Common Interview Mistakes (and how to fix them!)
You’ve been job hunting for a while. Networking and applying online has finally led to an interview. Yay!
But, then anxiety sets in.
Maybe you know you’re a competent worker, but you’re not sure what experiences would be considered “success stories” in an interview. People have always trusted you to get the job done, and you’ve gotten positive feedback on your contributions, but you’ve always thought, “They’re probably just being nice. I’m just doing my job”.
Maybe you struggle with telling a short, compelling story. You tend to share lots of detail and background when illustrating your value. You notice that your listener sometimes drifts off, but you can’t see any other way to deliver the information.
Maybe you don’t know how to sing your own praises. You hate talking about yourself and when you do, you frequently reference the success of the group, rather than your own contributions.
The metacognition and on-the-spot decision-making required in an interview is enough to make anyone’s mind explode.
But, with practice, you can nail an interview with finesse and stand out as a top candidate. Here are some tips to help you prepare.
1. If you’re not sure which stories to tell, try skills mapping.
You’ve got a lot of great success stories. You think that if you share everything you’ve done, you’ll impress the interviewer and win the job.
The problem is, the interviewer doesn’t care about everything. They are looking for a specific skill set and have a large volume of candidates to consider.
TRY THIS: Think of your interviewer first. Review the job description and determine what skills would be most relevant to the role. Then, prepare your best AND most relevant stories that map to skills of the job. Use ChatGPT to help you identify keywords in the job description.
This approach allows you to be strategic with your answers, showcasing only what the interviewer cares about.
2. If you have trouble with brevity, try limiting your stories to one metric.
One of the biggest pitfalls interviewees mistake, is talking too much. It’s easy to assume that the more you talk, the more credibility you display.
But, it doesn’t matter what you’re saying if your audience stops listening.
TRY THIS: Break down your stories to the best KPI and work backwards. Think about what steps you took to achieve that metric and why you needed to take action in the first place.
3. If you struggle with talking about yourself, focus only on the facts.
You’re a hard worker. You do what’s asked of you and sometimes more. It’s nothing to write home about.
But, if you’re too modest in an interview, you won’t convince them to hire you.
Your unique skill set is something to brag about, even if you find it uncomfortable.
TRY THIS: Use skills mapping and metrics to guide what stories you choose and how. Present your work factually, with measurable results and give the listener an idea of scope.
Coaching can help you reflect on your stories, see your successes through an outsider’s perspective, and give you insight on what hiring managers will find the most compelling.
Finally, no matter what you struggle with. Practice. Outloud. In front of an audience if necessary. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at it.
We’re happy to listen. Schedule a FREE coaching session today to learn more.
