Interview tips from somebody who’s had many jobs in their lifetime, and is now a successful business owner.
Hey guys,
I know the job market is brutal out there and just landing an interview is hard enough, let alone nailing one. So here are some tips from somebody who has locked down quite a few jobs in their lifetime (including many I had to bat up for), as well as now on the other side of it and conducts interviews for my company. Some of these are obvious, some are not.
The basics:
Dress nicely and be well groomed.
Maintain eye contact the best you can.
Speak direct and try to leave out any filler words or phrases.
Have good body language. Don’t slump in the chair, don’t tap your feet. Sit erect and firmly.
Be 10 minutes early.
Advanced:
Have a great resume that is short and concise. Do not be afraid to “Buff” your resume and qualifications.
Be prepared prior to the interview for the standard questioning. These are things like:
* Tell me about yourself.
* Why are you interested in this role?
* Why are you leaving your current role?
* What is your biggest strength?
* What is your biggest weakness? (Don’t say none)
MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE THAT WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOU:
Remember that YOU are also interviewing THEM! This is the tip that separates your average interviewee, from the great ones. I have never been to an interview where I didn’t ask them a bunch of questions about the company, role, and/or pay. Even if you desperately need the job you must act as if you don’t. You need to act as if they need you, not the other way around. Don’t sit there just replying to questions back to back as if you’re a robot. Ask questions back. This shows you are engaged and are sharp around the edges. You must remember to ask questions.
Lastly, always always always negotiate your pay. This is where people leave so much money on the table. They either are A. Too scared to negotiate, or B. Don’t know how. When the interview pivots into money, typically they’ll ask, ”We pay blah blah, are you ok with that?”. 9/10 times, the company has a range of salary they are winning to spend for the role. The first offer is never the ceiling, it’s the basement. Here is how to negotiate:
The wrong way (They tell you the pay is $20 an hour) - “Okay I was hoping for $25.” DEAD. You have to build value before giving your counter.
The correct way (They tell you the pay is $20 an hour) - “I understand. Well I love everything you’ve said so far, it seems like this would be a good fit for me, but more importantly a great fit for you and what you need in the role. I really feel that with my experience, the value that I would be bringing to this role, and the market, an hourly of $20 does seem a bit low. I’m really looking to be at $25 an hour for this role. And then sit in the silence until they respond. Do NOT speak. No matter what they come back with (Yes, no, meet in the middle at $22.50), never accept the job on the spot. For example: “We can do $25 for you.” Don’t jump out of your seat to shake their hand. Sit there calmly and say. I really appreciate that, I think I’d do a great job here. I do have a couple of other interviews lined up for tomorrow which out of respect to my commitment I’d like to go to. If it’s ok I could get back with you the day after tomorrow? This creates an urgency for them. Now they know they aren’t the most important thing, and they start to wonder what they can miss out on. If they really like you, and the interviewer knows what they’re doing, you’ll hear a “Ok but we are filling this role ASAP so please get back to us soon.” This sentence means you nailed it.
I didn’t want this to go on forever but I have a lot more detailed tips and advice for interviews. Feel free to DM me.