Nine in ten of you fear something about the job interview experience, even when it’s for an internal role where you’re on great terms with the hiring manager.
In the everywomanNetwork webinar Preparing for a job interview, business consultant and recruiter many times over, Pippa Isbell, shares her secrets for alleviating fear and making the best of the opportunity before you.
Three out of ten everywomanNetwork members feel awkward blowing their own trumpets and 12% have no idea what to say when they’re asked to reveal their core strengths – two rather large red flags when it comes to job interviews. The boss who gives you glowing performance reviews, your workplace mentor or sponsor, the client who loves working with you – sadly they won’t be in the room. So, put simply, says Pippa Isbell: “You have to be your own best advocate”.
If, after conducting a SWOT analysis, your list of strengths is shorter than your list of weaknesses, draw on the help of a trusted colleague. Make that list as long as you can with plenty of supportive evidence. Next, you need to practise saying them out loud. “It sounds crazy, but the more you hear yourself say ‘I am really good at strategy or particularly good at analysis’, the easier it becomes,” says Pippa.
40% of Network members also struggle to share their weaknesses, saying it’s the thing they most dread about the process. Pippa’s advice? “Keep your answer short, relevant to the job you’re going for and focussed on something you’re already in the process of addressing.”
Ask a friend or colleague to listen to your prepared answers to the more common interview questions, the ones that naturally spring from the job description and perhaps some of the quirkier ones that are becoming more typical. Listen carefully to their feedback.
Run through the questions you’ll put to your interviewer and ask your buddy to be honest: are any ‘fillers’ or questions you should already know the answers to? Refine your list so that it comprises only those questions you genuinely want answered and haven’t been able to research yourself.
1. SWITCH YOUR MINDSET
Fear and anxiety are more likely to take hold if you approach your interview as judgment day. While your interviewers will inevitably form their opinions, the session is as much an opportunity to establish whether the role is right for you. As part of your preparation work, you’ll naturally think about why you want the position, what excites you and why this company has grabbed your attention at this time. Think too though about any concerns you have, whether about the roles and responsibilities or the company culture. “That thinking helps put you on a more even keel and start the interview on a level playing field,” says Pippa Isbell. Check in also with any limiting beliefs – unfortunately more common in job-seeking females. The old cliché goes that men feel confident they’ve what it takes to succeed if they meet 60% of a role’s requisite skills; women doubt their suitability if they possess 90% of the job description’s must haves. As Sheryl Sandberg says in her book Lean In: “Women need to shift from thinking ‘I’m not ready to do that’ to thinking ‘I want to do that – and I’ll learn by doing it’.”2. BECOME YOUR OWN TALENT MANAGER
Three out of ten everywomanNetwork members feel awkward blowing their own trumpets and 12% have no idea what to say when they’re asked to reveal their core strengths – two rather large red flags when it comes to job interviews. The boss who gives you glowing performance reviews, your workplace mentor or sponsor, the client who loves working with you – sadly they won’t be in the room. So, put simply, says Pippa Isbell: “You have to be your own best advocate”.
If, after conducting a SWOT analysis, your list of strengths is shorter than your list of weaknesses, draw on the help of a trusted colleague. Make that list as long as you can with plenty of supportive evidence. Next, you need to practise saying them out loud. “It sounds crazy, but the more you hear yourself say ‘I am really good at strategy or particularly good at analysis’, the easier it becomes,” says Pippa.
40% of Network members also struggle to share their weaknesses, saying it’s the thing they most dread about the process. Pippa’s advice? “Keep your answer short, relevant to the job you’re going for and focussed on something you’re already in the process of addressing.”
3. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
There’s an enormous amount of confidence to be gained in turning investigator to discover as much as you can about the job interview and role. Consider the dress code that’s most likely to impress; the logistics of how you’ll travel there; the format of the interview; the digital footprint of the hiring manager and company overall; the latest news from the department you’re interested in; the kinds of questions they, or employers like them, ask candidates (there are all sorts of ‘cheat sheet’ websites which give insight on the latter). The most crucial thing to know is your own script: “Tell me about yourself?” – the standard opener – is the biggest source of discomfort for 17% of you. Get creative: “If your career to date were a novel, what would the chapter headings be?” asks Pippa. “What must you get across? What are the stories you can share that reflect your experience in line with the job description?” Again, the key is to practise out loud. “My own mirror has had several very interesting conversations with me! I know when I look shifty because I’m feeling unsure; I know when I’m looking confident.”4. FIND A BUDDY
Ask a friend or colleague to listen to your prepared answers to the more common interview questions, the ones that naturally spring from the job description and perhaps some of the quirkier ones that are becoming more typical. Listen carefully to their feedback.
Run through the questions you’ll put to your interviewer and ask your buddy to be honest: are any ‘fillers’ or questions you should already know the answers to? Refine your list so that it comprises only those questions you genuinely want answered and haven’t been able to research yourself.
