4 ways to go beyond the typical interview
When you think of what a typical interview looks like, what you do imagine?
There is a specific stereotype that we have of the ‘interview’. In movies we see how the interview is presented as a one-sided conversation where a hiring manager is asking all the questions, waiting for a reply from the interviewee. This kind of interview experience is not uncommon because of the unsaid expectations that exist for a conversation labeled an ‘interview’.
In the modern world, the hiring experience has been de-personalized for reasons of efficiency and equality. The fact is, hiring is a personal interaction - even if you don’t disclose personal details, it’s a process of two human being meeting and getting to know each other for the first time. This fact is not to be discarded.
The hiring manager is a person, like you and me, with all the complexity of human experience. They have a task to do, which is create a match between a person and a specific function within the company. This task is not easy, takes plenty of time and money. Hiring, just like job searching, is an involved process.
All of this context is to say - there is a huge opportunity to connect with the hiring manager on a human level, to take up space in the conversation by asking thoughtful and unique questions.
When going through the interview process, here are four methods to go beyond the typical interview.
Get relaxed and recharged
Craft a clear career journey narrative
Call out your personal values or professional interests
Ask about the challenges and achievements of the company
Get relaxed and recharged
You remember how it feels when you are nervous and forget simple words when describing something… Now remember how it feels like when you are relaxed and excited to meet someone… the conversation flows naturally.
The conclusion is that when you feel centered and comfortable, you can engage in conversation much easier. And what is an interview, but just another conversation. When possible, do something refreshing before the interview, even if it takes a few minutes. The more comfortable you are feeling in your body and mind, the greater chance you are present and engaged during the interview.
Craft a clear career journey narrative
Stories are powerful. They can empower or disempower people. They communicate the WHY and WHAT of a situation quickly. They can be used to showcase, explain, empathize.
Early on in the interview, you will introduce yourself. How you introduce yourself and your experiences is your career journey narrative. Your introduction can be a very impactful point of connection because it communicates your intentions and interests early on in the process.
Communicating your intentions and interests early on is key in helping the hiring manager connect with you as a person and also see the intersection of the company’s hiring needs and your experiences.
Craft a career journey narrative that tells a story. Make sure it has a narrative arc, with you being the main character. This means starting with your name, what past professional experiences you’ve had, what current relevant experiences you have, ending you stating you interest in the role/company.
Make sure your narrative briefly explains any transition from earlier career/roles, if relevant, and if you want to mention any gaps in professional work, you can, but it’s not required.
Example:
Hi, I’m Anna. I worked in tech for 10 yrs now. I started out doing Project Management Work and have moved into Product Management most recently. I enjoy Product work because it lets me interact with different kinds of people across roles. A year ago I took a break to travel, so now I am restarting my job search. I’m excited to learn about the Product role at this company.
Call out your personal values or professional interests
Before you get on interviews, identify your job non-negotiables. That means, what are you not willing to comprise on. This can be a flexible work schedule, working hours, minimum salary, transparency in communication, or a wealth of other values and interests.
Create a list of those items that you really DON’T want to experience and also a list of work culture items that you DO want to experience. Then craft a few questions that help you learn where the company stands on these items.
During the interview, infuse the conversation with your questions about culture, work hours or other items of interest. You don’t have to focus the whole conversation on these questions, but as relevant topics come up, ask your questions.
Examples topics include: Work/Life Balance, Team structure, Vacation policy, Maternity leave, Mentorship
A lot of time it’s easier to ask about WHAT kind of work is expected, instead of HOW the work is done.
Having a list of questions related to HOW the work is done will empower you to call out your personal values and professional interests in the conversation. This process ensures you get a chance to learn a bit about company culture before you join the company and learn that they don’t align with what’s most important for you.
Through these questions, you are showing the hiring manager that you gave thought to how you prefer to work, which furthers helps to create a human connection.
Ask about the challenges and achievements of the company
Finally, show your interest in understanding the business/company by asking about what gaps that company is hiring for, where they are growing, what challenges they are encountering, etc. You can also ask about the recent achievements, to learn about what the hiring manager is proud of and cares enough to mention as an achievement.
You can get a sense of what the company does through their website and then ask followup questions during the interview to learn what the company does. Once you have this background, you can connect the dots around what the company values, what they are working on and what challenges they face within the business.
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