Tips to acing the interview

You have a big interview coming up. You need to be prepared to ensure you are ‘on top of your game’. This is the opportunity for you to present your qualifications and achievements, and ensure a potential hiring manager knows that you can deliver. Here are some tips to help you with the dynamics of the interview.

Know Thyself: Before the interview, spend time reviewing your own résumé. You need to be prepared to talk about your background and reference details about the positions you held – some of which may have been some time ago. You don’t want to be caught without an answer to a question regarding a position you held five or six years ago. It won’t take long to brush up on your background. I can assure you, you will be happy that you took the time to review your history so you are prepared to answer questions and reference achievements throughout your professional tenure.

Use Time Wisely: Arrive at the interview about 15 minutes early. There is nothing worse than arriving exactly on time with no time to get the house in order. You want to be relaxed for the interview, not harried and nervous. Arriving a bit early will allow you to hang your coat, visit the facilities if you need to, and coordinate any documents that you are going to give to the hiring manager.

Inhale, Exhale: There is no need to rush through your interview. During the exchange of information, it is ok to take a deep breath and think about your answers. Loose lips sink ships, as they say. Pausing for a second before responding to a question will allow you to formulate your answer. You don’t need to immediately blurt out an answer. Filler words like “ummm”, “like”, and “you know” can be avoided by simply taking a moment to collect your thoughts. You will come across more poised and relaxed, not to mention the improvement to your personal brand.

Interview the Interviewer: That’s right; the interview is a two way street. This is the opportunity for you to find out about them too. It is not solely a situation where they are determining if you are right for the company, but also the opportunity for you to determine if they are the right company for you. Ask thoughtful questions that will give you information about their market place position, and mission, values, and vision.

Make your Point: Don’t ramble during the interview. You need to strike a balance between answering the question in a clear and precise manner and also generate camaraderie between you and the interviewer. You want to answer the question, but also provide a sense of who you are as a person.

Promote you Personal Brand: Establish who you are in the interview. Maintain a positive and lively approach. There is a fine line here, of course; be yourself, but present yourself in a focused and proactive way. You want to connect your enthusiasm to the job and to your overall personality.

Shhhh: Be an active listener. Do not stop the interviewer while he is talking. Let the person finish a thought or sentence before you chime in. There is nothing more annoying than being cut off. This will not win you points, but rather irritate the hiring manager. Active listening will allow you to ensure you understand the questions you are being asked so you can provide highly valuable and targeted answers to ensure you hit the mark.

Key elements to ensuring a strong interview is to leave a positive and lasting impression. How you position yourself is up to you – be prepared and positive to ensure your interview goes well and results in that highly coveted follow-up call. In this case, preparation is definitely the key to success.

You are encouraged to comment on blog posts and/or submit questions to Debra right here on the Women Working blog.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.