Job Interview Strategies

Tips for Top Performance

You’ve prepared through researching, and you’ve practiced with real questions. What else should you do?

Here are a few tips for top performance to keep in mind.

Be confident
Don’t just talk – listen!
Every question is an opportunity
Body language counts (gestures, facial expressions)
Choose words well (diction)
Stay on topic
If you don’t understand, ask
Asking gives you time to clarify your thoughts – hint: sometimes repeating the question at the beginning of your answer gives you the few seconds to focus
Remember your goals!

Tricky Issues

There are some special situations where you need special strategies to show yourself in the best light.

Examples:

You have little to no experience (it may be your first job)
Your appearance may seem incongruous with the environment’s norm
You are changing careers, and up against stiff competition
You’ve been out of the workforce for awhile
You’re overqualified and you know it
Your shy, uncomfortable articulating your ideas to strangers, or just not a “people person”
There’s no chemistry between you and the interviewer
You think you screwed up!

Are there ways to handle these situations?

Little to No Experience

Factors in Your Interviewing Strategy

Where are you in your career?
How badly do you need the job?
What’s your local job market like?
What’s the nature of the work?
Are you a great fit for the job, or will it be a tough sell?
What are the important qualities for someone to be successful in this job?
Who do you know who might help with specifics on the company, the work, or other tips?

If this is your first job, or you have little experience (6 months, 1 to 2 years), ask yourself:

Is this really the right job for me?
Will I be able to gain the experience and skills I need in this job, through training I can get offline, or on-the-job?

If the answers to these questions are YES, then go for it! Look at skills you’ve acquired in school, in volunteer work or summer jobs, unpaid mentoring you may have provided, research you did on projects, and natural abilities and qualities that you can clearly explain and demonstrate.

You have plenty to talk about!

Line up these qualifications in your own mind, and practice discussing them in light of the job’s needs. See for yourself how relevant your skills and accomplishments are as examples of potential contribution, and be sure to communicate their value.

If you plan on taking courses or seminars to supplement and fast-track the skills you need to acquire, be explicit about how you are going to do it.

Then give it your best shot. Many companies are looking for young, energetic workers they can train in their company culture.

Your Appearance or Other Attributes May not be the Norm

This is a tough one. Let’s talk about it openly. Is there something about your appearance or physical presence that makes some people uncomfortable? This is one that most people are afraid to broach – it’s sensitive. But it’s also reality.

You may be shorter, taller, fatter, thinner, older, younger, or have a physical condition that simply makes you different.

Ask yourself, realistically:

Can you still perform the job?
Are you talking to a company that has “cookie cutter” employees, and a public presence where you simply will never fit in?

Depending upon your answers, your interviewing strategy is straightforward. If you know you’re qualified for the job, and you think your physical appearance is irrelevant and not a problem once people see your stuff, then go for it.

Anticipate some discomfort (if that has happened in the past) with interviewers – both supervisors and potential colleagues. And as you probably already know in life – you have to be better qualified than everyone else. You need to be great at what you do, wow them with your accomplishments, charm them with your social skills, and make it clear you are the best candidate for the job.

Think you’re running into some prejudice in the hiring decision? That’s a particularly tough one. You will need to assess, realistically, whether you will ever be comfortable and able to work to maximum effectiveness in the organization. And then decide if it is worth pursuing further.

And remember, in the U.S., you have EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) that ensure you no discrimination in the work force or hiring practices in key ways. Does that mean discrimination doesn’t occur? Of course not. It does mean you may have some recourse if you know you are the victim of discrimination. And more importantly, interviewers are increasingly schooled in not breaking the law in their hiring practices.

You’re Changing Careers

We’ve covered some of this ground already, in Interview Questions. The bottom line? Your best interviewing strategy entails having a realistic, plausible story for why you want a change at this time. Explain how past experience has led you to this point. Focus on the contributions you can make in this new role, with tangible examples. Be sure to highlight special preparation steps you’ve taken to qualify yourself in the new role or field.

And go for it!

You’re Shy – What Can You Say?

If you’re shy or uncomfortable speaking up for yourself, think carefully about the job you are applying for. Make sure it is one where your other skills can shine, and your comfort with communicating face-to-face is not an issue.

Other than that – practice will help give you the confidence to make it through the interview. And remember, the person on the other side of the desk may once have been shy, too!

Be yourself. Be prepared. Know your stuff.

Can Coaching Help?

If you’re really worried about your interviewing skills, can coaching help?

Career coaches exist at many levels, and can be very effective guides in teaching techniques for interviewing, and other skills. There are many flavors of career coaching to choose from, and the best fit for you will depend upon your field, your stage of career, what obstacles you perceive you need to overcome, and of course, what you can afford.

If you do choose to look into coaching options, be sure to check out the references and qualifications of the coach you are considering. Make sure you have milestones and measurements to ensure that you are accomplishing your goals.

Where Are You in Your Career?

Interviewing for your first job? Be
prepared. Be positive. Use internships,
schoolwork, and projects to exemplify
the contributions you can make.

Approaching an interview will differ if this is your first job, or you’ve been in the work force for 20 years. The goals for the interviewer may be different, and so are yours. The “shape” of the discussion will be different, as both you and the interviewer assess your fit in the job and the company.

In general, early in your career you are still establishing credentials, and work style. In mid or later career, rapport, energy level, and contacts in the industry become important. Compensation becomes a larger issue, and at times, a sticky one. Here are some interviewing strategies for each stage of your career:


Stage in Career	Interviewer Goals	Tips
First Job	Did well in school in the areas needed? Subject matter knowledge People skills Learning skills Flexibility to work hard / travel / grow? Confidence? Openness? Leadership? Potential “star”?	Demonstrate your ability to be a hard-worker and successful at what you do Education developed your skill-set Show good ‘cultural’ match to organization
Early career	What do you know? Have you advanced quickly or at expectable rate? People skills Directed? Leadership skills? Willing to put in the time/hours? How long at previous jobs?	Show subject matter expertise Show initiative, leadership potential Express willingness to “do what it takes”
Mid Career	Solid team member or management? Rapport Style Any obstacles? Compensation?	Give examples of managerial skills Show solid portfolio of past work product / accomplishments Focus on good fit and immediate value Redirect any concerns about compensation level
Established Career	Bring enhanced customers/clients/reputation/revenues? Salary/compensation expectations?	Show value of your reputation Show value of your immediate contribution as problem-solver Set compensation expectations that don’t short-change you, but will work for the company – be creative
Change in Career	Why? Willing to take steps back? Going to change again? (stability) Salary expectations?	Rational explanation for what has led to career change Training, certification, or transferable skills that make you viable candidate Diffuse compensation as an issue Focus on your energy, enthusiasm, and quality of experience if you are significantly older than peers or managers