Hi! I’m Joy M. Hutton, Grow with Google Digital Coach.
Today we’re going to talk about how to show up to your next interview with confidence,
how to prepare for common interview styles and questions,
and ultimately how to convey to the employer why YOU are the right candidate for the role.
Before your interview starts, think about two or three things you want your interviewers to know by the end of the interview.
If you’re doing a virtual interview, you can have those things written on a sticky note on your computer.
Just make sure that you don’t look at it too frequently during the interview. Here are a few examples:
“I’m results-driven, I thrive in fast-paced environments, and I doubled sales for my team last year.”
Or, another example: “I’m collaborative, I make insights-based decisions, I have successfully managed multiple projects.”
Keeping in mind the key messages you want to convey will help you stay focused during the interview.
There are two common styles of interview questions that you should be prepared for: “behavioral” and “situational”.
“Behavioral” is when an interviewer asks you how you handled a situation in the past from your work history or experience.
For example, “Tell me about a time when…”
When asked a behavioral question, be prepared to discuss the situation, the tasks you were responsible for, the actions you took, and the results that you achieved.
Make sure to emphasize and make clear what tasks you were directly responsible for.
Additionally, make sure that you talk about your results with as much data and detail as possible.
Instead of saying, “I increased sales”, it would be better to say “I increased sales by 20% this year by reaching and converting new leads.”
“Situational” is when an interviewer asks you about a hypothetical situation in the future.
For example: “If you are a new lead on a project, how would you get yourself and your new team set up for success?”.
It’s important to answer this question with specific examples of actions you would take.
For example: “I would first want to determine what our key objectives are and how we’re measuring success.
I would then clarify our resources, determine roles & responsibilities, and then set important milestones to reach our goal.”
It can also be useful to again think about examples from your past where you encountered similar situations.
Make sure to show your potential employer how the two situations are related,
and how what you learned from your previous situation gives you better insight and experience for this hypothetical situation.
When giving your answers and highlighting your experience and skill set, remember to be direct, succinct, and clear.
Being conversational is ok during an interview, however, you don’t want to get caught up monologuing to your interviewer.
Practicing potential questions out loud can help you stay on track and catch yourself when you may be going on a tangent.
Most interviewers have a set of questions that they want to get through within your allotted interview time.
Finally, even if you’re nervous, speak slowly and clearly.
Anxiety can cause some people to speak faster, which can make it harder to hear or understand what you’re trying to convey.
Again, remind yourself to breathe and answer thoughtfully at a slow, clear pace.
Communication goes beyond just what you say. Your non-verbal communication is important as well.
Your posture, physical gestures, and facial expressions are all part of your non verbal communication with the person who is interviewing you.
This doesn’t mean that you need be uptight and worried about making the wrong move or gesture.
But it does mean that you should be mindful of making eye contact with the interviewer and should try to avoid slouching or shrinking back out of nervousness,
or maybe crossing your arms out of habit. Overall, you want to come off as calm and confident.
Most importantly, smile… when it’s the right time of course.
It’s important to establish some rapport with your interviewer. Smiling can help with that.
After your interview, send a thank you note or email to the people you spoke with. Keep it brief – under four or five sentences is good.
Emphasize how enthusiastic you are about the job.
Be specific about what you like about the position, and what you’re excited to potentially contribute to their team.
If you can, mention one specific thing you enjoyed speaking to your interviewers about.
Even if it’s something that came up in an informal chat, such as a sports team or restaurant.
Those moments of connection show you were present even during small conversations.
And don’t forget to check your note or email for spelling and grammar before sending.
Well, today we’ve learned how preparing for common interview styles and questions will help you show up to your next interview with confidence and convey to the employer why you are the right candidate for the role.
Let’s take a moment to review the key takeaways from today's video.
Keeping in mind the key messages you want to convey will help you stay focused during the interview.
When asked behavioral interview questions, be prepared to discuss the situation, the tasks you were responsible for, the actions you took, and the results that you achieved.
When asked situational interview questions, it's important to answer with specific examples of actions you would take,
as well as examples from your past where you encountered similar situations.
Remember to be direct, succinct, and clear when answering questions.
Posture, physical gestures, and facial expressions are all part of your non-verbal communication, which can help convey a sense of calm and confidence.
After your interview, send a brief thank you note or email that emphasizes a moment of connection you had during the interview.
Alright, that’s it! To continue growing your skills and career, be sure to tune in to our other videos and subscribe to our channel!
You can also access free resources, virtual workshops, Google Career Certificates, and more at our Grow with Google website.
See you next time!