Over the last two years I’ve sent hundreds of people out on first interviews. A day or two before the interview I always connect with each candidate to ensure they have all the information they need for the interview. This includes the time, location, who they are meeting with, how long they will be meeting with each person and any other relevant information.
Always be prepared when walking into an interview. Know about the company story, key performance indicators of the role and do your homework on who you are meeting with. If you don’t prepare accordingly, you’re essentially walking up to home plate without a baseball bat in your hand. You won’t even have a chance to hit it out of the park.
This information is simply factual, not my advice. Being aware of how to prepare for an interview, is simply being properly educated, that is my job, and the job of any good recruiter.
If you’ve ever worked with me on a search (as either a client or a candidate), you’ve heard me use the phrase, “It’s my job to make sure both parties involved have all of the information needed in order to make the best decision.”
Once the candidate has all the information, then comes the last question. “Any final advice before I go in there?”
[ME SMIRKING] – “Absolutely…….just be yourself.”
Now I know what you’re thinking. Oh wow! Really groundbreaking, way to blow my mind with that one. Hear me out on this one. I ask you to listen to these three simple things:
- Trust that I know my client, and what they’re looking for.
- Trust that I know you, and what you’re looking for.
- Trust that you wouldn’t have made it this far if I didn’t think there was a match based on skill-set and/ or culture fit.
The rest is easy, just be you.
Don’t try to mold into the perfect candidate and misrepresent yourself, it will only come out in a few months anyway. It’s at that point you’d be miserable and right back to looking for a new job. As a recruiter, I can tell you, I’ve never had someone tell me they enjoy looking for a new job, it’s stressful and it takes a lot of hard work.
So do your homework and have all your facts straight to be prepared. Being yourself should be your strongest selling point and that is my key piece of advice, if you want to crush an interview.
Do you have any advice for someone trying to crush an interview? Share your tips!
–> For instant access to Versique’s blogs, great career how-to articles, and industry trends, connect with us on social media @Versique and on LinkedIn!
