Want to Ace Your Next Job Interview? This Recruiting Expert Shares Vital Tips for Success

As a practice group vice president, Ai Ling Lee leads strategic, operational and training initiatives for the North American Finance and Accounting practice of Robert Half, a global talent solutions company. As an expert in recruiting, she tells Fairygodboss that the top three qualities she looks for when interviewing a candidate for a role in her industry are resilience, empathy, and critical thinking.

When asked about her best advice for women looking to elevate their careers, she says, “I can’t stress enough the importance of proactive networking within your inner and outer circle of connections, and building new relationships through their connections.” While many may consider networking as meeting new people for the purpose of getting something from the meeting, she adds that “maintaining consistent and intentional connections with people you already know through the course of a longer period can open doors to opportunities and pathways that you never knew existed, especially when you’re not even looking for a new job.”

Moreover, she explains that, while networking, it’s important not to entrust your career to just one source. “Instead, seek guidance, support, and ideas from a diverse range of advisors and peers, including professional recruiters with whom you have a good relationship with; they can offer valuable market insights and perspectives to broaden your options,” she says.

We caught up with Ai Ling to learn how to make a career change, discover her best tips for getting through applicant tracking systems, and how to nail the interview (with her favorite interview questions). 

What tips do you have for women who are considering a career change and want to break into a new role or industry? How can they best make their application and skills stand out? 

Firstly, it's important to understand your motivations, emotions, goals, and risks involved. Career decisions are usually a combination of logical reasoning (this change makes total sense) and emotion (this feels right!). Career changes almost always involve some give/take and like all calculated risks, there are no guarantees; therefore, there must be thought and planning put into what you personally are ready to invest in terms of time, resources, and financial standing. It’s important to conduct a thorough self-assessment to ensure the change aligns with your professional goals and personal values.

When it comes to putting plans into action, outside of resume and application processes, networking and communication are going to be a big part of the process. Most people will be relying on other people who know them to advocate, recommend and, in some ways, take a risk on an unproven experience. Building a personal brand and utilizing online platforms like LinkedIn can enhance your visibility and credibility in the new industry. Make sure that you have a good case for why this makes sense not just for you and your goals but how this change can help add value to the desired employer; you will have to be able to answer the question of “How do your experiences/skill sets apply and add value to this role?” Tailor your resume and value proposition to highlight transferable skills and relevant experiences. 

Use specific examples to demonstrate how your background can bring unique value to the new role.

Other tips to consider:

• Seek advice to learn from those who can provide firsthand experience and share insights and support during the transition, especially if they’ve done the same (or hired for the role you seek). 

• Continue to learn via relevant courses, certifications, and professional network groups. 

• Volunteer or freelance to gain practical experience and build a portfolio of relevant work.

• Be confident and resilient by embracing a growth mindset, be open to all feedback and view challenges and hurdles as a learning opportunity.

• Continue to research, prepare, and be open to pivoting direction if need be.

We hear from so many women that it’s hard to get past automated application systems if they don’t have a personal connection at a company. How do you suggest women get through automated systems?

I would recommend trying to avoid automated systems and find a way to be referred, recommended, or simply apply directly to the hiring manager or key decision-maker. Another way is to leverage a specialized recruiter, such as Robert Half, who has experience with that company to see if they can represent you or give you some “inside knowledge” on the best way to apply to the position. In the case where you must apply through an automated application system, once you’ve done so, that should not stop you from networking and trying to reach out to create a warmer connection with the company, either through mutual connections, recruiters, or current employees. Reaching out to people in your network that you trust and could be an advocate for you, may help your application through some of the common hurdles faced with an automated system. Use tact and care when asking people for information or help.

Let’s talk about the interview. What are your go-to interview questions for all candidates?

• What must I know about you that isn’t obvious from your experience or resume?

• How do your technical skills help you achieve your goals?

• What are you always thinking about when it comes to past, present, and future experiences and goals?

• What have been some valuable lessons you carry with you in life?

• How do you decide what’s a priority?

• Can you describe the characteristics of your ideal leader and team?

• What have you done specifically to create desired outcomes for yourself?

What are your top pieces of advice for acing an interview?

1. Research the company, role, and the company’s leaders as thoroughly as possible to be better prepared and more confident about your knowledge and understanding of the opportunity. Having any insight into who will be conducting the interview and how the interview might be conducted will help with your preparation and approach.

2. Prepare speaking points and answers about your own experience. Refresh yourself on the details of past roles, companies, and achievements. Be prepared to provide honest, confident, and clear answers to common questions about experiences, challenges, and reasons for key decisions you’ve made (i.e. job movement). Many people underestimate the effect of nerves in an interview, and a quick refresh of your resume and writing down names/numbers and achievements may save the embarrassment of forgetting something like the name of your last manager.

3. Don’t forget to prepare answers about your technical knowledge as well as your soft skills. This will vary from industry, role, and level, but your resume is just one part of the interview experience. Many experienced employers focus their attention on behavioral and soft skills as a big part of the interview process.

4. Plan your interview day with care, caution, and contingencies. If you must travel, give yourself extra time and contingency plans if there’s traffic or unwanted surprises. If it’s a virtual interview, be smart about your internet, technology, and visual/audio quality.

5. Be the best version of yourself, but still be yourself. This applies both to external and internal versions, so dress for the best and most confident version of yourself, and remember that honesty, personal integrity and authenticity are the absolute best ways to ace an interview. Remember that it’s not about finding the perfect candidate or the perfect job, it’s about finding the best match for both.

What are your biggest tips for what NOT to do when applying or interviewing at a company?

• Interviewing is not just about good communication. For those of you who are natural conversationalists or great at social events, when it comes to interviewing, do not wing it or assume because you’re a good communicator that you don’t need to take time to prepare for an interview. Even the most casual and informal meetings can be discreet forms of formal assessment and testing.

• Any form of dishonesty, disrespect, or rudeness (on both the candidate’s or interviewer’s side) will rarely be tolerated or forgotten.

• Don’t pass on an interview if you have concerns about the role. Interviews are not just one-sided and can be a great opportunity for candidates to find out more information before making any definitive judgments. At worst, it could be a great networking opportunity for the future.

• Don’t let past rejection impact your next interview. Job seeking is hard; rejection is frustrating and very deflating at times, but don’t let that impact your confidence or your demeanor in your next interview. Candidates who come across as bitter, desperate, or defeated will have a harder time proving in the interview that they’re the best fit for the role — no matter what the role is. This is where preparation and having a support network be it a friend, mentor or recruiter who can guide and cheer you on is important! 

• Don’t forget to follow up with the people that you met or spoke to in your research after the interview, no matter the outcome. An unexpected thank you will always leave a positive and long-lasting impression.

How do you suggest candidates prepare for an interview at your company? What’s the information they must know when interviewing?

Your interview is all about identifying and convincing the hiring leaders why your experience, approach, and goals are in alignment with their needs. So much research and preparation must be done to make this case, and the case must be credible and convincing on a logical and emotional level. Understanding the company at its surface level is an absolute minimum (what they do, how long they’ve been in business, how they operate, their key personnel, what the role is and requires, etc). However, to really stand out in the interview, network and gather information from sources such as industry stakeholders, former employees, competitors, and recruiters who know the company well. This extra effort can help those candidates who go the extra mile.

As a recruiting professional, what are three things about your company that you always make sure to highlight when talking to a candidate?

At Robert Half, first and foremost, is that we know talent because of our history, experience, and our people. Secondly, I often speak about our depth and range of services to clients and candidates, no matter what scope or level of the need, if it's in our area of expertise, there’s a very strong likelihood we can help. Lastly, I like to share my personal experience of career growth and professional excellence at Robert Half to highlight real examples of when our company ‘walks the walk’ in developing and supporting its people and their careers.