Interviewing!
So my mom wrote me an email asking me about any interviewing tips I might have. Here's what I wrote her back!
If you don't remember anything else from this email, remember these 2 points in your interview!
1) Show how you can bring value to the company. The reason the company is hiring is because they have a NEED that they think you can fill. Show that you can fill that need, and that if they hire you the process will be as painless as possible for them. Which brings me to my second point.
2) Relax, and think of the interviewer as a friend. Do not to think of the interviewer as your potential boss-- as of right now, he is just some guy that you could have met on the street or in a McDonald's. Chances are, the interviewer doesn't like interviewing any more than you like being interviewed. When there are opportunities in the conversation, make a joke or ask the interviewer a question that reaches them on a personal level. "How do YOU like working here?" or "Does this job let YOU balance your work life with your family life?" Questions like this have multiple benefits a) They reach the interviewer on a personal level, making you seem like an old friend asking about their life rather than them interrogating you like a criminal. b) They put you at ease. Asking as a friend makes you feel comfortable with that person, and it takes away any tension there may be with meeting a stranger. c) They provide valuable information! If you find out through one of the questions that the interviewer DOESN'T really like working there (you'll be able to tell from his/her response) or the job doesn't provide much flexibility as the interviewer would like this is invaluable when you are determining if YOU want to work there.
Also, when you are in an interview, think of the small signals you are sending. One of the things I do when interviewing is I cross my legs. It used to be that when I was in an interview I would sit with my feet flat on the ground, back straight, hands folded in my lap. Then, after one interview in which it was very obvious I didn't get the job to both myself and the interviewer, he told me that I looked tense the entire interview, and it made him uncomfortable. Ever since then I make it a point to cross my legs like I'm relaxing on the beach somewhere, put my elbows on the table like I'm a kid again (and talk with my hands a lot because of it, but that's a good thing), and lean forward whenever I want to make a point. I'm telling you, small changes can make a big difference. Doing this in interviews has made me relax, and I can be myself. People want to work with someone who is a average everyday person like themselves. Doing small things to relax yourself will show them that you are that person.
Remember, not all jobs are good jobs. In fact, very few jobs are good jobs. I'd say one of the biggest problems people make when they are searching for a job/interviewing is that they don't step back and ask themselves whether they WANT to work at a particular company because they are too busy trying to get the company to want them. Make a change in the mindset you have about yourself and the quality of your work. Think of it this way: The company would be PRIVILEGED to hire me, I'm the best they will find. When you have this attitude you exude an air of confidence which people (interviewers are people too!) are naturally drawn to.
If you don't remember anything else from this email, remember these 2 points in your interview!
1) Show how you can bring value to the company. The reason the company is hiring is because they have a NEED that they think you can fill. Show that you can fill that need, and that if they hire you the process will be as painless as possible for them. Which brings me to my second point.
2) Relax, and think of the interviewer as a friend. Do not to think of the interviewer as your potential boss-- as of right now, he is just some guy that you could have met on the street or in a McDonald's. Chances are, the interviewer doesn't like interviewing any more than you like being interviewed. When there are opportunities in the conversation, make a joke or ask the interviewer a question that reaches them on a personal level. "How do YOU like working here?" or "Does this job let YOU balance your work life with your family life?" Questions like this have multiple benefits a) They reach the interviewer on a personal level, making you seem like an old friend asking about their life rather than them interrogating you like a criminal. b) They put you at ease. Asking as a friend makes you feel comfortable with that person, and it takes away any tension there may be with meeting a stranger. c) They provide valuable information! If you find out through one of the questions that the interviewer DOESN'T really like working there (you'll be able to tell from his/her response) or the job doesn't provide much flexibility as the interviewer would like this is invaluable when you are determining if YOU want to work there.
Also, when you are in an interview, think of the small signals you are sending. One of the things I do when interviewing is I cross my legs. It used to be that when I was in an interview I would sit with my feet flat on the ground, back straight, hands folded in my lap. Then, after one interview in which it was very obvious I didn't get the job to both myself and the interviewer, he told me that I looked tense the entire interview, and it made him uncomfortable. Ever since then I make it a point to cross my legs like I'm relaxing on the beach somewhere, put my elbows on the table like I'm a kid again (and talk with my hands a lot because of it, but that's a good thing), and lean forward whenever I want to make a point. I'm telling you, small changes can make a big difference. Doing this in interviews has made me relax, and I can be myself. People want to work with someone who is a average everyday person like themselves. Doing small things to relax yourself will show them that you are that person.
Remember, not all jobs are good jobs. In fact, very few jobs are good jobs. I'd say one of the biggest problems people make when they are searching for a job/interviewing is that they don't step back and ask themselves whether they WANT to work at a particular company because they are too busy trying to get the company to want them. Make a change in the mindset you have about yourself and the quality of your work. Think of it this way: The company would be PRIVILEGED to hire me, I'm the best they will find. When you have this attitude you exude an air of confidence which people (interviewers are people too!) are naturally drawn to.