My favorite, all-time best practice for interviewing is by far the most effective. I literally came upon this approach by accident (I am not kidding). A few years ago, I was preparing for a phone interview with a company. Part of my process is to not only perform due diligence on the employer, but to really study and understand the job description. I happened to jot down a few bullet points from the job description into my notes. These were some of the of primary job responsibilities, which also matched-up well with my experience, background and track record. As the phone interview began, I was asked about what interested me in the job. I responded by saying that as I reviewed the job description, there were a few things that jumped out at me. I then ticked off the three job responsibilities that I had copied from the job description to my notes, which I paraphrased; I did not recite them exactly word for word.
Upon reciting the primary job responsibilities that garnered my attention, I confidently asserted: “That is exactly what I do today for my current employer, and I have the track record and results to prove it.” Not only did I successfully progress through the interview process, I was offered the job. I ultimately declined the offer, but that is not the point. By going on the offensive early on during the interview, I gained an important upper hand. Remember, interviews are all about making positive first impressions. Well, I made a very positive first impression by asserting myself the way I did when asked about what interested me in the job. According to Dale Carnegie–author of How to Win Friends and Influence People–I had “aroused in another person an eager want.”
I simply compelled the interviewer to want to learn more about my candidacy by demonstrating upfront that I was a good fit for the job. And I did it by focusing on the needs of the company. From that point on, I decided that this was the best and most effective way to stack the odds in my favor. However, I realized that not all interviewers will ask the question: “What interests you in this job?” So, I decided that as soon as I sit down with the interviewer, I would immediately thank the interviewer(s) for their time and then express my enthusiasm for the opportunity upfront and then launch into why (as illustrated above). Simply put, I was selling my services to the interviewer. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of doing this, because nobody will do it for you.
This approach does require a certain level of assertiveness and fortitude. For many, this approach will feel very unnatural. For Type “A” people, this approach will likely be instinctive and feel very familiar. It does require some practice. I can promise you this…if you make the commitment to yourself and incorporate this approach into your interview preparation, you will take your game to a completely different level. Your competition will not stand a chance. What best practices do you incorporate into your preparation process and how have these practices helped you to ace interviews and get job offers?
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