Career coaches can be very helpful in guiding you through your strengths and weaknesses, and preparing you to make a good impression in your next interview. In recent Ask the Coach calls, we have had a number of callers who say they are getting the interviews, but not the offers. Maybe it’s time to look past your credentials and brush up on your interview skills. I recently spotted a blog post by Brad Remillard of Impact Hiring Solutions, where he profiles the three things you must have for a successful interview.
The first thing is confidence. Even at the executive level, many or even most job candidates lack confidence, and that shows in an interview. And that lack of confidence becomes more self-evident the longer you are in the job market. It comes across in body language, how you sit in the chair, eye contact (or lack of it), and tone of voice. If you lack confidence you tend to give generic answers or won’t voice an opinion for fear of being too specific and knocking yourself out of the running. No one wants to hire a wimp. So how do you exude confidence? One way is to adopt the mindset that you already have a great career and you don’t need the job you are interviewing for. Pretend you are already on the job. That will give you a chance to reveal the real you in action.
Second, prepare your questions. If you don’t have any questions, then you haven’t done your homework. It shows a lack of understanding, or worse, a lack of interest. Asking probing questions is your chance to really show your stuff. Be ready to probe, get clarification, and get more information. Brad sees two things that stop candidates from asking questions: 1) fear of confrontation and 2) lack of preparation.
Third is preparation. If you have read this blog regularly, you know we are advocates of preparation. Brad spells out some specific steps to help you prepare that are very useful, including:
- Write out the basic questions you know will be asked and have answers prepared.
- Conduct mock interviews.
- Prepare your own set of questions to ask during the interview.
- Identify weaknesses in your interview style and know where to compensate.
- Prepare to have details to explain bullet points in your resume.
- Think about body language and its impact on the interview.
There are other pointers as well. You might also consider joining us on our next Experts Connection teleseminar, “Cultivating Executive Presence to Get Your Next Job,” scheduled for February 24. During this session, Dr. Dean Herman will share his insights into how to overcome the inner roadblocks to job search and bring more confidence and success to interviews and other personal interactions.
