Creating Interview Magic
Learn How to Ace Your Next Interview
Want to Interview Better than 99% of Other Applicants?
Interviews are stressful. I think that’s something that everyone can agree on. The focus and attention on you. Ensuring you answer the whole question when it’s a 3 or 4-part one; remembering to sit up, to smile, and to make eye contact with everyone in the room; talking about yourself for 45 minutes with no breaks. It’s enough to make anyone think twice about looking for a new job.
But, I’m here to help and share some insider tips to help you interview with more confidence next time around.
Here’s the thing…according to most interviewers, many candidates don’t make a good first impression and that hurts them the most.
You need to do 3 things well in order to interview better than the large majority of other candidates:
Believe in yourself- seriously!
I know you are thinking that this one is so obvious that you are ready to just skip over it, but PLEASE DON’T! We are quick to say ‘we know’ this, but the real question is ‘do you “do” this?’
Think about it, we know a lot of things, but that doesn’t always mean that we do them or put them into practice.
Also, believing in yourself and your abilities translates to confidence and helps you make an excellent first impression.
So, here are some ways that you can up your confidence and courage and ACTUALLY believe in yourself:
Identify your strengths. Take time to reflect on and write down your skills, talents, and anything that you are good at before the interview. Every time you start to get nervous, read the list, it will be an automatic confidence booster. Also, recognize your past successes, they are valuable and important!
Stop Comparing. Comparing yourself to others only hurts you. When you compare and evaluate your contributional value to potential employers’ needs and goals (instead of to other job applicants), your odds of getting that job increase significantly.
Adopt positive self-talk. I know I know, this sounds really quirky. But, monitor your inner dialogue and replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Instead of focusing on your shortcomings, acknowledge your efforts and remind yourself of your strengths and potential. Repeating positive statements about yourself regularly helps rewire your thinking patterns.
Surround yourself with supportive people. Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive individuals can significantly impact your confidence. Seek out friends, mentors, or role models who encourage and believe in you. Their support and constructive feedback can help you build confidence and overcome self-doubt.
Learn from failures. Don't let setbacks discourage you. Instead, view them as learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong, identify lessons learned, and use that knowledge to improve. Embracing failure as a part of the growth process will enhance your resilience and boost your confidence in handling future challenges.
Continuously improve your skills. Invest time and effort in developing your skills and knowledge. Take courses, read books, attend workshops, or seek mentorship to enhance your expertise in areas of interest. The more competent you feel, the more confident you will become.
Celebrate your achievements. Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Rewarding yourself for your efforts reinforces positive behavior and encourages further growth. Recognizing your progress will boost your confidence and motivate you to strive for more.
Know How to Prepare
In order to interview well, you have to be prepared when you walk in. You need to be ready for them to ask questions and be able to address anything that comes up. The best way to be prepared is to know what you need to know.
Here are 11 things you must know to ensure a successful interview:
Know yourself: What are your passions, values, and strengths? What can you contribute to the company?
Know the company: What are the company's needs, goals, and culture? Why do you want to work for them?
Know the job: What are the job requirements and qualifications? What are the performance expectations?
Know the industry: What is the history of the industry? What are the new or emerging trends? What attracts you to the industry?
Know the interviewer: Research the people you will be interviewing with. The more you know about them, the better prepared you will be to build rapport and communicate effectively.
Know the three key factors: Do you fit well into the company's culture? Do you have the skills/qualifications required for the job? Do you bring a value-added feature to the job?
Know your stories: Be prepared to share relevant anecdotes from your past that demonstrate your skills and accomplishments.
Know how to address the salary issue: Be prepared to discuss salary when the topic arises.
Know your skeletons: Be prepared to address any past challenges that might arise in the interview.
Know illegal questions are part of the meeting: If illegal questions are asked, simply respond as calmly and professionally as possible, unless it’s highly egregious.
Know what questions to ask: Arrive at the interview with well-thought-out questions that reveal serious interest and intent.
Know What to Say and How to Say It
During an interview what we say is just as important as how we say it and in what order we say it. In our short-attention-span world, if the hiring manager wants to hear A, B, and C that‘s the way to deliver the answer. If you instead answer X, W, Z, and then A, B, and C you probably just lost them. So do what you can to address what they are asking.
By following these tips, you can increase your chances of acing your next job interview and landing the job you want.
Something to think about- approximately 100% of job seekers have resumes, 90% have cover letters, and 70% have LinkedIn profiles. But, 99% of job seekers fail to properly prepare for interviews. If you prepare, following the guidance above, you’ll be better than 99% of other applicants.
I hope you’ve found this helpful and I wish you the best of luck in your interviews. If you are looking for more information, please visit my website- Higher & Hire. If I can be of assistance to you, please reach out to me here.
Many Thanks!
Valerie Palmer
