You’ve secured the interview, now how can you be the most electable candidate? To nail the interview, there are a few steps to follow before sitting down with the hiring manager. Make sure that your resume states any previous professional roles and responsibilities, utilize your recruiter to best prepare you, assemble questions to ask during the interview (proving your interest and knowledge of the company), and dress the part.
Update your resume
Organize and update your resume to list your previous professional roles and your responsibilities or completed tasks in those roles. Questions to ask yourself:
- What were the tasks I was responsible for accomplishing?
- Who was I in charge of leading?
- What were the sizes of the initiatives?
- What was my impact on the company?
- Did I meet deadlines, and are there any statistics I can share?
List previous roles in chronological order. Also, add in any relevant achievements or involvement for a well-rounded resume.
Working with your recruiter
When working with a recruiter, ask the recruiter for all details about the hiring manager(s) that will be involved in the interview. Find out why the role is open and top priorities of the role. If possible, ask your recruiter if you can speak with current employees to get a feel for the company culture, attitude, work-load, and more. Remember, you’re also evaluating the company to make sure it’s a good mutual fit.
Research the company and prepare questions to ask and answer
Have you done your homework? Make sure you’ve researched the organization extensively and know details such as the scale of the company, their competitive advantage in the market, competitors, any recent media coverage, overall role in providing services or products, and anything else relevant to their business. You will also be asked questions regarding your professional experience, how you would deal with specific scenarios, your strengths and weaknesses, and more. Make sure every question you answer relates back to how you can help their company’s continued success. Make your answers applicable to the role.
Dress the part and come prepared
Dress for the role you want. If you are unsure of what attire is acceptable for your interview, it’s OK to call the company’s receptionist and verify with him or her. It’s always safe to over-dress than to under-dress if you are still unsure on attire. Have a copy of your resume to give to the hiring manager and bring a nice notebook and pen to take notes. It is also a good idea to have your questions written-out in your notebook so that you can refer to them when need be. A hiring manager will appreciate your readiness and professionalism in your organization.
I’d say good luck, but with proper preparation, you won’t need any luck from me!
Brad Rowley, Senior Director, Partner Vaco Cincinnati
About Brad
Brad serves as a Senior Recruiter and Manager of Vaco Cincinnati’s IT practice, working to help consultants advance their careers. Outside of Vaco, his other roles include being an uncle to adorable twins and a fiancé. He enjoys doing anything outdoors or athletic including, rock climbing, hiking and whitewater rafting.
