Wow your interviewer, and get the job!
The ability to effectively interview and hire candidates is critical to the success of any organization. After all, it’s the organization’s people that will do the work, make decisions, and generate results. Hiring involves an investment of time and resources, both of which are costly. That is why there is quite a bit of pressure on hiring managers to find the best candidates that will ultimately succeed in the roles for which they are hired. How can you show a potential employer that you are the right person for the job? Here are some ways that interviewees have wowed me!
Show that you have great energy. Energy encompasses quite a few factors. We’re talking confidence, poise, communication, and attitude. If you have the right skills and experience to do the job but lack confidence, that will come across as a big red flag. As for attitude, I will always hire someone with a great attitude that I can teach over a more experienced candidate that has a poor attitude. A poor attitude can include hostility, apathy, or arrogance. If you are confident, positive, and friendly, you set the stage to connect with your interviewer, which can move you forward to the next step in the interview process.
Demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about your potential employer’s company, industry, and challenges. How can you do this? Integrate this knowledge into your responses to the interviewer’s questions. Back up your answers with facts. This means that you have to do your research ahead of time! What is a major challenge that the company or industry is facing, and how can you help them conquer it? And perhaps most importantly, ask great questions. By doing this you will not only gain information that you are seeking, you will show that you really understand their business, what it takes to be successful, and how you can add value to that company.
Use the STAR method when responding to interview questions. This involves explaining the context of a situation (S), the task (T) that was required of you, the activity (A) you engaged in to solve the problem or improve the situation, and the result (R) of your actions. This method allows you to clearly illustrate your abilities and quantify your successes. It’s evidence of what you actually did that made a positive impact, rather than what you hypothetically would or could do. Why is this important? It shows a potential employer how you think, act, and can be an asset to an organization.
Candidates have wowed me by showing they have great energy, illustrating their understanding of elements critical to our business, and clearly explaining how they have made a positive impact in the past that can translate to success in a role with our organization. How can you use this information to wow your next interviewer?
