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Jessica Wood

Acquisition & Growth Marketing Specialist

11/04/20 at 4:10PM UTC

Career

Interview Practice!?

Good morning! I have been unemployed for quite sometime so my self esteem and energy level are low. I apply to jobs, and I get the interviews, but during the interviews I drop the ball. I don't know why I can't be more confident, even though my professional experience is great. Can someone please give me tips or resources to help me with my interview skills? I have an interview next week!!

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Natasha Sinagoga

Advanced Advertising, Leadership & Deployment

11/16/20 at 12:22AM UTC

Practice, Practice, Practice. Write down the questions that stump you and ask a friendly to help you practice them. Also, try to meditate before your interview. Keep the faith - you got this!

Susan Van Alstyne

Think Big!

11/09/20 at 5:56AM UTC

Good luck! Everyone has provided excellent advice. One thing to remember is that you are also interviewing the employer. Asking good questions is important to the interview process. There are some questions in the following article: https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-questions-to-ask-job-interview-2017-3#22-how-do-you-help-your-team-grow-professionally-22

Libby

11/07/20 at 2:08AM UTC

Interview yourself on Zoom. Record it, and watch the interview to see how you come across.

Carolyn Uzelac

Marketing Strategist with a passion for brands

11/07/20 at 12:37AM UTC

I find the question 'what are your weaknesses' a difficult one, because no one wants to look like they have any! But we all do. Here's an article that might help prepare an answer for this. https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/greatest-strengths-and-weaknesses I find it's good to rehearse the common questions, particular the intro or 'elevator pitch', in response to 'Tell me a bit about yourself / your career so far.' You need to have an answer which not only summarises how your experience fits this particular role, but reveals a bit about your personality that shows you'll be a good fit with the culture of the organisation. All the best!

Sarah Farnsworth

11/06/20 at 10:33AM UTC

All great advice offered above. Along with practicing do work on HOW you present yourself. Practicing with someone will help with that. Eye contact. Are you looking people calmly in the eye? Responding by looking at them directly? If it is a panel interview be sure you address each person directly with their answer. Where are your hands/arms? Are you fidgeting? Are you shifting around in your seat? Playing with your face, hair etc. I always wear a jacket and sit on it to keep it firmly in place and to keep my posture upright. I lean in a little by being sure I've sat down with my rear end in the back of the chair. After a question is asked, if you aren't exactly clear on what is being asked, repeat the question to be sure you understand it. Pause before answering to gather your thoughts. Finally, prepare two or three questions to ask your interviewer. It will show that you have looked at the company, the job and done some thinking on it. Good luck. Interviewing can be stressful. Be confident and enter into knowing you are the right candidate for them!!

Sarah Bartley

252

Front-end Web Developer

11/06/20 at 7:01AM UTC

Interviews are a lot like any other skill. It takes lots of practice to get better at them. Here are some tips I've learned. 1. Pay attention in interviews what questions you will be asked. Write these questions down after your interview so you can prepare and practice for them in the future. You can also find questions for the industry you are interested in by googling your industry + interview questions. Then you can use common interview questions as a guide. I recommend searching Glassdoor since some users post questions they got in interviews for certain roles on there and that can also help you prepare. 2. Put together an elevator pitch and practice it in front of a mirror. Elevator pitches are what I use when I get asked "tell me about yourself" question in interviews. 3. Ask someone you trust and will give you honest feedback to ask you some common interview questions. I definitely agree with the other posts and try this on Zoom or any video chat software to get a sense of how the interview might feel. 4. Come with questions to ask and do your research prior to the interview. I like to look at a company's website and LinkedIn. Plus I check out the LinkedIn profiles of the people I am interviewing and social media profiles. Remember interviews aren't just the hiring manager asking you questions. This is your chance to learn more about the company and see if the company is a right fit for you too. Good luck with your interview!

Barb Hansen

6.67k

Startup Product, Growth & Strategy

11/06/20 at 2:37AM UTC

I hire marketing, acquisition & growth marketing staff. I'm willing to do a dry run interview and give you some pointers. Connect with me here on FGB and we can find some time to chat (if you want)

Nicole

309

Podcaster. Speaker. Tech Leader.

11/05/20 at 11:06PM UTC

As an introvert, I had to develop my storytelling muscle. I've attended many elevator pitch workshops, but what I have found that works for me is understanding key elements of a pitch that I can leverage for introductions, interviews, networking and storytelling. I am giving a FREE webinar called "Beyond the Elevator Pitch: the Power of Storytelling" next week (and hopefully before your interview). You can register here: www.letsworkletswin.com/events I'll share how the strategy landed me a job on Wall Street, an expatriate assignment in Romania and an invite to the White House!

Jessica Wood

Acquisition & Growth Marketing Specialist

11/06/20 at 12:28AM UTC

Your webinar is the day before my interview, so this is perfect! Done and I'm registered!

Sarah Butterfield Clapp

11/05/20 at 9:26PM UTC

I like to go in with the mindset that I’m there to have a conversation about the job. I try to turn it into a more give and take and try to get the interview going more conversationally. You’re there to interview them as well so think about questions you can ask that will give comfort in why you’d want to go work for them. Also, a lot of places draw their questions from the job description and resume. Try to look at both from an interviewer perspective. They wouldn’t call you in if they didn’t feel you were qualified so try to draw confidence from that! I guess what I’m getting at is don’t take on all the stress of the interview on your own. It’s a two way street and you have some power too. If all else fails there are also some good videos on YouTube as well. Good luck! I’m sure you’ll do great.

Michelle Hinsvark

11/05/20 at 4:18PM UTC

There is a ton of great support and suggestions here. I definitely echo the recommendations of prepping in advance with the typical interview questions and reviewing qualities you have and accomplishments that you've made to keep them top of mind. But also, right before your interview, watch something that makes you laugh (maybe a short 2min video clip), it will loosen you up and relax your mind a little bit.