interview this is, be punctual. And if this is an onsite meeting, check your travel. I don't think I need to elaborate on this point.
Prepare examples to support your answer
We may not always know what the exact questions are in the interview, but your best bet it'll be related to the role/job description. For example, if "being a leader" is listed in the job ad then make sure you have an example prepared and make sure this is a real-life and personal example. Interviewers have a sixth-sense if it's a fictional example, so avoid making up an answer. Interviewers would prefer you to be frank and answer hypothetically, rather than bullshitting.
Come to the interview with questions
It's almost certain that you'd be given an opportunity to ask questions at the end, so prepare 3 or 4 relating to the role, development, business outlook or even referring back to some of the points in the interview, you can ask for clarification on things that maybe were unclear. This would further demonstrate your interest in joining the team, be curious but not pestering.
Following-up
The interviewer should have provided you with a timeline for an outcome at the end of the meeting. Of course, you can follow up shortly after the interview with a simple 'Thank You' email for their time and you could also use this opportunity to ask questions that you were meaning to ask at the time of the interview- but remember to keep this brief.
Below is an example of how not to follow up, from a post that I found on LinkedIn. Being interested is great, but avoid creating work for the interviewer and asking for a cheat code in a form of an essay.
I hope these starter-suggestions have been somewhat useful and get you on the right track. If you have further suggestions, please feel free to comment and contact us at Badger the Recruiters, we look forward to hearing from you!
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