Here’s how to nail an interview.
Posted on: Monday, May 8, 2017 Category: Blog (57)Uncategorized (58)
2 min read
We all get stressed when preparing for interviews. The main reason is that we focus on the functional side of our brand – what we do, and more so, what we have done. While experience is important, and no-one wants to hire someone who is incapable of doing the job, expanding your story to include the emotional side of your brand can have far greater impact and demonstrate your potential.
So what does that even mean? Well, the emotional side of your brand is how you make people feel. It’s about why you did what you did and why you do what you do. Simon Sinek has termed this ‘purpose’.
The most important way to do this is to build your story. Don’t just recount a time that you ‘collaborated with the team to create a suite of solutions to meet the complete raft of issues facing the organization at the time’! What does that even mean?
Stories are worth listening to when they weave texture, colour and detail. They draw people in and help them to become involved in your story – to be a part of it. Here are some things to think about;
- Expand the story with names, places and numbers. Add how people ‘felt’ about what happened. Make it human.
- With every story add what the potential is for the interviewer. What will they get as a result of your experience.
- Add the other people to your story – ‘I realized that I couldn’t do this alone so I found xx and asked them to help…”
- Clearly identify the skills that you learned in your past and how they have the potential to keep impacting you – “The skills I learned in sales like truly listening to people – could really help in this role… “
- Everything that the interviewer says is a gift. Don’t just move onto what you have to say. Look at what they gave you and ask them about it. If the say “Our organisation is really focused on the creative individual” – ask them about it – “I can really imagine that this gives you a competitive edge?”
Always remember that an interview goes both ways – the more you can deal with detail, the better you both will be at working out if you will suit the organisation.
