How to Stand Out In The Interview Process
How do you stand out? If a potential employer was to interview 2 candidates (you’re one of them) with identical CV’s, what can you do to ensure they offer you the job?
When we come out of the other side of the COVID-19 lockdown, competition for jobs is likely to to intensify. You may tick all the right boxes and have a compelling track record to talk about, but chances are, so will other candidates.
How can you show that you are the one – that you want and deserve the job more than your competition? Some of this might help….
Make it Personal
No, not in an aggressive way but in an old fashioned, often forgotten courteous way.Reaching out to your potential employer following an interview, especially if it’s in a thoughtful way, will help you to be the one that leaves a lasting impression. An email is the default way but a simple handwritten thank you note following the interview is likely to gain greater approval. It keeps your name fresh in the mind of your potential employer. Referencing parts of the conversation also shows you were fully engaged throughout the process.
Research
A common question in an interview is often “What do you know about us?” Avoid just reciting the About Us page on the website. Read the annual report, try to understand what really matters to the organisation, understand their values and reference them in the interview. Find out about who is interviewing you – career background, how long with the company. You can possibly find this out from your network but ask your recruiter – they should know this.
How Would You Do The Job?
Research of the company and interviewer is one thing, being able to demonstrate, in the interview, exactly how you can add value to the business is a step further.
The “What would you do in your first 30/60/90 days” is a classic presentation topic, normally at second interview stage but start thinking about this before the first interview and see yourself doing the job. Take a plan with you of what you would do over the first few months of starting the role. Have thoughtful, insightful ideas, including what you would need from the company to support you. Speak with confidence as if you already have the job.
When hiring you always know there will be a bedding-in period, involving induction and training. For the interviewer it is really refreshing to talk to someone who has already done some significant thinking to get their head around the role prior to being interviewed.
Grit and Resilience
In many roles, technical expertise and relevant industry experience are assumed, so differentiators are evidence of softer skills, such as grit and resilience.
Especially now, the ability to bounce back from difficulties and learn from adversity will be a vital skill in today’s workplace. It shows you can cope and adapt in a fast-moving world with rapid technological changes. Businesses today are facing new challenges and constant disruption as well as frequent restructuring and ongoing transformation. Employers will seek out candidates with the ability to survive and thrive in such a climate.
Growth and “Bandwidth”
Companies invest a lot of money to hire top talent, and they are hiring not just for now but for the future too. And for you as the candidate, you want to invest in the company not just for the job you do on day one but to develop and grow. Hiring Managers often refer to this as “bandwidth” –the capacity to take on more.
Look to use examples both professionally and personally that show your readiness to stretch yourself. This is another example of a soft skill – the willingness, enthusiasm and aptitude to move with the times, take on new skills and expand into new areas as business requirements and priorities evolve.
