Tag: interview

Interview to-dos

I have multiple interviews coming up over the next 10 days so today, my to-do list is all about interview prep. I have some helpful tips to help make sure I’m ready:

  • First, I pull out the job description and make notes about how my experience/skill set fills all the posted requirements for the role. This also helps me put together my answer for the inevitable “tell me about yourself” question.
  • Second, I search LinkedIn for the person/people I’m interviewing with so I know if we know anyone in common or if we have worked in the same place. Good for an icebreaker — and REALLY good to read their job descriptions and get an idea about their skill sets.
  • Next, I generally do a Google search for business news regarding the company/industry. It’s always a good idea to know what’s going on with the company and their business. Google is just a start – you can also search on Glassdoor.com for info on the corporate culture.
  • I have a list of behavioral interview questions I’ve collected from a book about interviewing skills as well as my outplacement coach’s website. These are all questions I know from experience I might be asked – or are questions appropriate to the role I’m interviewing for. I run through my list thinking how I would answer each for the role I’m up for — in some cases, I actually write out an answer and practice it so I can answer smoothly in the moment. Using the STAR method to frame my answers is very helpful here (Situation/Task/Action/Result). This bit of prep work has really allowed me to feel MUCH more comfortable in an interview.
  • Frame up questions I want to ask through the interview. Remember, they aren’t just auditioning you – you’re auditioning them as well. So you should ask questions about culture, the team, processes, systems, etc. so you get an idea about whether this is a place you want to spend the next years of your career. I try to work my questions into the conversation of the interview so asking them feels less “forced.”
  • Last – but sometimes not least – I like to read the last SEC statement or annual report for the company I’m interviewing with. You’d be surprised how much you can learn from those government filings and investor facing communications.

These are my best tips – do you have any good ones? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

Wellness Wednesday

I’m going to say it – I wish I had gotten the flu shot last fall. I didn’t and now I’m sorry. But hey, at least I’m on the mend!

I think my interview went pretty well yesterday. I’m supposed to hear about next steps by the end of the week. Please keep your fingers crossed for me? It’s the kind of role where I believe I would be able to make a difference for that company – and it’s work that would make me happy.

But getting back to our Wellness topic, let’s talk about fever since the flu gave me a high one for 3 days. Most of us have had a fever at one time or another given that it’s one of the ways a body reacts to infection. For the most part, you take a couple Tylenol or Advil and that will take care of it. But as an adult when you have a fever that gets above 103, doctors recommend you don’t go it alone. Especially if you have additional symptoms like a severe headache, vomiting, rash, chest pain or altered behavior.

Here are some resources to check with regarding fevers:

What have I learned? Keep hydrated, thank goodness I always have Advil and next year, get the flu shot!

Flu

I missed posting yesterday because I have the flu. But at least it isn’t Covid? I know because I tested. So there’s that. I also have an interview today so I’m pulling it together!

So forgive me that this is short but I have homework to do – before every interview I have a checklist of things to make sure I have at hand (the resume/cover letter I submitted, the job description, questions I have about the role, etc) AND I also like to make sure I check the LinkedIn profile of the person I’m interviewing with. You never know who you might have in common that will lead to a more natural conversation!

Wish me luck!

Worst interview stories

For throwback Thursday, I thought it might be fun to tell a couple stories about my worst ever job interviews. The first one is funny in hindsight but the second one left a scar.

Here’s the first story: I was interviewing at a major fast food chain for a corporate marketing job. They flew me out to their corporate HQ for this interview so I knew I was pretty far in with them. But the minute I got off the plane, I started to feel horrible. By the next day – the day of the interview – I was just plain sick. With a fever. I really don’t remember a lot of that interview – I only remember concentrating on staying upright. It was just horrible! And no – I didn’t get the job. Can’t imagine why!

The second story is harder for me to tell. The interview was for a job that I really wanted. I mean I wanted it bad – I was a HUGE believer in their product and my franchise experience was perfect for them. Or so I thought. My interviewer was a 20 something person who probably shouldn’t have been allowed to be interviewing on her own. After the opening pleasantries, she said to me – and I quote – “I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Google Analytics but you’ll be required to use it.” So a couple of things here – I was obviously older than her so it seemed VERY patronizing. And second, at the top section of my resume, I listed that I had certifications for both Google Analytics and Google AdWords. So not only was she patronizing but she also clearly hadn’t read my resume.

When I interview, I am always prepared – not only do I read up on the company but I also find out as much as I can about the interviewer. And when I have interviewed people to hire in the past, I generally have notes written on their resumes for questions to ask but I’ve also read up on them as much as possible – at least on LinkedIn. So that last story has left a scar. I know there is ageism out there now – so as I go into interviews now, I’m a little sensitive about it. 

Just because I have deep experience doesn’t mean I’ve slowed down. It doesn’t mean I don’t learn fast. And it doesn’t mean I won’t perform. I need a new challenge.

Do you have a bad interview story? Tell it in the comments!

First interview!

Yeah, yeah – it’s a 15 minute HR screener, but I have my first interview on the calendar. Bonus? It’s for a job that I would really like! So of course I started thinking about in-person interviews and consulted my closet to see what I could wear. 

After years of business casual and work from home during the pandemic, my options for interview appropriate attire were sad to non-existent. The pandemic pounds are certainly problematic in more ways than one! So I took myself off to the mall yesterday and bought a few interchangeable pieces that will allow me to have more than 1 interview look and took advantage of things in my wardrobe that still do fit! 

What is interview appropriate these days? Well – I had to consult the internet because I’m not exactly a fashionista. I’m going with slacks and a knit jacket rather than a blazer. Polished but still slightly casual which I think will give me enough comfort to be confident. Here’s the jacket – what do you think?