​​Job interviews are part of the business world. They have become a highly leveraged practice to get to know potential employees. The job interview allows employers to identify the strengths and opportunities of the candidate and aids the hiring manager in deciding, do they want to hire them or not. Or the candidate chooses, do I actually want to work here…but that conversation is for another time.

Interviewing can be intimidating. It can feel like a sales meeting aimed at selling yourself.

And that can be tough. Especially for those that find it challenging to talk about their accomplishments and failures, recall past experiences, and improvise on the spot.

Suppose this sounds like you; keep reading because I’ve just the thing to support.

Let’s review a few job interview basics and dive into your Interview Readiness Checklist.

Here we go.

First up, let’s identify the types of interviews you may encounter.

• Panel Interview: a job interview in which an applicant answers questions from a group of people who then make the hiring decision.

• Group interview: a job interview in which multiple applicants answer the same interview questions, often consisting of one or two interviewers. 

• A one-on-one interview: a job interview in which one applicant answers questions from one interviewer. Often there will be multiple one-one interviews before a hiring decision is made. 

• A two-on-one interview: a job interview in which one applicant answers questions from two interviewers. These interviews are often comprised of two cross-functional partners, two team members that will report to you, the hiring manager and HR, or a combination of any of the noted participants. Often there will be multiple other styles of interviews before a hiring decision is made. 

• An on-the-job interview is a job interview in which one applicant performs a duty or multiple duties of the job opening before a hiring decision is made.

• A case analysis or assignment interview: Similar to the above, the analysis or assignment is often conducted independently and presented or submitted for the interviewers to access and support the final hiring decision.

Of course, these interviews can happen in person, over the phone or via video conferencing. Have a video conferencing interview coming up? Check out this helpful article on the 3 must do’s in your next video job interview.

Next up, there are various interview questions, from behavioural-based to connection questions. You must be prepared to speak about your previous experience or how you would handle hypothetical scenarios. This requires time and reflection. If you need a little support in reflection, I’ve created a career reflection workbook to help you with the ongoing review. You can download it HERE.

When it comes to questions, we can’t forget that there will likely be an opportunity for you to ask questions too in the interview. If you’re feeling stuck on what specific questions to ask, check out this article that has over 20 different questions to choose from, The Answer Is Always Yes.

Ok, so let’s face it. There is immense opportunity to reinvent job interviewing, and the truth is that it is here to stay. For now, at least. 

So what I want you to remember is that this is a meeting about you. And while you may not feel the most comfortable talking about yourself, that is the intention of the job interview. To share what makes you a desirable hire. 

Download the Interview Readiness Checklist to ensure you are ALWAYS prepared for your job interview. 

Own The Interview’s Job Preparation Method Interview Readiness Checklist

• Reflection
  • Think of notable and memorable moments throughout your career.
    • An accomplishment
    • A failure
    • A time you prioritized
    • A time you successfully led a project
    • A time you worked well with others
    • For additional brainstorming, use this workbook
  • Consider why you want the job and why you want to work there.
  • Consider how your peers or past leader would describe you.
  • Consider the 3 things you want the interviewer to know about you by the end of the conversation with you.

• Research
  • Review job posting in detail.
  • Research the company in detail; values, priorities, culture
  • Write down 2-3 questions you have for your interviewer

• Rehearse
  • Practice out loud with a friend or by yourself by reviewing and answering interview questions
  • Brainstorm and write out your answers if supportive of the type of practice you prefer. 

Other considerations

• Set up a calm environment to take the call (telephone or video conferencing) and/or research in advance where the interview is taking place and how long it will take to get there so that you’re not feeling rushed.
• Be prepared to send your application via email at the beginning of the call if they can’t find it. If in person, have physical copies of your application to share.

• Craft a thank you email that you can add to and send away after you finish your conversation. Need a little food for thought on what to include? Check out this blog article HERE
• Call a friend, family member, or your greatest cheerleader and have them sing your praises before you enter the conversation. And, remember, you’ve got this!

If you found this article useful, please click a button below and share with your community.