Nailing the interview! Part 1: Girl Boss Series

The job market can be a difficult beast to manage when you're on the hunt for your next position. With college graduates, parents returning to work, and people simply working longer, landing an interview can be one of the most difficult things to do. Many of us have experienced tirelessly looking over job boards to find our next break, and we are all too familiar with the job of simply looking for a job. So this week I wanted to give some tips on how to land your interview and get the job. 

1. Use your resources - The best way to get an interview is to know someone already working in the company. This will take a little research on your part, but it is well worth it. LinkedIn has a very useful tool under any job postings on their website letting you see if any of your friends work there. It's a great way to get the inside scoop and to have someone in your corner when trying to get a position. If you do have someone that works at a place you'd like to be employed, send them a friendly message letting them know your interest. As the old saying goes, a close mouth don't get fed. So being bold and knowing what you want is a key to getting the job you want.

2. Cater your resume to the position - When I worked in HR I would always tell men and women I met to cater their resume to the position. It's nothing worse than getting a job application and the applicant has zero background in the position. Many HR professionals weed out applicants without key words on their resume by using different online tools. I've even heard some HR professionals not even look at a resume if the formatting isn't in pdf. Also, to be even more efficient add your LinkedIn profile to the bottom of your resume as a hyperlink. Many HR professionals will use this to quickly pull up your LinkedIn page to get a better feel for who you are. So, it's time to sharpen your tools. Review the requirements and duties for the position and tweak your resume to fit them. Not lying, but making sure that you are highlighting your previous experience to align with the position is an important thing to do. So, review your resume and make sure it's up to date, formatted correctly, and has a clearly indicates responsibilities that reflect the job description. 

3. Hold a Mock Interview - The best way to prepare for your interview is to hold a mock interview with someone else. Scour the internet for prep questions for your mock interview so that you are fully prepared. To take it a step further dress up how you will for your interview and take it very seriously. Do your best to answer your questions exactly how you would on your real interview. In doing this you will be prepared for your interview, and have an idea what answers you might need to work on before your interview.

4. Dress the part & arrive early - It's a known fact that people are visual and judge on appearance as a part of the interview process. Make sure to look very professional and put together for your interview. Ladies, be certain to have blouses that cover your goodies and make you look like a girl boss and not the office show girl. Be sure to have your suite pressed and cleaned and ready to go for your interview. Fellas, be certain that you look professional, shirt tucked in, pants up, and hair neat. Also, arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled interview. During this time you can review your resume, go over your talking points, and work on your elevator sales pitch. This time can also give you a little time to relax, take some breaths, and give you time to fully calm down before your interview.

5. Be confident and make eye contact - So you're in the actual interview. Of course you're nervous, who wouldn't be, but don't let that defeat you. You are prepared for this interview so answer the questions with honesty, confidence, and poise. Look your interviewer(s) in the eyes when speaking to them. Be engaging, charismatic, and comfortable in every answer you give. If you get stumped on a question simply take your time to answer. Don't rush yourself in the interview. It is smart to take your time. Also, it is helpful to have a list of questions for your interviewer that you can ask to get a better feel for the position. Questions I always think are great are: "How would you describe this companies leadership style?", "How might someone of my background excel in your company?", "What do your best employees have in common?". Etc. 

6. Send thank you note - One of the most important parts of the interview isn't what happens in the actual interview, but after. I remember a time that I interviewed a gentlemen who was fantastic. To top off such a great interview he went to his car and typed up a personal e-mail to me and sent it before he left the parking lot! I was blown away not only by his interview, but the personal touch he left after leaving. Of course then he was hired!

I hope that you were able to gather some much needed girl boss tips from this blog post. Do you have any insight to getting the interview? Leave some comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Until next time! Thanks for reading!

-Patrice