This article is for your friend. You are awesome. I know, you know. You absolutely nail every interview and have the job of your dreams.
Your friend though….well, might need a little help. Maybe share this article with them.
As they start interviewing for their next great opportunity, I wanted to share eight things of what not to do in the interview.
If your friend doesn’t do these things, they will increase their chances of landing the job of their dreams by 67%. Fact.
Here’s the list of eight mistakes you won’t make.
Not Answering the Question
There are times it makes sense to tell a story and there are other times when “just the facts” will do. As a candidate, you are responsible for knowing the difference. For example, if a hiring manager asks why you feel you would be qualified for the position, does it really make sense to go all the way back to an 8th grade passion and tell the story of a path that led to today? It better be a GREAT story...otherwise a simple answer addressing the key requirements of the role and your corresponding relevant experience/skills will suffice. Remember, how you answer a question can be just as important as what you answer.
Not Requesting an Itinerary
Engineering has a different viewpoint than sales. Many candidates neglect to ask for an itinerary and a list of who they will be meeting with during their interview. Don’t make this mistake or you will lose out on valuable intel. By knowing who you will meet with, you can do some research on who they are and what they have done. Career paths shape how we look at things and how we operate. Get the itinerary and get smart on who you will be meeting with.
Forgetting to Bring Copies of Your Resume
Bringing copies of your resume shows that you are prepared and can serve as a valuable tool during the interview process. Consider the previous question posed by the hiring manager regarding why you feel you would be qualified for the position….you could recite your experiences and skills OR you could provide a copy of your resume, refer to specific positions and responsibilities and leave behind something that will sit on the hiring manager’s desk rather than disappear in their inbox.
Not Bringing a Copy of the Job Description
Many companies are interviewing to hire for multiple positions. Hiring managers might see dozens of candidates a week. Make their life a little easier and bring a copy of the job description to give them as the start of the interview. Pro Tip = Take some time to annotate the copy with notes about your personal experience and skills. Again, leaving your information behind will help to reinforce your candidacy.
Not Bringing Your Notes from Previous Conversations
Who said what, when, and why? Taking notes during the interview process can be very valuable. Bringing them to your face to face interview will show your attention to detail. It will also help you clarify your points of view.
Not Understanding the Primary Need for the Role
Ok, you want a job and maybe you even want this job, but the hiring manager needs to fill the position so THEIR needs are being met. Take the time to truly understand what the critical functions of the position are and what aspects might be simply preferred. For example, if the hiring manager really needs someone who can pull information out of a database but you stress how well qualified you are at lifting 50lbs, you have missed out on selling why you are the candidate for the position.
Not Understanding the Organizational Structure
If you are applying for a purely tactical role, this may not be that important but if the position requires any strategic ability, you need to understand how the pieces fit together. A very common mistake is to assume that the company you are interviewing with works the same way as your former employer.
Not Understanding How the Position Serves the Customer
Maybe this should be the first point. Everything, and I do mean everything, ultimately goes back to how the organization serves the customer. Without understanding who the customer is or how the role you are applying to serves the customer, the chances are good that your answers to the interview questions simply won’t make sense or will lack relevancy.
Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and President of Hunter Crown, LLC
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