05 Jan The #1 Interview Tip That Most People Don’t Consider (And it’s SO easy…)
Here it is: BE CURIOUS!
“Wait, aren’t they interviewing me? Aren’t they asking the questions?” This is the trap too many candidates fall into.
Recently, I was debriefing with one of my client companies about a candidate they had just interviewed. “They seem like a great fit”, they said (I could sense the “but” was right around the corner), “BUT, they just seemed disinterested”.
This surprised me, the job lined up well with the candidate’s desired location, job role, and pay. Also, the candidate didn’t have another job or another offer.
I called the candidate to debrief. “I thought it went well. I’m still very interested”.
As you might guess, the candidate was not given an offer. The interviewers said the candidate didn’t ask a single question, and hadn’t shown any effort to get to know the business on a deeper level. They decided to go with a hire that showed genuine curiosity in the position.
Of all the variables that go into marketing yourself as a candidate, this should be the easiest! I often get questions about what internships to take, how to craft a resume, etc. This one tip, if mastered, can have just as great an impact as any of those other variables.
And it’s SO easy.
How to Show Curiosity in a Job Interview
- Review every page of the company’s website.
- Find out who is interviewing you and visit their LinkedIn profiles ahead of the interview. Also, check out LinkedIn profiles of others that work in the company.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask ahead of time about the company, the role, the team, the location, the career path, etc.
- Find someone who is already in that role (with that company or a similar company) Tweet them or send them a message asking if you could ask them about their job for a few minutes
- During the interview, ask questions! Show interest!
Mandatory cliche blog post quote: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Don’t miss out on your next job opportunity because you didn’t show you were actually interested in the company and role. This is NOT implied just because you applied and showed up for the interview!
Interviewers are looking for your responses, but just as much they are looking for the cues that you will be really committed to the job.
Show them!
