Words Matter When Interviewing

​Words Matter throughout the interview process. Before your interview, prep for the questions the employer may ask. During the interview, focus on the job not the offer, balance "I" and "We," and avoid "I don't know." After the interview, send the thank you note.

Before

Prep for Questions
1. Analyze job description for strengths and behaviors and craft stories of your accomplishments to demonstrate your strengths and how you've used them. This will help you anticipate questions I prospective employer will ask about their most important high-performer" attributes.. (See reference below for "The Best Interview Questions We've Ever Published " by First Round Review)

2. Your STAR stories should include situation, task, actions, and results to best demonstrate your strengths.

During

Focus On The Job
The Ask The Headhunter Column, "How to ask for feedback in job interviews" recommends focuses on the job instead of the offer. (See reference below for article) To show your ability to understand the job and perform well:

• Re-state job objectives clearly
• Ask questions to clarify objectives
• Ask about the tools available to meet objectives
• Describe how you would use your strengths to meet objectives

Balance "I" and "We" - Used in a balanced way, you can convey Independence, accountability, and responsibility. But, use "I" too much and you appear arrogant. Using "we" in a balanced way conveys that you are in team player and that you understand the big picture. Using "we" too much is vague and doesn't indicate your contributions.

Avoid "I Don't Know" - There is always a portion of the job description that you do not know or have much experience in. When asked, avoid answering, "I don't know," and not sharing anything else. You can be honest about your knowledge or experience level, but talk about:

• when you've used or done something similar
• when you've learned about something similar
• the strengths and aptitudes you have that fill in any gaps.

After

Don't forget the "Thank you" note. A quick message after the Interview shows how you will interact with clients and colleagues. Personalize your note for each person and summarize key points.

For more tips on interviewing, check out the Interviewing Resource page and Interviewing blog posts.

#Interviewing #Career #TuesdayThoughts

References:
"The Best Interview Questions We've Ever Published " by First Round Review (accessed 15 Jan 2019)
"Ask The Headhunter Column: How to ask for feedback in job interviews" by Nick Corcodilos on 8 Jan 2019  (accessed 15 Jan 2019)