I was never taught how to interview and from my experience in speaking with friends, family, and clients, no one taught them either.

Interviewing is a skill. Developing this skill requires personal reflection, research and of course practice (rehearsing). This is what the Own The Interview preparation method is based on. 

“Honing the skill of interviewing will bring a sense of confidence and ease when you walk into your meeting.”

I know that interviewing comes quite naturally for some. And for others, they overthink every question asked and question our every response. Did the interviewer mean this or this? Did I say the right thing and answer the interviewer’s question? It can leave candidates with the feeling, am I doing this right? And maybe even start thinking, I’m just not good at interviewing…

I’m here to tell you that you have everything it takes to interview powerfully, Every. Single. Time. Owning your interview 😉 starts with having the philosophy that there are no rules in interviewing. Let me explain. 

When it comes to interviews, there seem to be some unwritten rules like not trash talking your current or previous employer, showing up on time and having thoughtful questions to ask at the end of the interview.

With that being said, I like to consider the above ‘best practices’ versus ‘unwritten rules’ and I want to call out and underscore that there are no rules to interviewing.

In past webinars I’ve hosted and conversations I’ve had with clients, questions beginning with ‘am I allowed to…’ are all too frequent.

Am I allowed to:

• Ask the interviewer to repeat the question?
• Ask the interviewer to clarify the question?
• Write down the question?
• Use an example from 5 years ago?
• Email or follow-up with the interviewer?
• Ask about benefits and salary in the initial interview?

Remember, there are no rules to interviewing and you can navigate the interview how you best see fit. 

If you need a question repeated, ask. If you need a moment to think about a clear response, take it. If writing the question down supports you in answering it more strongly, do it.

Here are three additional considerations to support you in owning your interview:

✨ If you find yourself in the middle of your interview and you haven’t been asked about your skills, experience, and ability, adjust the conversation by saying, ‘I’d like to share with you why I’m the best candidate for the position’.

✨ Similarly to the above, if you make it to the end of your interview and realize you haven’t shared an important skill set or experience that would be beneficial to the role, when it comes time for you to ask questions, start with ‘before I ask you my questions, I realize I didn’t share with you about my experience in _____ and think it would be valuable to know when making your final hiring decision’. Share the information and then move into the question period. 

✨ If you leave your interview and realize you could have been clearer about an example you shared, don’t hesitate to add a little note reiterating what you meant in your follow-up thank you email. ⬅️ free thank you email template via link in bio.

If you take one thing away from this post, I hope it’s that you know you can influence and steer your interview to support you in confidentiality sharing why to hire you.

If you’re looking for additional career tips or interview prep resources, check out my other blog articles.

And if you’ve decided, I’m ready to make a career move and you’re beginning to look for another job, here are two additional resources that will support you along the way. Find both via the link in my profile. 

✨ The Resume Refresh Challenge *free

✨ The Own The Interview Signature Course *$247 CDN