After last week’s blog about people who blow their chances at a job by making thoughtless errors and mistakes in an interview, I figured I should follow up with a list of ways to ace an interview. Like I said before, I have learned a lot about hiring and firing over the years in my Houston Courier Company, Hot Shot Delivery. Whether it is sales, customer service, operations, IT, accounting or courier delivery contractors, the process to get good help is pretty much the same each time. Taking the time to interview is a process that is well worth it. You reap the benefits by getting long term, loyal employees and contractors.
So, let’s get in to it…
5 Ways to Ace an Interview:
1. Talking Points – Any seasoned PR professional will tell you that the secret to a good media interview is to pick your talking points and stick to them as you communicate your message. The same is true with a job interview. Brainstorm 2-3 points that you want the interviewer to know about you and find ways to insert them in to the conversation.
2. Practice The Standard Questions – do an internet search for “common interview questions” and print that list out and start practicing. The easy ones are “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”, “Why do you think you are right for this job?”, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, etc… Have these questions in your mind and be ready to answer them with eye-contact and confidence.
3. Interview the Interviewer – People naturally like to talk about themselves and their interests. Use this knowledge to prepare a big list of questions for your interviewer. But, a word of caution, make sure these questions are relevant and intelligent. The way to do this is to do research about the company. Go through the website, find press releases, find information in forums, check in to social media/networking sites and more to get a good grasp of the company, the management philosophy and how you would fit in with this environment.
4. Mirror Tells All - 93% of what you are communicating in an interview will come from non-verbal cues. How you sit in the chair, what you do with your hands, eye contact, etc… These things will tell an interviewer how interested you are in the position, how familiar you are with the subject at hand and your level of confidence. If you are not sure how you look as you answer the questions, practice in front of the mirror. That will give you a good point of reference and an idea of what to work to fix.
5. Follow-Up – I know I’m only speaking for myself and my Houston Same Day Delivery business, but I have a feeling most business owners feel the same…. I’m VERY busy. You may be the most qualified candidate for the job, but I may have had a business issue that has pulled my attention away from the hiring process. It is your job to follow-up with me. You want the job, you should follow-up to find out how the process is advancing. Now, another word of caution, do not follow-up 10 times in one week. That takes persistence to a level of nagging and annoyance. Use your best judgment in this area.
Those are my bits of advice for people going through the interview process. I wish you all well and don’t worry – if you are looking for a job, the right fit will come along.
Till Next Time,
Eric
