Go for the Gold at Your Next Job Interview

The Olympians competing in Sochi right now are, no doubt, going for the gold. But, hey, bringing home a silver, or even a bronze, medal would be an awesome accomplishment, too. When it comes to the competitive sport of interviewing for a job, however, first place is all that matters.

So, how do you get the gold – in the form of a great job offer – at your next job interview?

We talked to some of our recruiter/career mentors to get some of their top tips for job interviews. Here’s what they had to share:

1. Acquire Deep Knowledge

“It sounds obvious, but come to your job interview prepared!” says Executive Recruiter Jennifer Long. “Have a deep knowledge of the company. Spend time reading through the company website. Find the company on LinkedIn. Check out the latest press releases, new product launches, blogs and industry-related articles.”

Know what the company is trying to accomplish and what direction its heading, Executive Recruiter Luke Shea adds.

“Be ready to articulate how your goals align with theirs,” he says.

Better yet, demonstrate your belief in, and enthusiasm for, the company’s product or service by being able to convincingly pitch it during the interview.

2. Be Authentic

“Be yourself,” Shea says.

Employers are putting more and more importance on personality and cultural fit. And you should care about it, too. Poor cultural fit can result in miserable workdays and stunted career growth, and can ultimately lead to you either quitting the job after a short time or being fired.

“Personality is a key ingredient to maintaining the team dynamic,” says CyberCoders product manager Jesse Pelayo, who often interviews candidates.

“Personality traits can influence and affect the team dynamic and be detrimental if the candidate’s qualities are discordant with the team’s needs and goals,” he says. “To me, a team which can organically come together quickly to solve problems efficiently is crucial.”

3. Look for Opportunities to Connect

“I always tell my candidates before they go on the interview is to research the person they are interviewing as thoroughly as possible,” Executive Recruiter Brenda Rivera says.  “If you can find a connection between the interviewer and you, you become more memorable.”

LinkedIn is a great source of information, Long adds.

“Look up the people you will be interviewing with,” she says. “This is a great way to connect with them -- ask questions about the school they went to, the photo they have as their profile picture, the hobbies they listed, et cetera. Find shared interests and don’t be afraid to connect!”

4. Ask Good Questions

In addition to being ready to answer questions at your job interview, be prepared to ask some as well, Long advises.

Asking smart questions – about the company’s direction and challenges, about the position you’re interviewing for, about the company’s culture -- can demonstrate that you’re knowledgeable and engaged, and that you’re interesting in finding a good fit. It also keeps the conversation rolling and gives you the opportunity to provide more details about yourself.

“Generally, save these questions until the end,” Long says. “Remember, you are the interviewee -- let the interviewer guide the process. Once they open the floor for your questions, fire away. However, it’s best to leave the salary questions for your recruiter or a subsequent round of interviews.”

5. Follow Up

“Send a thank you note to each person who interviewed you thanking them for their time and expressing your positive thoughts about the position and the company,” Shea says.

Get contact info from your interviewers at the end of the interview. Or, ask your recruiter for your interviewers’ email addresses.

Executive Recruiter Curt Weigel suggests including in your thank you note two things you like about the position and two things you’ll bring to the role.