Strategies to Interviewing

It’s important to be confident in interviews. Knowing who you are and believing in your abilities is crucial towards success. But is that enough? Some might say yes, others may disagree. I recommend taking a strategic approach to interviewing. The word strategy can be defined as: A plan, method, or series of maneuvers used to obtain a specific goal. Why just show up to interview? Why not have a plan or method that you can apply towards becoming a more desirable candidate? I’ve spoken to professionals within my network that I consider business mentors. Here are some of the strategies they proposed to me.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK: a very common piece of advice is to do your homework on the company that you’re applying for. Understanding the company’s situation and position in their industry is a definite plus. In fact, if you have no clue about anything that is going on with the company you are applying for, it might hurt your chances of becoming a desirable candidate. Knowing as much as you can about the company will also increase your confidence and make you feel like a more qualified applicant.

CONTROL THE CONVERSATION: If you have ever acquired strategic advice regarding interviews before, you’ve probably heard that it is good to have a few questions for the employer. But what about 15-20 good questions? It was recommended to me to have this many significant questions that display my interest and attentiveness to the company and industry in which I’m applying for. Having such a large amount of questions prepared allows you to control the conversation. I think of it like playing football. Do you want to be the guy getting tackled, or the one laying hits? Asking questions shifts the defensive posture away from you in an interview and allows less room for possible mental errors or awkward “I don’t knows.” Asking a lot of good questions also lets the employer know that you’ve done your homework on their company and that you are genuinely interested.

PRACTICE & TALK: Practicing and talking to people is a great way to increase confidence levels and acquire tips and strategies for interviewing. Reach out to people you know that are in professional positions. Ask them for information, and even practice interviewing you. The more you practice and talk, the more the interview process becomes second nature. The idea is to be as comfortable and sure a possible when the real thing goes down. Try to imagine the types of questions that relate to the specific job titles and industries that you are applying for. Being prepared is an essential part of successfully becoming a desirable candidate. 

Below are some links to websites that are dedicated to strategies towards job interviewing:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviews/tp/jobinterviewtips.htm

http://www.fastcompany.com/1839723/10-job-interview-tips-ceo-headhunter

http://www.apapracticecentral.org/ce/tools/interview.aspx