After you’ve prepared for the interview and it’s finally time to step in with the hiring manager, your goal is to show that you’re the right fit for the position.
For some, this can be the most nerve-wracking part of getting a new job. With the right preparation, you can go in without a worry.
Tips to Succeed in Your Next Interview
- Be positive about your past
You never want to talk negatively about your current or previous employer. That’s one thing that you definitely don’t want to do. Even if you left on bad terms, you always want to be very positive as it relates to your previous or current employers.
- Ask helpful questions
Then you want to ask questions, specific questions about the job. What do they hope the person they hire will bring to this role? Why did the previous person leave? Or is this a new position that’s recently been created? If it’s a new position that’s been created, that’s going to show you that there’s an opportunity for growth in that organization.
If there’s a person that left this particular position, ask why they left. Were they promoted? That’s good! That also shows that there’s opportunity for promotion. If they weren’t promoted? Then you may want to ask why they left. Was it something to do with the work environment? If they left on their own, why?
These questions are important to ask because, not only are you being interviewed for the company, but you as a candidate are also interviewing the employer. You want to make sure that it’s a good fit for you as well.
Also ask: “What are you expecting the person you hire to accomplish in the next six months to a year?” and “What are some of the challenges you expect for a new person coming into this role?”
Asking these types of questions will let your prospective employer know that you’ve done your research and that you are prepared for the interview.
- Show your passion
Hiring managers tell me all the time, they can teach the skill, but can’t teach passion for the job. That’s why it’s critical that your passion stands out as well as your interest in the job and the company. Even if you feel tired, it’s important to keep that energy in your voice and make it obvious by your questions and answers that you’re interested in the position.
- Highlight yourself as a team player
You need to be able to show that you have the skills to work as part of a team, to contribute to the team and be positive. I’ve had numerous candidates who didn’t seem like team players. For some reason, there was negativity there. When recruiters experience that, they don’t think these candidates will contribute to the team. This is particularly important if they are a team-oriented organization. Those candidates that don’t seem like team players can be passed on by recruiters. That’s why it’s beneficial to show how committed you are to the whole team’s success.
- Send a thank you note
Once you get home, it’s time to get going with your thank you note! The key to this is utilizing the questions you asked and whatever answers they’ve given you. If they’ve told you what needs to be accomplished, tell them what you’ve done in the past to reach similar goals. Share with them how you’re going to overcome any challenges that were identified in the interview. Thank them for their time and send the note out within 24 hours of interviewing.
The ultimate goal of participating in an interview is to be offered the job. Even if you find that this company is not a fit for you, that’s still your goal. The objective of doing the whole interview process is that you want to be offered a position because then you have the opportunity to determine if it’s something you want to accept or not.
Consider this new opportunity and the goals that you could accomplish. You could have less stress, flourish with a better work-life balance, and gain more time for yourself to focus on your family and personal wellness. It all depends on the opportunity at hand. Take those things into consideration and really think about the reason why you began the search for a new job in the first place.
Your ‘why’ is important! Think back on it and reflect. If you’re offered a job, but you make more money at your current employer, think back about why you began a search to begin with. If it was because of money and that’s the only reason you’re looking, maybe you don’t want to leave. But if there’s another underlying issue as to why you’re seeking new employment, you really want to think about that, even if your current employer makes you a counter offer.
In each phase of your career transition, it can be helpful to reflect on your reason behind it all. This will help guide