Printed resume? Check!
Professional attire? Check!
On time? Check!
Good answers? Check!
Job offer? *Crickets*
“Just be yourself” and you’ll have a successful interview, right? Wrong. On paper you are going to look relatively similar as five other candidates, so you want to be sure that your in-person presentation is something to remember. You may hit all the checkboxes in skills, qualifications, and requirements, but if you’re not getting job offers, there may be something you are not displaying in your interview: interest.
A recent discovery is that candidates look fantastic on paper, but seem disinterested when they come in to meet with the hiring managers. This is due mainly in part to the candidates’ lack of preparation for the interview. “But I practice my answers to typical questions the night before,” you protest. That’s a great step, but don’t stop there!
The best thing that you can do to prepare for an interview and to assure the hiring manager that you are seriously interested in a job is research the company. The more you research, the better. You can’t go overboard in this step. Check out the company’s website, Yelp, Glassdoor, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. By the end of your research, you should basically have the company’s mission statement memorized and have a good feel for company culture.
While you are researching the company, don’t forget to take notes and think of questions. A Googled interview question can be spotted a mile away. Though it is applaudable that you looked up questions to ask in an interview, go deeper if you want to stand out from the other candidates who found the same article. Ask questions that specifically relate to the company or job description. It’s ok to admit that you stalked the company’s Instagram and are wondering if everybody gets a cake on their birthdays. It may not be a question related to the position, but it shows the hiring manager you are thorough in your research and will probably show the same attention to detail on the job.
Your presentation does not end once you leave the office. Remember that you are competing against several other candidates for the job, so at the end of the day, you may be a blur in a sea of faces. Sharpen the focus back on you by sending a brief “Thank You” card. You may think this is just archaic advice your grandmother gives, but know that a few short sentences go a long way in shaping the hiring manager’s opinion of you. Be sure to be specific in your thank you as this assures the interviewer that you are truly interested and have active listening skills.
This is a lot of work to do for each interview, there is no argument there. Sometimes it may seem like you’re putting a lot of work into several interviews and not getting any offers. The key is to be intentional and specific in your preparation. If you show company-specific preparation and interest during your interview, you’ll stand out and most likely receive a job offer before other candidates.
We can help you out. it’s what we do best! Contact us for more information.
January Employee Birthday List:
Jan. 22 – Josh H.
Jan. 29 – Jared R.
Jan. 31 – Rachel C.
Jan. 31 – Brandyn P.