Over the last year, I’ve hired five members of a MarComm team in a variety of roles from entry level to senior leaders. I’ve looked at lots of resumes and talked to dozens of potential candidates in person and on Zoom throughout the process. Some were phenomenal. Some didn’t fit our organization, and some were disappointing.
However, because of all the time I spent interviewing candidates, I started to see themes emerge about what worked well in interviewing and mistakes candidates made in the process.
From that experience, I wanted to share six tips to help others who might be preparing to interview for their next role.
Six Tips to Prepare for an Interview
Elevator Speech
I always open the interview by asking to learn more about the candidate and why they are interested in the role. I want to know a little bit about your background, your current experience, and also why you’re interested in making a move. I’m less interested in ALL the details about your personal life, though I don’t mind if you briefly mention one or two. The goal here shouldn’t be everything you’ve done professionally, but it should be in-depth enough to help me understand more about you. This is the first impression you make, so practice this one. The candidates who had a great opening seemed to have a stronger interview. It set the tone for the entire conversation.
Three Core Points
What are the three core points you want people to know? Think about this as soon as you schedule an interview. Then, make sure you weave them into any answer. As MarComm leaders, we often talk about having our brand message as a thru-line in our communications. This is the same thing. These core points should be consistent throughout the conversation. However, several candidates didn’t use their answers to reinforce their key points, and their interviews felt a little scattered. Another reason this approach is beneficial is that it gives you an answer to rely on if you get a question you weren’t anticipating.
Pre-Plan Examples
During the interview, you are likely to be asked about examples. In your interview prep, think about two to three examples of successful projects and two to three examples of projects that didn’t go as well. Be able to talk briefly about the project mechanics, your role in it, and what you learned from them (both good and bad). Then, when you get a question that one of these examples applies, you have a great example to share and aren’t having to think off the cuff. Candidates who did this stood out in my mind.
Stop Talking
One of the biggest pieces of advice is stop talking. Say your point. Give an example if you have one, and then be quiet. There’s confidence in stopping the conversation, and it also keeps you from rambling. Some candidates really struggled with this one. Less is more. Unfortunately, the rambles can also showcase a less polished version of you. The longer you talk, the more likely you are to wander into something you didn’t intend to share or dilute a strong answer. Know when you’ve made your point and trust that it’s enough.
Know What You Want to Learn
An interview is a two-way street. Be thinking about what you want to get out of the conversation. Whether it’s the organizational culture, professional development opportunities, or something else, be thinking about those things so that you can suss them out either directly or indirectly throughout the conversation. Just because you’re talking with a company doesn’t mean it will be a fit for you. That’s okay. Knowing what is important to you will help you assess whether the opportunity is the right one.
Know Your Operating System
This is really important to me as a hiring manager. I want to understand how people operate and how they make decisions. In an interview, I’m far less concerned with the actual decisions. I want to know the process. Be thinking about an example that shows how you process information and make decisions. If you’re interviewing for a senior role, you want to show you can make a decision and not burden your leadership with it. If you’ll be interviewing for a more junior role, you want to show how you are comfortable getting guidance and executing under that guidance. It’s also important to be able to explain your organizational system and what that looks like for you. Everyone should have a way they stay organized, and it’s important to be able to talk through how you do that for yourself.
Review the Tape
After each interview you have, send the thank you note and then reflect on what went well and where you can improve. I find it helpful to go through answers in my head that were challenging, so that I’m better prepared for the future. Interviewing is a skill that takes practice, but these tips will help you confidently showcase who you are and the value you bring to an organization.
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