Ace the Interview Part 2

Below are my best recommendations on how to prepare in order to ace your interview. First, build an interview outline. Think of this as a cheat sheet that you can bring with you into the interview because you can! Surely this would look bad, right? Nope, instead you will appear prepared and to have invested a lot of thought into the process! To boot, it will boost your confidence and composure significantly since you won't have to search your memory on-the-fly. Your outline should contain an introductory statement, key highlights for the interviewers (unique skills/awards), 5 - 10 behavioral examples and a concluding statement that includes 2-3 insightful questions about the job. You'll want to be practiced at referencing your outline without straight reading it to your interview panel.

Let's start with your introduction. This is your opportunity to set the stage for the interview and command the room a bit. After you've exchanged a welcome and basic introduction, there will likely be a summary of the job position shared by those hiring. Then, they'll ask you to give more detail about your background. Keep your introduction to about 5 sentences or short bullets. Within those, convey with conviction why you felt compelled to apply based on your unique fitment to the position. If there are any key credentials you might not be able to highlight later in the behavioral examples, then work them in here as well.

Next, they may ask more specifically why you want this job. This question almost always shows up now or at the end of the interview. It's a way for interviewers to gage your motivations, intentions and seriousness about the job. Be sure you've put some good thought into your response. Again, express conviction about THIS position and how strongly you feel it fits your background, skills and career goals. They want to hire someone who is going to be happy performing the role and will have some longevity. I'm also looking for someone who is very intentional and knows specifically the role they want to obtain.

Opportunity: if they ask if you have any questions prior to diving into the interview, take advantage! What are some ideal qualities for thr person who fills this role? And just like that, you get fed the answers to the test! Now, you can work on interweaving these qualities provided into your responses and conclusion.

Next tip: bring a bottle of water. Displays your fore thought and helps you speak of course.

You are likely to get hit with a few behavioral questions during the interview. This will allow the panel to understand how you react to and solve problems associated with the role. Within your outline, write down your top 5 - 10 experiences or situations. Break it down into Situation, Actions and Results. For each, create 1-2 short bullets that describe the situation or task you were given. Then, 3 - 5 actions that you tool to resolve or complete the task. Finally, 1 - 2 results that are quantifiable or at least qualitative. Example: good - the tool I created got a lot of great feedback from users and worked better than the prior tool...better - the tool I created did the job 50% faster and saved the company $1M per year. In contrast, I left before the tool could be implemented (inconclusive) or my manager was happy (weak). Examples where your results and impact are poor should simply be discarded. These will deflate your response and weaken your interview.

Tip: if you need time to search for your best answer then ask for them to repeat the question and record the question on your outline page. This will ensure you fully address all aspects of the question and don't give an incomplete answer. You can also take a quick sip of water to buy time and avoid awkward silence.

Finally, you have reached the conclusion of the interview. Ask your intuitive questions like:

• How could I exceed expectations in this role within the first 6 months?

• What is one of the biggest problems I could help solve after joining the team or company?

• Ask a detailed question about the company or their products. (tip: be sure to research the company and know their recent news)

Here comes your final chance to seal the deal. Within your outline, have a similar size set of talking points as your introduction for a concluding statement. It's a chance to reinforce your best qualities and demonstrate your conviction for the job now that you've learned more about it. Drop the mic: thank then for the time and opportunity to interview for such a desirable position, then state that you are certain you are the best fit for this role.