How to perform at your best during a job interview

In the last 20 years, I have recruited over 1000 senior executives for my clients throughout Australia.  One thing that has consistently amazed and frustrated me is how often highly qualified and accomplished candidates miss out on job offers, simply because they have interviewed poorly.

Here are some tips to assist you in preparing for and performing in job interviews, to ensure that you smash your competition and become the “logical first choice” for your dream job.

1. Be prepared
   Find out the names of the people who will be interviewing you; print out their LinkedIn profiles plus company website information; and highlight some key information to show you have done your research. Read the annual report plus any other information you can find. If you know people familiar with the company interviewing you, then take the time to call them and ask some questions. All this will demonstrate you have done your homework when you use this information appropriately during the interview process.

   Always dress your best, be on time, and be respectful of all the people in the room (i.e. don’t focus all your attention on the hiring manager, whilst disregarding the HR person sitting quietly in the corner – they may have a major influence on the final hiring decision).

2. Control the interview from the start
   When you arrive for your interview, enter the meeting room and after the introductions, sit down, open your notebook, and put the highlighted printouts (LinkedIn profiles and company information) in plain sight. You’re here for business and immediately the interviewers will take you more seriously.

   A great way to open the conversation is to say something like, “Mary and Bill, I really appreciate the time you are taking to meet with me about this role. For you to leave this meeting today and feel really happy that you met with me, what would you like to achieve?” Listen to their response and write it down. Ask some further exploratory questions around their responses, so that you are clear on their expectations.

   Keep this part of the discussion fairly light – don’t make it seem like you are interviewing them. But definitely take the time to do this, as it will make you stand out, plus you’ll use this information to close out the interview at the end.

3. Ask the killer question
   “Mary and Bill, let’s imagine I’ve been in the role for 12 months and we are about to sit down to do my performance review. For me to get 100 percent, what would I have needed to have done in my first year of employment?”

   Asking the interviewer/s this question early in the interview will enable you to get a much better understanding of the requirements of the role and how best to showcase yourself as a preferred candidate.

   Whatever responses they offer, make sure you write these down. You are going to refer to these points often during the balance of the interview, so you want to make sure you remember them. Plus by writing them down, you are again demonstrating to the interviewer/s that you are professional and thorough.

   Now is the time for you to start talking about your key achievements as they pertain to the specific key deliverables. If in a different environment/industry, then talk about your transferable skills as they best compare to the explained key deliverables.

   In essence, you use the key deliverables that they offer as the foundation points for describing what you have done previously, done well, and are motivated to do again. It creates the perfect platform for you to really demonstrate why you are the obvious best choice for the job.

4. Ask follow up questions
   As you get to the end of the interview, you will often be asked whether you have any further questions. You definitely want to ask some good quality questions, firstly to clarify any specific things you want to know, and also as a way of further demonstrating you have done your homework.
5. Close strongly
   At the end of the interview you want to finish by referring back to your original question and the points you wrote down. “Mary and Bill, you said that for you to leave this meeting and feel really happy that you met with me, you would like to have achieved…? (Read from your notes) Are you happy that we achieved these outcomes? Is there anything else you would like to ask?” In other words, are they happy with your performance?

This is a great way to end the interview, because you are demonstrating that you listened to what they wanted and have made your best efforts to deliver. You show that you have an honest appreciation for their time and a desire to meet their expectations. 

If you follow these tips, I can assure you that you will perform excellently at interview.  This will give you the greatest chance to win your dream job.

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