There is a lot of talk about all the jobs available due to the “great resignation.” There isn’t a lot of talk about the competition for those great jobs or how hard it is to get hired for a job that isn’t minimum wage.
Interviewing is hard. It is hard to interview to get the right candidate, and it is hard to show in the interview that you are the right candidate.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”UaM9y” via=”yes” ]It is hard to show in the interview that you are the right candidate. Here are tips on how to do that.[/ctt]
We know that being prepared for the interview is essential. Be prepared to answer questions with more than a yes or no. Be ready to ask questions in return (after all, you are also interviewing to see if this company is a good fit for you).
Here are the things you should not do in an interview, as well as things you should be doing to show you are the best candidate.
- Don’t be too agreeable. If you answer, “Yes, I can do that” or “Yes, I like that” to everything, you raise a red flag to the interviewer. Instead, ask for more details, and be honest. It is much better to say, “I’ve never done that before. Can you give me some more details of what you are expecting?” If the answer is “Yes” to all the questions, expand on your experience to show that you are capable.
For instance:
Interviewer: “Rhonda, we occasionally like our team to work overtime with little notice. Is that okay for you?”
Rhonda: “I certainly am here to help in emergencies. You can count on me. I’m curious how often you expect that to happen?”
or: “I can work overtime as long as I have time to ensure that my kids/dog are taken care of. Is overtime notice shorter than that?”
You don’t want to be too agreeable. A “Yes, of course” makes you look like you’ve not considered the question thoroughly and are too eager to get the job.
- Answering questions without explanation. The interviewer is looking to see what kind of experiences you have and how you handle situations. They may ask a closed-ended question, but they want a thorough answer. With many qualified candidates, they are looking for you to say certain things, and if you don’t expand on your answer, you aren’t showing yourself as the candidate they need.
Interviewer: “Have you had experience taking minutes before?”
Rhonda: “Yes, for many years” isn’t enough information. It would be best if you said, “Yes. I’ve been taking minutes for over 20 years, and I’ve taken all types of minutes, including the board of directors, team meetings, and employee town halls. I’ve also kept my minute-taking skills up-to-date through webinars and workshops. In my current role, I take minutes three times each month for the senior management team.”
When I teach interviewing skills, I share that the interviewer should speak only 20% of the time, and the candidate should speak 80% of the time. Be prepared to expand on your answers with examples and details.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”S0c_C” via=”yes” ]As a candidate in an interview, you should be speaking about 80% of the time. Be prepared to expand on your answers with examples and details.[/ctt]
- Not having weaknesses or providing textbook answers. When asked the standard question, “What are your weaknesses” or “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.” I’m shocked how many people look surprised at the question and can’t come up with an answer. Or they come up with the same answer everyone else shares (which makes you think they aren’t being honest), “I have a hard time saying no when asked to help out.”
You’re not perfect; you have weaknesses and made mistakes, so share them. Instead of saying you have a hard time saying no (which everyone says), expand on it and rephrase it. “I sometimes overcommit to things and take on too much. I have learned to say “No” occasionally when I know I shouldn’t take on too much, and when I don’t say no, I end up working overtime on my own time because I overcommitted. I don’t want to overcommit as it isn’t fair to the person I committed to or me.”
Don’t gloss over these questions. The company needs to know your honest weaknesses and a legitimate mistake you have made. Don’t provide the same answer that everyone else offers. You will be asked these questions, so you need to have answers that are genuine.
- Bad mouthing or blaming others. There are times when we’ve been in a job that wasn’t a good fit, and there are legitimate bad bosses out there. But in an interview, we must take ownership of our past mistakes and experiences.
Interviewer: “I noticed you were at ABC Company for only nine months. What happened?”
The wrong answer is:
Rhonda: “I was working for an unreasonable man. I was hired as EA to the CEO, but the CEO misrepresented all the things he wanted me to do. He yelled at me, threw the stapler at me one day, and embarrassed me in front of everyone. I had to leave, or I would lose my sanity.”
It’s wrong because you aren’t taking any responsibility. Yes, this situation may have been unreasonable, but you have to share your learning experiences from it as well.
The correct answer might be:
Rhonda: “I was hired as the EA to the CEO, and in the interview, I didn’t ask enough questions and discovered that I was expected to do things that I didn’t think were the responsibility of the EA, such as getting his car washed. I also allowed some of his bad behavior to continue instead of having difficult conversations about situations, such as yelling at me in front of others. I’ve learned that when I’m working with inappropriate behavior, I have to say something as soon as it happens and not let things pile up.”
- Don’t go into the interview without doing your homework. Be sure that you know what the company does. You should know the name of the CEO and if they are publicly traded. Check out their website to see if they have other locations and read anything that has caused this company to be in the news. You should be able to answer the question, “Why do you want to work here” with an honest answer. And the real answer shouldn’t be, “Because I need a job and you are hiring,” either!
Some questions you should be prepared to answer are:
– What do you know about our company,
– Why do you want to work here?
– What skills and strengths can you bring to this position?
You also need to go into the interview prepared with questions you will ask the interviewer. What are your values, and how will you ensure they align with what you need from an employer? They will always ask if you have any questions for them, and you should.
There is very tough competition out there for the best jobs. If you are looking to grab one of them, make sure you do the work required to show them that you are the best candidate. Don’t assume that interviewing is easy in a low unemployment time. Many qualified people are applying for every “dream job” out there.
