Finally. Resume after resume, cover letter after cover letter, and phone call after phone call, you can calendar it. September 21st, 2011. 1:00PM. In the heart of Midtown. You finally have a date for your interview with one of the most successful and trendy employers in the City. You have worked hard to get your foot in the door and in just fifteen short days, you will be sitting in front of your potential employer, resume in hand, and pitching yourself for the job of your dreams.
This scenario has happened to many of us: the coveted first interview. And in this competitive and difficult job market, the opportunities are few and far in between. So you have to make the most of each one with which you are presented. But this one in is particularly important, because this interview is for your dream job.
So just a little bit over two weeks out, what can you do to plant the seed and lay the groundwork for your first meeting?
Start Networking Now. The first impression for your interview starts today. When you walk into your future boss’s office, your reputation should precede your meeting. Before I pitch a new client or athlete, I always focus on his network and reach out to that person through the network. I do this because any positive reinforcement or endorsements I receive will be vital to winning my potential client over. I do this through finding out who is close to my new client and networking with them. The same can be true for your future interview. Many times, you may get your first interview through a contact in the office. Reach out to your contact and show your enthusiasm and excitement for the potential job, and hopefully that will be relayed to your interviewer.
Your goal should be for your reputation to reach your potential interviewer before you do. Your future boss will be interviewing numerous people and it is crucial to your ability to get hired to be on his radar while he is interviewing everyone else. You may be his first interview, you may be his last, but having his eye and his ear will be beneficial to propelling you to the top of his list.
Do Your Research Early. You have to know your employer inside and out. What do they stand for? What drives them? What is their purpose? What type of position are they hiring for? Who are their typical clients? These are just some of the questions you should know the answer to before you walk into the conference room. In this day and age, with the web and social media sites, it is very easy to research an employer and all of the big players at almost any company.
Your research should start there, going to your future company’s website and reading all you can, attempting to gain any meaningful and useful information that you can incorporate into your interview. Every business has a purpose and a goal, and when you interview with a new employer, it should be your priority to ensure your vision resonates with theirs. I always take the time before pitching to a new client to research the web, find relevant articles about the company, and then incorporate those articles and media coverage into my interview. This will not only demonstrate that you are meticulous and prepared, but that you are passionate about the job.
Rehearse Your Interview. The interview is coming soon, and you only get one shot at it. There are no make-ups or do over’s. Tough questions will almost certainly be thrown your way, and how you answer these questions will almost certainly be the difference between getting the job or not. So it is vital to not only practice, but also prepare. Start by creating a thorough list of potential questions your future boss may ask, and write down the answers to these questions. This will help you avoid being caught in an uncomfortable position, unable to answer a question quickly and efficiently.
Furthermore, after preparing these questions, find a close friend or loved one and role-play, with that person acting as your employer, throwing out your tough questions. Do this a few times until you can answer these questions without hesitation. Practice makes perfect and in what will become a dogfight for this open job, you want every advantage you can have.
These are just a few of the most effective tools and resources you can implement into your interview preparation to ensure you get a leg up on the competition. And in this economy, you need every advantage you can get. But it does not stop there. There are just as many steps you can take after your interview to put an exclamation mark on your interview.
Check back next week for what you can do after your interview to get the job…
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