Q&A Monday: What advice do you have for a job interview?

It’s already July. That means the caps and gowns have been hung, you’re all moved in to your new locale, the trips are over and it’s time to start the job hunt.

How soon things get so serious, right?

The good news is that things are looking up for the class of 2012 as they enter a much better job market than their recent predecessors. The bad news is we’ve still got some economic challenges to deal with.

Some of the most popular emails I get are those that ask for interviewing tips. I guess since I’ve witnessed a myriad of horrifying interviews (like when my wallet was stolen) I must know a thing or two about what it takes to impress a hiring manager, right?

Believe it or not it doesn’t take much to knock your interview out of the ball park. Hell, if you’ve got basic manners you’re already ahead of half the pack. However, there are some things you’re going to want to keep in mind when pounding the pavement.

Highlight Relevant Work Experience

If you’re applying for a sales job highlight your sales experience. The interviewer wants to know WHY you’d be great for this position. Got numbers that prove it? Mention it.

We want to know what makes you qualified, not why you think you want the job. For instance, one of our most popular ads is that of a medical sales rep and over half of the candidates do not even qualify. One time I had a girl tell me she wanted to do medical sales because she thinks it’s cool. If you want a hiring manager to take you seriously you’d better know damn well what makes you qualified for the job. This advice doesn’t just apply to sales, it applies to everything.

(P.S. If you don’t have that much work experience or internships, try volunteering or showing that you can freelance)

Have a Side Hustle and Tell Them About It (Put it on your resume if you have to!)

Showing employers that you can get creative and get paid for it shows them you have quite a lot of gusto. Not only does it show them you can land clients, do the work and make some money it also shows them you were resourceful during a time of economic downturn. This is actually how I landed my first job and we make an effort of highlighting entrepreneurial endeavors if candidates had them.

Granted, you have to be smart about this. You have to know how much you’ve made and what skills are required to run your side hustle. Unfortunately, anyone can walk into an office and say they run a side business, but not many can walk the talk.

Practice Interviewing

I’m going to be quite blunt here when I say that most of the people I interview really suck at it. Half the time I feel like I’m talking to a wall the other half of the time I get frustrated because people can’t tell me what they actually do. And yes, some candidates have such horrid personalities that I may need a stiff drink after an interview.

Practice interviewing. Know what you do. Practice your manners.

Do not talk about your personal life.

I’m the person interviewing you for a job, not your therapist. I do not need to hear about how your current boss is sleeping with your wife and how devastated you are. I totally feel for you, but you come off as too unstable to have a job. If you can’t keep your personal life out of it how are hiring managers supposed to think you can be productive? End of story.

Do not trash talk old employers.

It just looks bad. Like, really bad. If you’re trash talking an old employer you not only come off like a little bitch (pardon my French), but your loyalty to your potential employer will definitely be called into question.

Check your nerves at the door.

It’s completely normal to be nervous before a job interview, in fact it’s somewhat expected and interviewers try to be nice. However, sometimes people’s nerves get way out of hand. Like when they talk to an imaginary person next to them or mention how they don’t want to raise their kids to be serial killers (yes, both of these have happened while I interview candidates).

Please try to check your nerves at the door as it’ll save you from very awkward situations. In fact, if you practice the above mentioned tips beforehand you’ll probably feel more comfortable.

Interviewing doesn’t have to be difficult. Sure, nerves are definitely going to be present, but overall interviewers are looking for confident people who know their worth. Practice the aforementioned tips to calm your nerves and throw in a mind/body awareness exercise to get focused.

What are your tips for rocking an interview?