Success starts with preparation.
Despite the headlines about layoffs, now is a great time to find a great new job—and your approach to interviewing will set you apart.
Employment data shows there were 81,000 layoffs in January, but on the bright side, there were 517,000 jobs created in the same timeframe—and unemployment is at a 53-year low. Opportunities are available, organizations are clamoring for people and statistically, this is the time of year when the most hiring occurs.
There are plenty of steps to finding your best-fit job from researching the job market and building a stellar resume to sending memorable thank you notes (yes, it’s still a thing). But perhaps the most important element of the process is the interview. Because the interview—or multiple interviews—are the moments when it all comes together: your ability to articulate who you are and what you value, your comfort in sharing memorable examples and your efforts to assess the company for yourself.
The ideal job isn’t the same for everyone. It’s always about fit—between you, the job, the leader and the organization. It’s also about potential—and whether there is a fit between where you want to go and where you can take the company.
The interview is the primary mechanism which makes the match happen.
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
People overwhelmingly prefer in-person interviews. In fact, according to a study by the American Staffing Association (ASA) by the Harris Poll, 70% of people prefer to interview in person with only 17% wanting a video call and 9% preferring an audio-only call. But often you have to earn your way to an in-person interaction since many companies are using video or audio calls to screen, and then inviting people for face-to-face interviews in the second or third round of discussions.
No matter what kind of interview you have, preparation will be worth your time. As the saying goes, if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. Part of the reason preparation is so important is because you’ll have to hit all the right notes immediately. Fully 33% of interviewers reported they knew they would hire someone in the first 90 seconds of their interaction, according to a study by Twin Employment.
The same study found 40% of interviewers judged people on their voice and overall confidence—so preparation goes a long way toward creating a positive, confident first impression. Just don’t want to go overboard since 76% would reject a candidate because they appear arrogant, according to JazzHR.
Research is one of the best first steps of preparation.
All the Right Preparations
Preparation matters significantly. While some people may be able to wing it and succeed, the majority take preparation seriously. Of course you’ll want to prepare so you can be your best, but you’re also wise to prepare because your competitors for the job are preparing as well.
#1 – Do Your Homework
If you’re like 70% of people in the ASA study, you’ll research the company. You’ll also review the job description as 60% of others do. You’ll also want to do some research on the person conducting the interview, as 24% report doing. These are smart investments of time because according to the Twin Employment study, 47% of interviewers said they wouldn’t offer a job to a candidate who didn’t have knowledge of the company.
The preparation you do demonstrates your overall discipline, and it shows the interviewer the way you work—and whether you would put similar effort into the job itself. Also be sure to indicate interest in both the company and the job . Sometimes it can be a red flag if you overemphasize your desire to work for an organization and undervalue the job. Recruiters or hiring leaders may think you just want to get a foot in the door, and you won’t be committed to the role—so balance your knowledge and enthusiasm about both the job and the organization.
Also be careful about how you use your research on the interviewer or the hiring leader. In general, use it to guide your responses. For example, you may learn the hiring leader especially values innovation and you can emphasize your fresh thinking. Or you may learn they are especially analytical, and you can ensure you provide enough detail in your examples. Be cautious about over-emphasizing how much you want to work with the person themself, since it can come across as presumptuous (how could you know that much about them) or insincere.
#2 - Be Your Best
Also do all you can to be your best physically, cognitively and emotionally. According to the ASA data, 64% of people ensure they get a good night of sleep and 37% east a good meal ahead of the interview. In addition, 42% of people verify directions to the interview location or instructions for logging in.
The people you’re competing against for the job also report they pay attention to their physical appearance. The ASA study finds 31% get a haircut, 27% put on makeup and 24% shave facial hair. Fully 66% put effort into selecting the clothes they’ll wear for the interview.
All of this makes sense since the Twin Employment study found 50% of interviewers would eliminate a candidate based on how they dress, how they act or how they walk through the door. You want to be yourself, but you also want to communicate that you’ve put effort into the process and you care about the interaction. In addition, you’ll want to do your best to align with the culture as well as the job you’re interviewing for.
Be sure you assess the employer as much as they're assessing you.
#3 - Articulate Your Value
In addition to your nonverbals, you will also need to be effective with what you say verbally—sharing both your value and your values. The ASA data reports that 52% of people practice answering common interview questions and 31% ask a friend or mentor to conduct practice interviews with them.
Interviewers are looking for your hard skills, but they’re also looking for soft skills like leadership, initiative and creativity. And soft skills aren’t really soft at all—since they affect teams, innovation and company culture. Most interviews use interviewing techniques which push you for specifics or behaviors. Be ready to share stories and examples which will ensure the points you make aren’t just generalizations, but demonstrate of your behaviors, your choices, your growth and your impact.
#4 - Assess the Employer
You deserve the best-fit job for today and for your growth in the future, so also ensure you’re assessing the organization and the leader in the interview process. According to the ASA data, 61% of people prepare questions ahead of time.
Consider questions that address what you really want to know and also what they communicate about you. For example, if you ask about the values of the organization, you’ll communicate that you care about culture. If you ask about the opportunities for learning, you’ll send a message that you value growth and want to contribute to the organization over time. Avoid asking questions that are already answered in the job description or the posting, and instead ask questions which have some nuance and those which are interesting for the interviewer to think about and answer.
Your questions can make you memorable and demonstrate your commitment and enthusiasm about the job.
#5 – Maintain Connections
Be prepared to thank the interviewer(s) promptly following the interview. It’s a great way to stay on their radar screen. Also don’t be afraid to check in after a reasonable period of time if you haven’t heard back.
Most of all, stay professional throughout the process. Whether or not you get an offer and whether or not you accept it, always be graceful and maintain relationships. Everyone you meet in the process is part of your network. When you have more breadth and depth in your contacts and a greater number of meaningful connections, you’ll pave the way to a future full of substantive opportunities.
Prepare to Win
Be prepared for your interviews and in turn, you’ll be preparing to receive tons of offers for great jobs. The perfect time to find your next opportunity is now, and preparations will put you ahead of all the others candidates who are vying for great roles.
