Today I’m doing Part 1 of a two-part series dealing with job interviews.

 

Something we all have to deal with at some point in our careers

 

And,

 

I’m going to be explaining the four steps you can take to prepare yourself well for the interview.

 

Hello and a very warm welcome to Episode No 42 of ‘Your Bravo Career’

 

My name is Mark Crossfield, I’m a Professional Career Coach / helping you to love your job and build a great career.  

 

How you can enjoy what you are doing day each day at work

and how to build a great career along the way.

So, as we know, job interviews can be a stressful experience. You’re under the spotlight and it can feel like the interviewers hold all the cards when it comes to controlling the interview outcome. 

 

First, I've noticed that most people focus on the few aspects of the interview that they can't control. But, for the most part, the only thing you can’t control is what questions you’re asked. That’s it. Pretty much everything else is within your control. You see, you can control your preparation, mindset, how you deal with your nervousness, your response to those questions and your actual performance. That’s quite a lot of control you have.

 

Following my years of experience on both sides of an interview and as a career coach, here are the four steps you can take to prepare yourself for a job interview.

 

Step 1

1.    Get into the right mindset

So, what is your mindset?

 

Well, your mindset is just a collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape your attitudes and how you typically think about things.

 

And how you typically think about things affects how you feel, and what action you do or don’t take. It impacts how you make sense of the world.

 

So, as you can see,

 

Your mindset is a big deal.

 

And, when it comes to your interview mindset it’s important to avoid adopting a destructive mindset. For example, it’s easy to slip into the mindset that the interview is an examination or even an interrogation. Worse still, some people see an interview as an evaluation of themselves as a person. These mindsets are unhelpful and of course, inaccurate.

 

Instead, remember that interviews are just conversations with some people about what you have done in your career, what you have learned and how well matched you might be for the job they are advertising. 

 

Also, remember that the interviewers want you to relax, do your best and have a conversation with them. In fact, it can be helpful to think of the interviewers as your future colleagues. This helps you to enter the room with the right of confidence and professionalism. 

 

So, that’s a mindset to avoid, but what mindset should we adopt?

I suggest that you …

 

A growth mindset will support both your interview preparation and performance. A growth mindset focuses more on learning what you can do to improve rather than focusing on what’s not right. By doing this you will focus your energy on progress instead of preserving your ego. 

 

Much of our understanding of Growth Mindsets (as opposed to Fixed Mindsets) comes from Carol Dweck, and her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Dweck showed how changing to a Growth Mindset can have a profound impact on nearly every aspect of your life.

 

There is a very helpful YouTube summary of the Growth Mindset which I recommend that you watch. It’s animated and very easy to understand. Highly recommended. I have put a link in the shown notes.

 

 

So, what does this mean for your interview preparation? Well, during your preparation, spend time learning how to improve your performance at your interview. Think of it as a learning exercise. Also, seek out critical feedback so you can improve after each interview. People with growth mindsets focus on the process, rather than the outcomes.

 

A practical tip here is to keep a record of your preparation, the questions you were asked and how you dealt with those questions. It’s very easy to neglect to do this and believe me, you will soon forget this vital information making it harder to improve at your next interview.

 

So, in summary for this first section.

 

Remember, when it comes to your mindset believing in yourself is crucial and treating the interview as a learning exercise helps take the pressure off yourself and puts you in control.

And that is to …

 

2.    Do your research 

The research stage is when you find out as much as you can about the job, the company, the interviewers and even the industry. We will look at each one in turn but before we do I urge you to look at some advanced google search tips. You will likely be using google in your research and getting the best out of the search engine will be important. I have put a link in the show notes to some special google search tips you can use.

 

Ok, so, first and foremost, you should know what the job and person requirements are for the role. This information is usually easy to find and will form the backbone of your preparation. 

 

Most interview questions will be based on the job and person specification. This information, therefore, enables you to position yourself as the best candidate for the position.

 

You can also find out information on company websites to get an idea of the type of work you will be doing and what type of employees they are looking for. In addition, see if you can reach out to current employees who work at the company and ask about the company and their values.

 

You can also learn more about the company culture by following the company on its social media networks. LinkedIn is a good place to start.

 

Also, think about the key players of the organisation.

 

These are the employees who hold important positions in the company. They can be managers, department directors, and especially the company's CEO.

 

You can find out who the key players of the organisation are by reading the employer’s “About” page or by doing a google search on the company. 

 

It’s also a good idea to check out what these individuals are saying on Twitter and LinkedIn to learn what employees say about the company online.

 

Also, it makes sense that you find out who will be interviewing you. This will give you a better chance of understanding and hopefully connecting with them. See if you can locate the person’s name from the interview correspondence you have been sent. If you can’t find the names of the interviewers, politely ask the person who you have been communicating with.

 

Once you have this information, do some research on LinkedIn and Twitter. This will help you understand the interviewer’s background, their position and, if you are lucky, some common interests you both share.

 

When you go into a job interview, it’s good to know the company’s latest news and updates. Most companies have a news page on their website you can look at and remember to search for news on google remembering those advanced tips I referenced earlier.

 

It’s useful to know the type of work you’d be doing if you start working for the company. Doing research on the company’s clients, types of products and services will give you a wider understanding of the company and help you to better prepare for the interview. You can usually find this type of information in company blogs, case studies and reports. Again, google is your friend.

 

 

Do a bit of research on what people are saying about the company. Websites such as Glassdoor can help you find hidden information about the company that’s difficult to find otherwise. You can find things like salary details, employee reviews, interview experiences and more.

 

 

So, let’s now move confidently onto the third step, step No 3.

And this important step is to …

  

3.    Practice

Taking the time to practice before a job interview will help you feel comfortable during the job interview, improve your interview skills, and increase your chances of success.

 

Rehearsal is one of the best ways to practice and you can do this solo or with a family member or friend. A mock interview with a professional is another way to learn and practice interviewing skills. 

 

So, what can you practice? Well, first of all you can Practice Answering Interview Questions  

 

One of the simplest ways to practice is to create a list of expected interview questions and answer each question aloud. The more you practice, the more you will be prepared to deal with the question if it comes up. Remember, it's important to practice out loud to get used to hearing your answers, and so you get more comfortable speaking.

 

By the way, if you think this is in any way ‘silly’, or a bit daft, think about how silly you might feel if you can’t answer the question as well as you would have liked. Preparation and rehearsal is essential.

 

Another option is to use flashcards. On one side of the flashcard pose a likely question. On the reverse bullet point, your ideal response. By shuffling the flashcards, you will become comfortable answering questions in any order. If you struggle to answer a question, refer to the ideal response and go ahead and speak out loud your intended response.

 

By the way, here is a super useful tip for you. Just before the interview you never want to be doing any deep and heavy preparation of course. This is where quick reference to your flashcards can be really helpful to keep these important responses front of mind.

 

Because most people now have a smartphone another useful tip is to Record Yourself Practicing  

 

If you can, record your answers to these questions and play them back to yourself. Look at your body language, your posture and eye contact. Make notes about how you could improve your response for next time. 

 

OK, that’s the third point, practice

 

-       Practice answering questions

-       Use flashcards

-       Speak your responses out loud, and if you can

-       Record your response and watch back your responses

 

Ok, that takes us on to the 4th and final step and that is to …

 

4.    Take care of the practical issues 

 

When it comes to the practical issues, you are in complete control of the situation. 

Nobody else is in control but you.

 

So, here are some valuable things to consider before your interview.

 

If your interview online via video, choose an appropriate interview 'space' where you won't be disturbed, with good internet connectivity. You will also want to ensure you have good lighting and audio and ideally have a relatively plain background.

 

Also, position your eyeline about two thirds from the bottom of the screen, not in the middle like most people do. It looks much more professional.

 

Now, when it comes to practical issues now is a good time to think of some questions you would like to ask the interviewer

 

Asking thoughtful questions during and particularly at the end of the interview can make a great impression. Therefore, prepare several questions to ask. Your questions should show that you've already researched the job and company, but you're looking to have a more thorough understanding of the position. Here are some questions you might ask:

 

- What's a typical day like for a person in this position?

- What's your favourite thing about working for this company?

- I've enjoyed learning about this role. What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

 

This is a good question to ask because you want to know when you will be contacted one way or another about the interview. So, you’re not fretting for days wondering what’s going on.

 

I also suggest that you print out copies of your CV

 

The interviewer will have your CV already, of course, but bringing a hard copy shows that you are prepared. Bring at least three copies for multiple interviewers, plus one for yourself. 

 

Not is also a good time to Prepare travel arrangements

 

Having your travel planned out will ensure you arrive on time feeling confident. Remember to leave early for your interview plan your parking if you are driving and plan out your route door to door. Pro Tip: Create an inspirational/motivational playlist to listen to on your journey. One that will get you feeling good about life and confident in yourself. Spotify has plenty of options if you are struggling to choose.

 

I also recommend that you Draft a follow-up message ahead of time

 

A few days after the interview send a follow up message to your interviewer. This reminds the interviewer that you are still interested in the position and can be a nice way to keep you in the frame for the role.

 

Now, I’m not a fashion expert but when it comes to your preparation, deciding what to wear in advance is essential.

 

Get this sorted in advance and this this will let you focus on the essential things on the day of the interview. If you can, go for a combination of comfort and smartness.

 

OK, that’s the fourth and final point, take care of the practical issues:

 

-       For virtual interviews, get your interview space set up right

-       Think of some questions you want to ask the interviewer

-       Print out copies of your CV

-       Prepare your travel arrangements

-       Draft a follow up message ahead of time, and

-       Decide what to wear in advance

 

 

I hope I've shown you that you're in control of most of the interview process. You have control over your Mindset, Research, Preparation, and all of the Practical Issues. That's quite a lot of control you have. 

 

It just remains for me to wish you the best of luck in your interview, although, as we know …

 

Luck favours the prepared!

 

So, that’s it! We’ve come to the end of another episode and this 2 part series.

 

I hope you enjoyed what you have heard over the last couple of episodes.

 

As usual, you can email me at mark@bravocoaching.co.uk and you can find the show notes at bravocoaching.co.uk/podcast.

 

Please subscribe, so you don’t miss an episode, and if you get the chance let me know how your interview goes

 

And, of course, let me know if you need any further support from me.

 

I’ve helped a lot of people prepare for their interviews and I have a very high success record. So, a worthwhile investment.

  

Have a wonderful week and I will speak to you again in a couple of weeks time.