Thursday, April 18, 2024

How To Ace Your Job Interview

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How To Ace Your Job Interview Over Zoom | Forbes

Some interview questions are meant to sound intimidating. The best response is a straightforward answer, such as a fixed amount per window, or an hourly rate youd charge. Of course, be sure to explain your thought process when calculating your rate. The interviewer is more interested in how you come to your answer and the steps you take to get there.

Why Should We Hire You

If you are at the point of a live interview, you should be highly interested in the position.

This gives you a great opportunity to tell your interviewer how your expertise will positively impact the role. Right now, you are in the spotlight to clearly show that your experience is the perfect fit for the position and why. Shine on!

Know How To Negotiate Salary

Ive posted a lot of research about effective negotiating including my interviews with Robert Cialdini and FBI hostage negotiators.

But whats the thing Harvards MBA school says is most important for landing a big offer?

They need to like you.

About 3:30 into the video below:

Heres the equation for getting what you want. Cutting to the chase: You want to get more. You want more money, a better offer, a better deal here are the components of what you need to do. First, they need to like you. Thats the first component. The things you do that make them like you less make it less likely that you are going to get what you want

Next Steps

To learn more about how to ace a job interview, click the one you need more help with:

Also Check: How To Prepare System Design Interview

If You Woke Up And Had 2000 Unread Emails And Could Only Answer 300 Of Them How Would You Choose Which Ones To Answer

This is asking about how you prioritize and keep organized. The ideal candidate for most positions does a good job of dealing with situations according to their level of priority. Possible answers: filter by priority , or search for subject lines that include high-priority keywords. Or you can mention you have VIPs set up to go to a separate email folder.

Act Interested But Not Desperate While Waiting For Feedback

Learn how to ace your job interview at this workshop by ...

Sometimes you wont hear from the employer for many days after your interview.

They might need to meet more candidates, or might need time to finalize their decision.

Id recommend wrapping up your interview by asking when you can expect to hear feedback. That way, you wont be too anxious waiting at home.

If that time passes, its okay to follow up with the employer to get an update from them. But be patient and never sound needy/desperate. Delays happen.

If they tell you, sorry, things are taking longer than we expected and we are still making our decision, the worst thing you can do is act frustrated or upset. This isnt going to help you get hired!

The best thing you can do is keep applying for jobs while you wait. Its never smart to wait around for one single employer because so many unexpected things can cost you the job or cause a delay in the process.

So thats another one of my favorite interview tips when you finish one interview, try to get more lined up! Dont stop interviewing for jobs until youve signed a job offer.

Read Also: What Does An Exit Interview Consist Of

Train Your Brain To Accept New Information

Efficient studying is a habit. Your brain needs constant training if you want to improve your focus and complete complex tasks without taking breaks.

One way to achieve this goal is to create a private learning space in your home. Youll also need a specific time of day that youll devote to studying. That will make your brain ready to accept the information it gets, so youll notice youre starting to learn much faster by the day.

Tell Stories About Your Achievements

Everyone loves stories. And within a job interview setting, stories can be of incredible value. Specifically, when you use them as evidence that supports your accomplishments.

Just stating your achievements is nowhere near as convincing as telling a story about those achievements. In other words, instead of telling the interviewer that you broke sales records within your previous job, choose instead to tell a story. Tell them about how you got to that point, about the struggles you faced, and how you overcame them.

Use stories as evidence that supports all that you have accomplished.

Read Also: How To Write A Follow Up Interview Email

Prepare To Talk About Specific Accomplishments

Most people go into their interview and make general statements and talk in very general terms. To set yourself apart, you want to prepare specific examples and talk about DETAILS. Facts, numbers and real accomplishments.

Hint: this is true on your resume also. Youll get far more interviews if you cram your resume with facts, figures and statistics instead of general statements like responsible for handling customer requests.

So when the hiring manager asks what you accomplished in your last job, or what you do each day, you should be ready to impress! This is not the time to hesitate or be unsure. Prepare ahead of time for this.

If youre looking for your first job without any work experience, then think about accomplishments in your academic career classes youve taken, projects youve completed, etc. Thats your most relevant experience!

I: Job Interview Preparation

How to Ace Your Job Interview

Each step below will prepare you for the actual interview. None of this is very time consuming but it will set you apart from everyone else applying for the job, making it easy for the company to decide who to hire

Here are the basic interview preparation steps to remember. Ive put the estimated time next to each one.

Read Also: How To Practice For A Job Interview

Why Are You Looking To Leave Your Current Job

This may seem like a place to launch into all the things you dont like about your current job. Or to talk about what a terrible person your boss is. Dont do it. Thats the path you do not want to go down. And thats really what this question tends to prod out of many people.

If I am interviewing you and ask this question and you tell me all the ways your boss doesnt appreciate you and your company has terrible leadership, Im thinking what youre going to be saying about me in a year when you are interviewing somewhere else.

Make sure you are framing your answer in a way that doesnt shed bad light on your current or most recent employer. You want to focus on things like youve enjoyed working for the company but your growth options are limited there so you are exploring outside opportunities.

Tell Me About A Time You Messed Up

Or tell me about a time something didnt work out the way you planned. Similar in concept. The key here is to show that you take accountability for your actions and how you react to things going wrong.

Companies like to see that you are willing to accept responsibility for the things you oversee and own up when you are wrong. People that always find a way to blame their missteps on other people or circumstances typically dont make good team mates.

The other component here is things dont always go as planned, how good are you at adapting and thinking on your feet.

Read Also: How To Close An Interview

Phone Interview Tips That Will Help You Get Hired

While you’re job searching, it’s important to be prepared for a phone interview at a moment’s notice. Many companies start the interview process with a phone call to discuss the job opportunity with a prospective employee, determine whether the candidate is a good fit, and to gauge his or her interest in the position. In some cases, a phone interview may be the only interview you’ll have.

In many cases, your interview will be scheduled in advance by email or phone. In others, you may receive a surprise phone call asking whether you’re available to chat about the job.

You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask whether you have a few minutes to talk, so always answer the phone professionally, especially if the number is unfamiliar.

You should also make sure that your voicemail message is professional.

Make Eye Contact When You First Meet Your Interviewer

How To Ace Your Job Interview

Dont be bashful when your interviewer comes to greet you, look them in the eye.

In one study, a pair of Northeastern University researchers asked participants to watch videos of strangers talking to each other for the first time and then rate how intelligent each person seemed. Results showed that the people who consistently made eye contact while speaking were considered more intelligent than those who didnt make eye contact.

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Explain Why Youre Interested In Interviewing With Them

After walking them through your resume, youll probably be asked why youre looking to make a job change, and/or why youre interested in their company in particular. This is where the research youve done pays off. You should already have two specific reasons for wanting to interview with their company.

When explaining your reason for job searching in general, I mentioned one example of how to turn a negative into a positive in Part I. Here are 2 more examples:

If your current company has no room for upward growth, say that youre looking for a job with more room for upward growth. If you dont like your coworkers, say youre hoping to find a team thats more collaborative. See the difference? Youre saying the same thing without sounding negative.

Whatever you say youre looking for, be prepared for them to ask why you cant get that in your current company. Just answer by saying that you dont think theres an opportunity to get this, and you considered this before starting to look externally. Simple and easy. That should end the line of questioning.

Top 10 Interview Questions And Best Answers

Review these most frequently asked interview questions and sample answers, and then prepare your responses based on your experience, skills, and interests. Remember that its less about providing the right answers and more about demonstrating that youre the best candidate for the job.

1. Tell Me About Yourself Best Answers

This is one of the first questions you are likely to be asked. Be prepared to talk about yourself, and why you’re an ideal candidate for the position. The interviewer wants to know why you’re an excellent fit for the job.

Try to answer questions about yourself without giving too much, or too little, personal information. You can start by sharing some of your personal interests and experiences that don’t relate directly to work, such as a favorite hobby or a brief account of where you grew up, your education, and what motivates you.

You can even and showcase your personality to make the interview a little more interesting.

2. Why Are You the Best Person for the Job? Best Answers

Are you the best candidate for the job? The hiring manager wants to know whether you have all the required qualifications. Be prepared to explain why you’re the applicant who should be hired.

3. Why Do You Want This Job? Best Answers

Be specific about what makes you a good fit for this role, and mention aspects of the company and position that appeal to you most.

4. How Has Your Experience Prepared You for This Role?Best Answers

Read Also: How To Crack Business Analyst Interview

Hone Your Storytelling Skills

Youll need to talk about yourself through compelling stories. The better you are at doing this, the more memorable youll be. If you struggle here, consider working with an expert career coach who can work with you so you have the skills and confidence to ace any interview. And, if you dont have access to something like the G5 Hub, take GetFive executive job coach Tom Rices advice and just use your smartphone. Wait, what? Read on for this devilishly simple trick to hone your storytelling skills.

Rice asks his clients to use their smartphones to record themselves answering questions as though they were in a job interview. People have very little idea of how they come across to others, he says, and seeing it in the palm of your hand is a powerful way to hone the impression youre making. The first step is to come up with a list of possible interview questions and craft a story for each answer. Practice those answers over and over and over so you dont even have to think about them. They need to roll off your tongue.

The next step is to grab your phone and record yourself answering those questions. When youre finished, view the recording in three ways.

Youll be horrified, Rice laughs. But thats OK. Because its only you seeing it, not your prospective employer. Now youve got a baseline and can see where you need to improve. Do it 25 times if you have to, to get it right, he says.

All of that practice and self-awareness will help you nail your next interview.

After The Webinar You’ll Know

How to Ace Your Job Interview
  • The top job interviewing mistakesthose killers that make even the most promising job candidates wonder why theyre not getting hired.
  • The 7 communication pitfalls and why you and the interviewer mess up.
  • The 16 steps you have to do right to nail the job interview and transition companies effectively.
  • The secret to why you actually get the job and how to adjust your mindset and approach so you position yourself to win the interview.
  • How to answer interview questions with five storytelling keys that make you likeable, believable and memorable to the interviewer.
  • Everything you need to know about asking your questions, including how to organize them, ask them, and when to use the information you receive from the job interviewer for your maximum benefit.

Recommended Reading: What Are Questions That Are Asked In Interviews

Why Do You Want This Position

Hiring teams include this question in interviews to determine how well you understand the job and the company. When you receive this question, you have an opportunity to demonstrate how much you have researched the organization and the job opening. In your answer, try mentioning the companys mission or accomplishments and the unique opportunities that the position offers.

Example: The role aligns well with my experience and future goals. After working in a supervisory retail sales position for three years, I am adequately prepared to advance to a managerial role in the field. I am enthusiastic about the management and financial skills I can acquire through this position, and I am excited about working for an accomplished company that frequently exceeds its quarterly sales goals by 10% or more.

Companies Are Asking New Questions And You Can Too

Graham has noticed that companies are asking candidates How have you handled the COVID situation? or What have you been doing with your time? These arent questions that youd normally be prepared for, so its important to reflect on them in advance. As with any other interview question, Graham recommends thinking about your audience and how you can apply your answer to what they need or what theyre looking for.

You should also feel free to ask this question in return, says Graham. Since you probably wont have the opportunity to see their office and get a sense of their work culture during your interview, its reasonable for you to ask how theyve responded to the pandemic or raise other questions about their culture. Graham suggests asking questions like Who are your heroes? or Who is rewarded at your organization? She says, Those types of things really get to the heart of the culture. So I think you need to do a little bit more work as a candidate to dig into that now.

Ultimately, you shouldnt feel any more nervous about a Zoom interview than you would about a normal one. Video interviews can give you a lot more control over the space that youre in. Plus, you wont need to worry about navigating a new building or neighborhood or arriving there exactly the right amount of early. And just remember, says Graham: The employer has already selected you from their applicant pile, and they want to meet you. So bring your best self.

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What To Do Before A Job Interview

Your main objective before any job interview comes down to thorough preparation. The more prepared you are for each interview, the more confident you will feel, and the more likely the interview will play out in your favor.

When preparing for a job interview, its important that you address several key areas. These areas include:

  • Conducting research about the company and industry.
  • Exploring your value to this organization.
  • Cleaning your social media profiles.
  • Clarifying your career plan and objectives.
  • Preparing your backstory.
  • Exploring your personal and professional experiences and how they will help you on the job.
  • Practicing your responses to standard interview questions.
  • Organizing the pitch, you will make on the day to sell yourself as the most valuable candidate for the position.

We are assuming here that you have already handed in your resume/CV. And based on this, you have secured an interview with the company or organization.

You receive a call, and you schedule an interview. Preferably, you schedule it midweek, first thing in the morning. This is important because the later it gets in the afternoon, thats when fatigue starts to set in for the interviewer. Everyone is more focused and present during the morning sessions, which is why you should book your interviews before lunch.

Your best bet for an ideal interview time is midweek first thing in the morning. At least before lunch.

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