We all have to make a living somehow — and most of the time that process starts with a job interview.
The only problem is that most job interview tips are either so basic that they aren’t useful or so ridiculous that they are just a waste of time.
That’s why Passive Panda has put together this comprehensive list of interview tips filled with the real essentials that you actually need to know.
Focus on what really counts
Yes, it’s true that you should polish your shoes before an interview. Sure, it’s a good idea to wear a noticeable accent on your clothing, so that you stick out in the recruiter’s mind. And maybe people don’t enjoy shaking a cold hand in the winter, so if you have time to run them under some warm water after you walk in the door then I guess you should do that too.
But let’s get real.
Do you actually think that any of those tactics are going to win you the job? Is the candidate who remembers to bring a pen going to be the one who sticks out?
Maybe if it’s really really close. Like thisclose.
Instead of worrying about 10 little things that could be a tiebreaker, why not spend time thinking about the stuff that actually matters? Then you could blast the other candidates out of the water. You’d be so far ahead of everyone else that the hiring manager could care less about whether your handshake was cold or if your shoes are scuffed or any other meaningless metric.
So with that said, here are 99 interview tips that will actually get you the job. You can use the links below to jump to a relevant section.
Let’s get started.
I. Mindset and approach
1. It’s your job to sell yourself. If you don’t do it, then you can be sure that no one else will. Most of us understand this, but that doesn’t mean that we’re all comfortable with it. There is no need to bloat your accomplishments or make false claims, but there is every need to paint the best picture of yourself. If you’re feeling apprehensive about this idea, then remember: it’s not bragging if you did it.
2. Apply to fewer jobs. When you need a job, it’s easy to shotgun your resume in 100 different directions. And that is exactly why the stack of resumes is so high for that job you want. Everyone is sending out the same resume to every job they can find. Slow down. Focus on a few jobs that you actually want. Then tailor everything about your application to each specific job.
3. You’re interviewing them too. Your goal should be to find a job that you actually care about and a company that you want to be a part of. If you focus on jobs like that, then the interview will be much better. You’ll be genuinely engaged. You’ll ask more questions because you’re interested and not because “that’s what you’re supposed to do in an interview.” Plus — and here’s a crazy bonus — if you only apply to jobs that you look interesting, then you aren’t going to end up in a job that you never actually wanted. Sort of makes you wonder why you’re applying to a bunch of jobs that you aren’t going to enjoy, right?
4. Realize that some things are of minimal benefit. If you really wanted, you could write out a list of 1000 things to remember for a job interview. Of course, most of them wouldn’t really help you because some things just aren’t that important. Your focus should be on solving problems for the company, on proving why you’re the best candidate for the job, and on finding a culture and community that you naturally fit in with. If you do those three things, then you’ll find that the little things (like remembering to iron your shirt) are… well… little things.
5. Sometimes you may need to be persistent. If you want to make an impression, then you might have to find the courage to never say die. You might need to take ten people out to lunch before you find a contact that can help you. You might need to send a progress report to the recruiter every week for two months before they even care. You might need to start a project on the side and email a progress report to a recruiter every week for two months before they start to pay attention to you. You might need to ask one person to vouch for you. Then you might need to ask five more. Don’t lose hope and keep moving forward everyday. Keep walking and you’ll make it to the finish line.
II. How to prepare for an interview
6. If you want to be an exceptional candidate, then you need to do exceptional preparation. Preparation is the number one thing that will set you apart from other candidates. Want to be more impressive? Prepare more. If you are obsessed with preparing for every aspect of the interview, then you will be ready to crush it.
7. Know why you are applying for this job. Yes, you want a job so that you can pay for your lifestyle. But what are your underlying motivations? Why are you driven towards this job? Why are you passionate about this position? How do your values match the values you will need to do your job? This is a deep question and if you know the answer to it, then you will understand what drives a lot of the answers you will give during the interview. You’ll have a better idea of why you’re a good fit for the job … and that makes it easier for you to tell the recruiter why you’re a good candidate.
8. Research everything you can about the company. You want to know about the place you’re going to work not just so that you can sound intelligent in the interview, but so that you can figure out if it’s a place that you actually want to work at. Even if this isn’t a “career” for you, it’s likely that you’ll be in the job for a year or two. A year might not seem that long, but talk to anyone who hated their job for a full year … and they’ll tell you that one year is a long time. See what you can find on the company. You’ll want to know what you’re getting into.
9. If you’re applying for a job at a public company, then check out the financial statements and SEC filings. Go online and search for the Annual Report, Proxy Statement, and 10-K for the company that you’re interested in. These documents aren’t thrilling reads, but they have excellent information in them. Even if you only read the summary near the beginning of each document, then you will be well versed on the inner workings of the company. The corporate filings are also a great way to discover specific questions about the company and you can mention that you read these documents in your research.
10. Get to know someone on the inside. Employees can give you an idea of what “a day in the life” is like and can help you determine if this is a place you would like to work at. Plus, if you mention your meetings with employees during the interview then you will make an impression as someone who is serious about the job. If you don’t know where to start, then head over to LinkedIn or Google and do some searches for people at the company you are interviewing with. If all else fails, give them a call and talk to someone in the department that you want to work in. It shouldn’t be too hard to find someone willing to let you take them to lunch.
11. Show them that you are familiar with that culture and that you’re a good fit for it. Interviewers are looking for qualified candidates and people who fit in well with their community and culture. They want to be able to trust you, so show them that you display values that are consistent with their group. (Side note: if you really aren’t a good fit and don’t match up well with the people you talk to, then you might want to reconsider going there. There is no sense in spending tons of time with people you don’t enjoy being around.)
12. Describe the ideal candidate. Once you know a bit more about the company, spend some time writing out a full description of the ideal candidate. Try to be totally objective about it. What would the company want? See things from their perspective. If you were the recruiter, what would the perfect candidate look like?
13. Reframe your experiences. Once you understand what the company is looking for and what the ideal candidate would look like, you can reframe your experiences to meet those expectations. For example, if the job description requires a “proven ability to motivate others,” then it is basically asking for “effective leadership skills” … but one of those phrases might match up better with your background than another. Spend some time thinking about alternative phrases and how you can reframe your skill set to match the desired qualifications.
14. Create an “I can handle it” list. If you can convince the recruiter that you can handle the job, then you’ll have a much better chance of getting the job. Print out the list of required skills and experience that comes with the job. Next to each item, write down an experience you have had that is relevant. It doesn’t need to be a perfect match… just an experience that proves that you can handle the task. This is also a good place to look for stories from your personal life or previous work that match up well with the “I can handle it” list. It’s a great way to keep your stories relevant to the position. The hiring managers want to make a good call because their reputation is on the line. You need to ease their fears and show them that you can handle the position. (Hat tip to Julie Melillo.)
15. Develop a list of “sound bites.” Sound bites are short phrases or sentences that you want to make sure you say throughout the interview. These are phrases that highlight everything that is great about you as a candidate. The exact way you tell a story might change, but you’ll always want to include the sound bite. For example, “I once worked with a co-worker who constantly pushed her work off on me because Excel spreadsheets are a strong point for me and she knew this…” is a great sound bite to use at the start of a story about dealing with a difficult co-worker. It kicks things off and refers to one of your skills. You can tell the rest of the story naturally and still know that you included a solid sound bite. You should have a sound bite for each story you tell. (Hat tip to Stephanie Kiester)
16. Own your online reputation. Everyone going through the job process is going to have their name searched. You don’t need to be an internet superstar, but it’s a good idea to have an online presence that puts recruiters at ease. You either need to be comfortable with having the hiring manager reading your tweets and browsing your Facebook pictures or you need to adjust your privacy settings so that those areas are hidden. Some people provide a lot of value through social media, so perhaps they want hiring managers to see that. It doesn’t matter which method you choose, but make sure it’s a conscious decision. This is one area of the job process that actually is under your control, so it would be silly to not take responsibility for it.
17. If you know who is interviewing you, then search for them online. You can flip the script and search for your interviewers as well. Of course, you’re not looking for dirt, you’re looking for evidence that you might fit in well at the company, for areas of common interest, and for possible questions you could ask the recruiter.
18. Determine who the most appropriate people are that you can list as references. Then, tell them that you are listing them. It’s important to give your references a heads up. If you feel uncomfortable telling someone that you’re listing them, then what makes you think that they are going to be a good person to talk about you?
19. Do as many practice interviews as you can. It’s not fun — and it might even be more awkward than the real interview — but doing practice interviews with friends, family, or others is a critical piece of the puzzle. You need feedback not just on your responses, but also on body language, tone, and approach. You’ll never know how your answers need to change unless you deliver them a few times.
20. Use the STAR method to guide your answers. This simple formula ensures that you accurately describe your experiences and highlight the results they provided. The STAR method includes,
- S: The Situation – describe it
T: The Task or problem – what dilemma or problem did you face?
A: The Action – what action did you take?
R: The Result – what was the result of your action?
Make sure that each experience you describe includes those four areas. (Hat tip to Fred Cooper.)
21. Devise bullet points for each question, not a full script. You will want to write out your answers to hard questions beforehand because the written word forces you to clarify your thoughts. However, you only need to know the main point or primary story that you want to tell for each answer… you don’t need to memorize everything word for word.
What questions should you prepare for? These questions…
III. Tough job interview questions
22. Hiring managers usually ask questions related to five categories.
- a) Your background, so that they can understand your experiences, education, and overall qualifications.
b) Your knowledge of the job, so that they can test your understanding of the position, their company, and the industry.
c) Your personality, so that they can understand your work style and social style and decide if that fits in with their company.
d) Your skills, so that they can get an idea of your abilities and test your knowledge and competency for the job.
e) Your future goals, so that they can get an idea of your career aspirations and determine how motivated you will be in the position.
If you’re fully prepared for these fives types of questions, then you’ll be ready for most interviews. (Hat tip to Lisa Quast)
Here are a few questions that you should be thinking about beforehand…
23. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Use this question as an opportunity to tell a short story about yourself that describes the values you have and why you think they are important for the job.
24. Why are you interested in our company? This is where you show that you did your research. Tell them what you know about the company, about the challenges they face and the opportunities they have, and how you fit in well with that overall picture.
25. Give us an example of a challenge you faced and how you overcame it. Once again, a good story here is crucial. One solid story about overcoming a challenge will stick with a recruiter long after the interview.
26. What are your strengths? Only mention strengths that you can back up with clear proof. Prove your strengths with numbers and percentages, not generalized statements.
27. What are your weaknesses? This is a classic question that everyone hates. If you say that you “work too hard” then no one takes the answer seriously, but if you say a real weakness then you look like a bad candidate. So what do you do? My suggestion is to pick a technical skill that is real, but mostly unrelated to your job. For example, you could say “Finance isn’t really my thing. I understand the big picture of profit and revenue, but small details and the mechanics of how it works — that’s just not how my mind works. So I would say that’s a weakness, but it’s also a reason I’m applying for this job in marketing. I know that it leverages my strengths and steers clear of some of the weaknesses.”
28. Did you and your former boss ever disagree? Never speak poorly about a former employer in an interview. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were or how bad it was — keep things positive or neutral. Nobody wants to hire someone that might talk bad about them down the road.
29. Why did you leave your last job? Be honest, but also use it as an opportunity to show why this job is a better fit.
30. Are you a team player? Yes, you are — and make sure you have a good story and some proof to back it up. If you can provide the results that your team efforts provided, then that’s great too.
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