- edited by Ben Mudrak
Many have said that confidence is the key to success. Well, preparation is the key to confidence; when you are prepared, you can be confident of your actions and your words. Therefore, the key to a successful face-to-face interview is preparation.
The Face-to-Face Interview
If you have received a request for a face-to-face interview, congratulations! This is an important step and is almost always the last step before an offer. The face-to-face interview will be your chance to show your potential new employer that everything they see on your resume is there, and more. This is also another chance for you to find out whether or not the position will be a right fit for you. So, don’t forget to interview your potential employer as well.
Preparing for the Interview
Just as you prepared for phone interview, do your research. Find out as much as you can about the company and the hiring manager. If you can get in touch with past or current employees with similar roles, this might help you better understand the company’s expectations as well as those of your hiring manager.
You should also look over your resume and be prepared to explain any gap in employment history, your job experience, or the reasons that you left previous positions. Remember that you only have, at most, one hour to impress and address any concerns. One trick is to write down all potential questions and your answers to them. Try not to memorize the answers, but have a general idea of what you will say so it will flow better in conversation.
Employers are simply trying to understand if you would be a good fit for their company, their culture and their mission, aside from determining your skill set, so don’t take offense if it feels like the Spanish Inquisition. One of the most common questions I have heard is “Why do you want this position?” Of course, the pay is the reason why everyone wants a job, so that’s a given. What they are really asking is “Besides the salary/money, what would motivate you to come to work every day and do an excellent job for us?” Understanding the company’s mission statement and the direction they are heading by perusing news articles can help you formulate a better answer. So, again, do your research.
If it is a technical position, be prepared to talk technical, so brush up on your lingo. You should be able to understand specific terminology, especially if you have mentioned familiarity with the field on your resume.
Most people enjoy a good story, so think of a couple of stories that would highlight some of your skill sets and keep them in mind as answers for those ‘how’ questions (like “How do you handle…?” or “How do you do…?”). If it is a position involving customer interaction, an example question might be “How have you handled irate customers?” If it’s an engineering position, you might be asked something like “How do you start new projects?” The company is simply trying to understand how you would handle certain situations. What better way to answer these questions than to provide real scenarios that you have experienced? Not only will these stories better highlight your skill set, but good stories stay in the interviewer’s memory longer after you leave the interview.
During the Interview
Having done all the preparation, you should walk into that interview room with confidence that you are ready for the interview. Of course, if you are like me, you will still be a little nervous. That’s alright. However, do not do the “show up and throw up” routine (that is, telling them everything about yourself and why you would be a good fit for the position before they even ask you one question). Stay calm. Always let them start first. They have certain objectives in mind before coming into the interview, so let them tell you what those are. You may find some interesting things that help you sell yourself. If you happen to run into one of these people who start off saying, “So, tell me about yourself,” give a brief introduction and why you would like to join their company. Then, turn the question around and ask him/her when he/she joined the company and why. This should help get the dialogue going and give you more insight about where he/she is coming from. More often than not, the interviewer will start asking you more specific questions after that.
Often, the interviewer will give you a chance to ask questions by asking if you have any questions for them. Take that chance, and ask questions that you have formulated during your preparation. Once you start asking the questions, you can continue the momentum and take control of the interview, leading it where you want it to go. Try to have more of a conversation than a question-and-answer session. Pause some between each topic to give yourself a chance to take in what they have just said.
The next-to-last question you should ask so you can better understand your potential employer’s expectations is to ask your interviewer who the ideal candidate for the position would be. Their answer will also help you formulate how you present yourself. Once you understand the criteria, you can talk about yourself and, specifically, how your capabilities fit the description of their ideal candidate.
I called that the next-to-last question because the final question should be to ask for the job. Ask whether the interviewer thinks you would be the right fit for the job now that you have presented your case. If any objection is going to be raised, this would be the time, but at least you will be able to address it. If you leave without asking this critical question, you will be left wondering if there was a concern that you didn’t address during the interview.
After the Interview
A thank-you note is customary for after the interview. Nowadays, most people send a thank-you note by e-mail. There is nothing wrong with that, but I prefer a thank-you card. There is much to be said about a nicely written thank-you note. Instead of mailing the card, however, I would deliver it to the receptionist or someone within the company who can drop it off with the recipient for you. Stop off at a nearby coffee shop, take out your notes and jot down key things mentioned during the interview. Emphasize that you are interested in the position and want to be a part of their company. Of course, this plan will only work if you were being interviewed on site, which happens with most formal and final interviews. Sometimes, if you are being rushed to the airport, this may be difficult to do. However, a thank-you note should be brief. I only put down about 2 to 3 sentences, so you might be able to write the note in five minutes while waiting for the cab. If all else fails, send an e-mail. I don’t suggest using e-cards, as some companies have firewalls that block those sites, possibly preventing your message from going through.
Now, you just have to wait. At this point, you did the best you could, and it is now up to them. If you addressed all of their concerns, you should be in a good position. I know everyone will tell you to relax and not think about, but I honestly have never been able to do that. One of my former bosses told me once that the best thing to do is to apply for another job. That makes sense. Taking on another task will keep your mind off of that last interview and keep you from second-guessing yourself.
I wish all of you luck in your job hunts. We all need a little of luck on our side. In the meantime, please feel free to e-mail me with questions. If I can help in any way, I will.
