What do spelling tests and interviews have in common? (I know you’re thinking nothing but you know I wouldn’t have asked if that was the answer.) Anticipation, they both create a stressful type of anticipation leading up to them. I suppose when you think about it they really aren’t that different in most people’s eyes, both feel like tests and tests are stress full. What if you pulled upon a different type of anticipation in either situation? What if instead of feeling the anxious type of anticipation you were anticipating the interview questions, dynamic, and your own questions in preparation for the event. What if you could strategically anticipate how the interview would go and preparing for it, just like you study for the test?
A few weeks ago my eldest came home with a 50% on a spelling test. What? Let me pull up my mom jeans and say, back in my day that was a failing grade and was cause for concern. When I questioned my son on it he said that kids fail them all the time. (likely story) I noted that I didn’t even realize he had spelling tests, this is the first I’ve seen, and why didn’t he share any words to study? He responded with, oh, you can’t study for them, you just have to know the words. Well that can’t possibly be right. I’ve been out of the 3rd grade a while but they surely don’t test kids on words they weren’t sent home to practice. Turns out, they do.
Parent-teacher conferences were only a week off so I asked his teacher when we saw her. They don’t give a word list to practice from anymore. They have key words that are embedded into other parts of the curriculum and are practiced continuously by default without telling the kids they are learning to spell those words. Come to find out my son, and most of the class, does very well on spelling tests typically using this method. We got this one because he didn’t do so hot but he had been out a couple days which would clearly throw off the amount of practice and exposure.
So, how does this apply to anticipating the interview?
Testing on things that you learned naturally by exposure rather than telling you what the test is feels like genius. Out in the real world that happens all the time, right? No one tells you exactly how to craft an email, lead the meeting, or conduct your interview. You have to learn through watching, experience, and thoughtful anticipation to nail it. If you miss your opportunity to learn in this way, you might just fail.
The question for today then is, how do we learn from our exposure and anticipate what we’ll need for the interview? Good news! If you completed the steps from last week’s post, Advancing Your Career in 3 Steps, you have a good start. You have researched the company you’re interviewing with and their peers. You have done an inventory of your skills that align with the job description and started working toward closing the gaps. You’ve created your own interview outline by tailoring your resume to fit the job. Finally, you know what you want out of your next move and have prioritized what you need and set the boundaries around that.
Now, let’s bridge that gap. Simply having the exposure and looking for the themes, like you did last week (or weekend) will help but will not bridge the gap. (Just like my kid seeing the words did not make him pass the test.) You have to apply what you learned. Here are some key behavioral questions that are asked during interviews. Using what you know about the role, the top priorities, the organization, and your own needs and boundaries, write out some answers to each.
Tell me about a time that you ______ (used top skill/need for the role).
We talked last week about recognizing the top priority items for the jobs you’re applying for. You can bet that whatever those top things are, the interviewer is going to ask about them. So think through those questions. If first on the list is analyzing data, be sure to have an answer around how you used analysis of data to drive a big result. If it is customer service and taking calls, make sure you have that time you dazzled and delighted a customer with a great pay off ready to roll off your tongue. If it is public speaking, be ready to share how you’ve engaged audiences and inspired action. Remember that they’ll have 3-5 really important skills that they’re looking for, be ready to speak to those with specifics.
How have you championed change and helped other’s do the same?
The ability to manage change for yourself and others is a critical skill for any job seeker today. Change management went from a nice to have to an absolute must in recent years. That doesn’t mean you have to be a certified change manager or be the one who is ready for change at the flip of a switch. Be prepared to share what you bring to the table when you and your team face change. That could be acting as an early adopter and volunteering to help others, or it could be stress testing the plan with your realism and helping work through bugs.
What is your proudest achievement in ______________ (key quality for the role or organization)?
This question might be phrased a little differently or be more vague, what is your proudest achievement? The point is here, if there is something that they don’t ask about or a skill that you think you are rocking socks at that you haven’t gotten to share. Well, now is your time to shine. Do not be boastful but don’t be too modest either. If you, or a group you were part of, got some major results or created a huge impact, say it.
What is your biggest weakness/opportunity?
This is not, I repeat is not, the time to give some cliche response like “caring too much” or “working too hard.” Tell the truth. If you don’t have experience in one of the items on the job description (and I would anticipate you don’t have experience in all, but that’s another conversation) that is ok to say. Follow it with how you’re bridging the gap or what you intend to do. For example, if they require use of a specific tool, system, or credential that you just don’t have, call it out. Then follow with what system or tool you have used, or how you’ve been doing the work to gain experience prior to the credential. You can add your willingness and ability to learn a new system but give a concrete example of, I was proficient in that tool in x months with limited supervision.
To close, I want to point out another part of the interview that you might be anticipating just by reading through those examples. Make sure that the answers you give tie back to a result. Yes, it’s great if you have stats for some, ex: we saw a 15% improvement once I implemented x. They don’t all have to be that mathematical though. Sometimes the result is, we thought that customer was going to leave but based on the service I provided during that call they stayed on and even gave a positive customer sat or net promoter score. That is a great result and communicates not only what you can do but that you understand why it’s important.