Interviews: Are You Willing to Make An Effort to Get What You Want?

Two of my clients accepted offers for employment this past week. Each had experienced difficulties with interviews in the past, so we worked on specific areas that had previously been problematic. For one, the issue was the tendency to tell too much, and for the other, it was not being able to articulate answers quickly. Not surprising, that after working on the issues and practicing, both went into their next interviews and aced them. Two other clients said they “blew” the interviews they had last week. One came right out and said she wasn’t prepared; the other said “I didn’t want that job anyway.”

Now, it doesn’t seem like rocket science to put effort into preparing for an interview, but it continues to amaze me when scores of people continue to do the same thing, the same way, expecting different results. Or, when they are absolutely positive that the reason they haven’t gotten offers is because of the interviewers, as opposed to something they have said or done (or not done!). Or even worse, they spend all the time and energy to pursue a target company, then don’t prepare themselves for the eventuality of the interview.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are certainly times when the interviewer has another agenda (like a friend’s cousin has applied for the job), but to throw up your hands and determine there is nothing that can be changed, or to use sour grapes, i.e., ” I didn’t want the job any way” as the reason you didn’t get an offer, is really giving up. When someone really needs a job, I have to question why they think blowing an interview makes any sense. Blowing an interview only means you won’t get an offer. If you don’t want it, then why not spend your energy elsewhere? If you need it, but don’t want it, why not figure out how you could leverage the opportunity into something else or until something better turns up? But why in the world would you spend any energy going after something without giving it your all?

If you want to debate the need to go to work when you are in debt and have no income, this isn’t the right blog. If you want to learn how you can improve your chances for getting an offer so that you can get out off the bench and into the game, then read further.

Research. Many times applying to a posting on a job board leaves you at a disadvantage. You know nothing about the organization, their politics, preferences or issues. Targeting who you want to work for and finding out more about them before you apply, will give you a much stronger position going on.

Script. If you have trouble answering tough questions, then write out your answers in advance. Practice what you will say. If you have already interviewed unsuccessfully more than once, then you probably have a good idea of what can come up in an interview. There are only so many variations on a theme when it comes to interviewing questions. You can probably guess what will be asked the next time you go in for an interview. That means you can also practice writing out your answers. Yes, it takes time. How much time are you willing to waste by ‘blowing’ an interview because you didn’t prepare?

Plan ahead. Don’t set a date for an interview if you aren’t ready. Don’t answer your phone if you aren’t prepared to take the call. Make sure you are completely ready and prepared for any conversation with a potential employer.

Be ‘other’ focused. It is not all about you. Unless you can show what you bring to the party that is of benefit to the employer, you won’t have the option of deciding whether or not you want the job. It is important to know what they need, how you can deliver it and how you will get along with everyone else that is already there, before you begin an interview.

Keep a positive attitude. If you want an offer, then you need to act interested, excited and informed. If you have a chip on your shoulder, check yourself before you go in. They will spot it a mile away. Proudly boasting irrelevant information about your skills or experience is only going to make you look like you are full of yourself, not impress them. Make sure you show them genuine enthusiasm for the role. (They’ll be able to smell desperation a mile away.) It takes careful preparation to change desperation into excitement.

I am not saying that you have to plan on staying with the next employer forever. But if you need to get paid, then it is time to do what you have to do to have the opportunity. Once in, you can continue working towards what you would rather be doing. Getting just any job isn’t the answer, though. It is important to make sure that whatever you are doing is in some way on track and in line with what you would like to be doing, or you are going to make things tough on yourself moving forward. Once again, careful planning will not only help you make the first step (getting back to work), but it will help you see what you have to do to keep moving forward.