10 Job Interview Tips To Land The Career Of Your Dreams
A friend recently called me and said she was both thrilled and a little nervous to be invited back for her third interview for a job position she has wanted for over six months.
She’s smart and talented, and has obviously done a lot of things right by advancing through two previous rounds of interviews. She wanted moral support and any advice I could offer.
It got me thinking about my own career trajectory – from my post-college internship at CNN through a constantly evolving and advancing career as an entrepreneur, executive, and board member.
As I reflected on my past interviews, I realized that I cannot recall a single time when I was not offered a position I truly wanted after interviewing for it. I chalk that up to a combination of luck and timing, but also to a process that began intuitively that I’ve improved upon over the years. This process is based on a genuine desire for a win/win for my prospective employer and myself.
My process involves questions before, during, and after an interview. It brings clarity and results on your path to your dream job - one where you are learning and growing, using your strengths, and offering tremendous value.
Here are my 10 quick job interview tips:
1. Ask questions of yourself
Before the interview, do your own due diligence – this is key to finding and being offered the win/win job of your dreams.
Do the self assessment of your career past, present, and future. This is so often overlooked. Ask yourself how this opportunity aligns with your aspirations, strengths, and short and long term goals. Leaders begin by understanding themselves first.
There are many data points for you to consider - Your own assessments of your strengths and weaknesses, and also what you believe your purpose is. I’ve written about this on my blog. One of the best resources I’ve found is Strengthsfinder, because it reveals previously under appreciated attributes each of us possesses and gives you an improved perspective and vocabulary on your value.
2. Get a feel for the company you’re interviewing with
What is the leadership and culture of the company? Does it align with your values?
There are many sources for this. Scour the company’s website and the web for information about leaders and company direction. Search for speeches and articles written by leaders of the company and the person interviewing you to get a sense for what their values are.
If it’s a publicly traded company there will be analyst reports and a lot of information. A fantastic way to get a sense for a company is by listening to earnings calls that are usually posted in investor relations sections of their websites, or you can find these online.
You will gain an appreciation for their quantifiable business goals, and if they are making progress toward them. You will also pick up on attitudes and values - and, you will find nuggets of information that you can use during the interview. Make a note of aspects that genuinely interest you so you can raise these opportunistically during the interview.
3. Leverage your network
Ask people in your network if they know the management of the company and the person you are interviewing with. Ask for opinions on the leadership, values, market potential of the organization.
This is essential in assessing whether the company is a good fit for you - whether you are interviewing for a position as a mid-level manager, an executive, or member of the board of directors.
4. Talk yourself up
If you conclude that this is a fantastic opportunity, ask yourself why you believe you’re the best candidate - and be prepared to articulate this in your interview. Here’s a great cheat sheet by The Muse, which gives excellent answers to the most common interview questions about the role and yourself.
You should make notes on all of the above questions and be prepared to answer each one.
Now that you have prepared for the interview, let’s discuss some job interview tips for the actual interview:
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