The keys to the kingdom are only a few clicks away. We are talking gold. Not real gold but it might as well be.
I talk to many people who are terrified of interviews. Company people hate interviewing people. No one feels ready for it. Candidates hate interviewing too. They never know what to expect.
So if the folks conducting the interviews are scared and the candidates are scared, who has the advantage?
Candidates. Really.
Does that sound odd? Stay with me for a minute about this.
Company people interviewing candidates are stressed, have little time, and in most cases are not very well prepared. They fly out of their offices to get to the interview grabbing the resume off the printer and pulling out from their drawer a well-worn list of the typical interview questions. That is true.
I know it is true because that is what I used to do when I was in human resources. Despite my best efforts I had so much going on that I had little time to prepare. I took the easy way out and asked questions off the FAQs.
Most interviewers ask questions off a list of “30 Frequently Asked Questions”. If you, the candidate, get your hands on the FAQs before the interview then chances are you can be more prepared for the interview than the interviewer!!
Here is what I suggest:
- Go to our website and on the right side margin is a box you can check to download the list of FAQs I used when I was in HR. I received this list of questions ages ago when I first learned how to interview. I know many people who still use this list during interviews to this day.
- Review and write out an answer to the questions. Edit your responses until you are able to express what you want to say in a way that makes you look good and feel confident. Remember we always tell the truth but you can tell the truth in a positive way.
- Then say each answer out loud until you feel comfortable and sound good. You might explore how attending a Toastmasters meeting might help you feel more confident when you speak. Toastmasters is a great forum for practicing your interview responses.