Research The Company And The Role

It’s crucial that you learn about the company and the position you’re going after BEFORE your interview. Here are some guidelines on what information to look for:

  • Company Website & Mission Statement: Start by exploring the company’s website and mission statement to understand their values and culture. Many companies conduct values based and behavioral interviews that require an understanding of their values.
  • LinkedIn Research: Identify key personnel such as managers or team leaders, as well as colleagues you would be working with. Look through their posts. What do they share? What do they talk about? What are their professional backgrounds?
  • Social Media & Review Platforms: Scour social media platforms and company review websites for employee testimonials and feedback. Glassdoor is helpful.
  • Recent News, Initiatives & Achievements: Are they on the news? Look for any recent initiatives, awards, or achievements the company has obtained.
  • Follow Industry Trends: Checkout Google news or Google trends about this industry.

3 Rules Of An Interview

The interview is not about you. It may look that way. But the reality is, the interview is about them. You need to understand and internalize this fact. The following 3 rules help with that:

  1. Arrive on time to show respect for the interviewer’s schedule.
  2. Dress professionally to make a positive first impression.
  3. Be prepared. This doesn’t just mean to discuss your skills, experiences, and qualifications. This also means prepared to talk about the company, their values, goals and mission.

Type Of Interview

Here’s a list of the common types of interviews:

  • Phone interviews, where the entire interview happens over the phone. This may be long or short.
  • Video interviews, work same as phone interviews but via webcam.
  • Panel interviews have a number of people interviewing you.
  • Behavioral interviews dig into your values and past history with specific question formulations (i.e. “tell us about a time when you had a tough deadline”, etc.).
  • Case interviews give you a business scenario or problem, and ask you to analyze it, develop a solution, and present your findings.
  • Technical interviews require you to take tests or engineer specific solutions to technical challenges.
  • Group interviews have multiple people competing for the same job.

Keep in mind, some of these types can be combined. You may get a group panel interview where a bunch of people ask a bunch of you questions in the same room. Or a video technical interview where you take an oral test over a video call.

It’s CRUCIAL that you ask the type of interview you’re getting before you start.

How To Introduce Yourself In An Interview

Begin with a firm handshake and genuine smile. State your name clearly and confidently. Provide a concise overview of your professional background and why you are there. And make sure you express enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Your intro might look something like:

“Good morning, Mr. Johnson. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to interview for the position of Fly Air Pilot. I am excited to be here. I’ve been flying for the past 9 years with a perfect record of safety. I look forward to our conversation and the opportunity.”

Say In A 3 Minute Interview

Use the time you have to provide a concise summary of your qualifications, experiences, and interest in the position. Highlight your key achievements and skills relevant to the job.

It’s important to note that humans don’t remember much, if you try to give them too much information in a short span of time. Therefore, we recommend you pick 3 things you want your interviewer to remember, and say it during the 3 minutes you have.

30 Minute Interview

A 30-minute interview is usually sufficient to assess a candidate’s qualifications and fit for the role, as a first screening. Depending on the position and hiring process it may even be the only interview you get.

To be successful in a 30 minute interview, it’s essential to make a positive impression and effectively communicate your qualifications. Learn the Language of Value, which is designed to accomplish just that.

The First Question Usually Asked At An Interview

The first question people usually ask in an interview is some variant of “tell me about yourself”. This question is technically an ice-breaker, and is intended to develop some comfort between the applicant and the interviewer. It’s just like talking about the weather.

Of course, while building rapport, you can need to talk about your background, experiences, or interest in the position. How you answer the first question sets the tone for the interview.

Tell Me Little About Yourself

Here are the 3 steps to answering “tell me a little about yourself”:

  1. Give a brief overview of your professional background (your last/current title, previous titles, or relevant qualifications).
  2. Highlight relevant skills and accomplishments that relate to the job.
  3. Articulate why you are interviewing (i.e. “I’m here to talk about the Flight School Instructor position”)

Why Should I Hire You?

  • Highlight your qualifications, experiences, and skills that relate to the job.
  • Give specific examples of past work, providing proof for your claims.
  • Don’t make promises.

What Are Your 5 Strengths?

Look through the job description. Identify qualities you possess that relate to the job description as your strenghts.

Is it a job that requires working at all hours of the day? Maybe “commitment” is a strength.

Will you need to network and reach out to people? Perhaps you’re a “friendly” person or a “good listener”.

Of course, these need to be genuine strengths otherwise you’ll fail in the job. It’s important to be authentic.

What Are Your 5 Weaknesses?

You can pick any weakness you want as long as it is professional and not offensive or discriminatory.

What’s CRUCIAL is that, for the weaknesses you talk about, you should have examples of how you’ve taken steps to address them. Don’t get caught in a situation where you end up saying something like “I’m bad at keeping organized”, and when they ask you how you’ve remedied it, responding “I never thought about it that way.”

Why Do You Want This Job?

Be honest. Be straight forward. Pick from the following list:

  • Genuine interest in the role
  • Specific projects
  • Alignment with company’s values or mission
  • Specific aspects of the job
  • Specific aspects of company culture
  • Career progression
  • Geographic location

What Are Your Main Goals?

Be honest. Be succinct and specific. Share both short-term and long-term career goals.

Ideally, you want to align your goals with the position and company’s culture and objectives. If you can show how achieving these goals will benefit both you and the organization, it’s win-win.

When Can You Start?

This can be a trick question. You need to provide a specific time-frame based on your current job and any notice period required by your current employer. Express flexibility and willingness to accommodate the employer’s timeline, but don’t shirk your responsibilities to your current employer. Running away from your responsibilities and ignoring your current commitments can be a huge red flag.

Ask Questions At The End Of An Interview

Asking thoughtful questions demonstrates your interest in the position and company. It also provides an opportunity to learn more about the role and company culture.

Again, your goal is to do your homework and be authentic. Don’t ask questions for question’s sake. Figure out what you want to learn, and write those questions down prior to your interview.

What Not To Ask In An Interview

Three basic rules:

  • Avoid asking about salary or benefits too early in the process.
  • Don’t be unprofessional, inquire about sensitive topics such as religion or politics.
  • Don’t ask questions that you can learn by visiting the company’s website or through a simple Google search.

First 30 Seconds Of An Interview So Important

You only make a first impression once. During the first 30 seconds, there are psychological and bio-chemical events taking place that frame the entire interaction and determine how you are perceived from that moment on.

During the first second, you already made a your first impression through amygdala processing, which is why your appearance and body language is crucial. During the rest of the 30 seconds, how you carry yourself, how you respond to the interviewer, the words you pick, and the way you speak all combine to build a lasting impression.

Once your impression is made, it cannot be changed. You need to get it right from the get go.

What Is Not To Be Done During An Interview

There are four taboos in interviews:

  • Don’t interrupt the interviewer while they are speaking.
  • Avoid using inappropriate language or slang.
  • Refrain from discussing personal matters unrelated to the job.
  • Don’t initiate physical contact with people. This even includes shaking hands; wait for them to extend the invitation to shake hands. (Not all people shake hands)

What Is Illegal To Ask In A Job Interview

In a job interview, questions related to sensitive and legally protected aspects such as age, race, gender, religion, marital status, or disability are not allowed. These questions are not only inappropriate, but they are also illegal under anti-discrimination laws. These questions may not be asked directly or indirectly – it’s not OK to insinuate the question and put you in a position where you’re expected to answer.

If you are asked inappropriate questions, stay calm. Remain composed and professional. It’s OK to take a moment to collect your thoughts before responding.

Sometimes, people don’t mean anything by these questions, they just don’t know how to ask good questions. If you believe the interviewer’s intent was not malicious and they were genuinely trying to understand something relevant to the job, you can address the underlying concern without directly answering the question. For instance, if asked about your age, you could say, “While I bring a wealth of experience to the table, and I intend to do it for quite a while.”

If you are not sure, you can redirecting the conversation. You can politely say something like, “I prefer to focus on my professional background that is directly related to the position. Would you like me to elaborate on my last position?”

Ultimately, know your rights. You are not obligated to answer illegal questions. You can report discriminatory behavior. You can take legal action.

5 Rules For Dressing For An Interview

Here are the top 5 rules for dressing for an interview:

  1. Professional and appropriate for the industry and company culture.
  2. Be more conservative than you normally would. Stick to neutral colors.
  3. Ensure clothing fits well and is clean and pressed.
  4. Avoid distracting jewelry or perfume.
  5. Goes without saying but… 🙄 Pay attention to grooming and personal hygiene.

(If you only knew…)

Do Wear In An Interview List

  • Pressed dress shirt or blouse
  • Dark-colored suit or dress
  • Stay away from patterns
  • Polished dress shoes
  • Simple accessories
  • Neatly groomed hair
  • Minimal cologne or perfume
  • Neutral nail polish (if applicable)
  • Ironed trousers or skirt
  • Well-fitted attire or ideally tailored clothing

Avoid Wearing In An Interview List

Unless it’s done to match the specific company culture, do not wear:

  • Casual attire
  • Loud or flashy accessories
  • Strong perfume or cologne
  • Wrinkled or ill-fitted clothing
  • Sneakers or flip-flops
  • Revealing or overly tight clothing
  • Heavy makeup or excessive jewelry
  • Strongly patterned or bright-colored clothing
  • Untidy or unkempt appearance
  • Clothing with offensive graphics or slogans
  • Pajamas (unless you’re applying for a dream job)
  • Swimsuit (unless you’re applying to be a lifeguard)
  • Clown costume (unless you’re applying for the circus)

(🙄 If you only knew…)

What Is The Best Color To Wear To An Interview

The Internet has a lot of opinions about what colors to wear to an interview. Some recommend wearing blue (trustworthy) or dark-grey/brown (dependable). Others recommend wearing red (look and feel confident). For sales specific roles, some recommend wearing light pink. (That last bit of advice is worth quite a lot of money… You’re welcomed!)

While these are not bad ideas, not every color looks good on everyone. Find a friend that is going to give you honest feedback, and do a dress rehearsal. Maybe even roleplay some interviews while you’re at it.

Remember: Preparation, Presentation, Professionalism. You got this…