Interview Prep - “Know thyself” pt. 1
All of us are much more confident when we know what we’re talking about. Seems simple, right? Well, we all know it’s not that simple. We should know ourselves better than anyone else, but we often times struggle the most with questions that require an answer specific to ourself and that can’t be found on Google.
I have done much of my work with sales professionals and it’s a running joke that sales reps can be so amazing at positioning a product but they struggle with positioning themselves. “Know Thyself” was carved into stone at the entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi in Greece. Being a geek for philosophy, this is a topic I enjoy discussing at great length with individuals who are seeking to grow professionally and/or personally. In today’s society, we are much happier to sling mud at opponents far, far way in the social media landscape or to bad mouth a co-worker than we are to take time every day to have some self-reflection. Do more of this, and start doing this now so that you are ready when it comes time for a change. Start a journal and take time at the beginning and end of every week to track your career. Keep an active resume and add to it and necessary. Take small steps to track your career so when the interview does come, you don’t have to try and remember what you’ve accomplished over the last several years.
Once the interview is scheduled, go back to the job description and read it through. Research the company, what stands out? Think through questions such as “why am I interested in this job,” “why am I interested in the company,” “why do I want to make a move,” “what motivates me,” “what gets me up in the morning,” “how do I define success,” “how will it advance my career,” and “what do I hope is different about this job.” The idea here is that you need to think through questions that don’t have an objective answer. Is snow hot or cold has an answer that is the same for everyone.
These are questions that feel like they don’t really have a wrong answer, it’s just your personal opinion. However, there are wrong answers and it typically has to do with not taking the time contemplate what answer you will provide and ignoring that these questions do mean a lot to hiring managers. Put yourself in their shoes. If you want to add someone to your team and you’re wondering if they are really buying in for the long-term or just hopping, how does it sound if you don’t have a solid answer to, “why are you interested in this job?” Often times, applying for jobs can be due to a disdain for our current job. This means you just want a change of scenery, but employers want to hear from folks that genuinely want to obtain the role. You’re not going to know what questions are asked so going through practice questions is important. Take the time to know thyself. Having someone to do this with can be very beneficial as you can adjust answers and explore them in more depth a Career Coach.
