In the summer of 1996 I flunked my first ever job interview. I had completed my bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in University College Galway (as it was known then). I had a confident swagger about me, founded on good grades and 4 years confined to the cotton-stuffed comfort zone of third level life.
British Telecom had arrived on campus to see what bright minds they could assimilate into their workforce. I applied for an interview, suited myself up, and readied myself to impress. Half way through the process, my interviewer – let’s call him John – asked:
“So why do you want to work for British Telecom?”
I don’t remember my response word for word (mostly because I replied with a barely coherent onslaught of waffle). As I recall, what I did manage to convey quite successfully was that I hadn’t seriously thought about why I had applied.
Between you, me and this blog, I was primarily motivated by my classmates who were also applying, and I didn’t want to miss out on any big opportunity (whatever that might have been). I had no clear vision of my future, except that I kind of knew I wanted a job rather than a PHD. And I wasn’t even sure of that. John saw right through me, and I never heard back from B.T.
The lesson I learned that day was that, before I applied for any more jobs I needed to be clear about “why”. If I had been honest with John and said I wanted money or security or some kind of stimulation in a shiny building somewhere; that would have at least demonstrated some sort of why.
This brings up the issue of why most people apply for the jobs they do, whether that "why" is good enough, and whether you should be honest about it. Let's face it, in a perfect world, all people should be able to say they applied for a job because they were genuinely excited by the role and the company in question. That’s not the way it works out, though, is it?
What’s my solution? Let’s look at using bare-faced honesty…
“I applied for this job because I need the money…”
“I went for this job because I can’t find anything else…”
“I applied for this job because my husband/wife/friends told me to…”
You might argue that it’s better to bluff, pretend and lie. Happily, there is a third alternative, which is my top tip for today:
Whatever your reasons were for applying for a job… get interested in the role and company (if you aren’t already). Then prepare for the interview.
If you cannot find any way to get passionate about a role you are applying for, you should not be applying for it. Even if your prime motivation is to pay the bills, there must be something you can find about the job itself (or the company) to get you fired up. It’s your job to find that hook. Why? Because your audience (the interviewers) will pick up on your passion. Think about it - if they had to choose between two people with equal skills: one with only selfish motivations, and one with a pinch of passion about the role or company, I hope it’s obvious which one is the better candidate. Nothing trumps passion!
It shouldn’t matter how menial the role may seem to you (or anyone else). Are you applying to flip burgers in a fast food takeaway? Okay, it may not be your life’s dream to be the best burger flipper on the planet, but you might be able to pick up essential skills in the following areas:
The skills you learn about might be part of the role you are applying for, or the staff working around you. The lessons you learn could happen through watching successes or failures. It doesn’t matter. You can learn quite a lot from practically every job on the planet. By the way, it’s okay to mention your hooks in your interview…
“I’d like to know more about how retail business works…”
“I’m impressed by your marketing abilities. I’d love to know more….”
“I want to develop my customer hospitality skills…”
Please note, a decent interviewer will be able to tell if an applicant is not interested in their role or company. The tragedy is that most interviewees fail to get themselves interested, and worse, they fail to demonstrate that passion.
By the way, from the interviewer’s point of view, it’s a fair question to ask; “Why our company, and not a rival down the street?” And it’s not good enough to say; “Because the rival isn’t hiring right now.” Find a hook for the company and demonstrate you have it.
Now that I’ve made my point, let me offer a number of tips to help you...
Before the Interview:
1. Find out as much as you can about the the company and the position you are applying for. Be very clear on why you are applying, including all possible hooks. Keep those hooks in mind.
2. List 8-10 questions you could be asked during the interview. Group the questions under 3 categories: personal/human-resource-orientated (your passions, hobbies, etc.), technical (specific skill-related questions) and general career goal-orientated (what your ambitions are, etc.). Draft 30-45 second scripts for answers to each question. You don’t need to stick to the scripts verbatim during your interview. The scripts should serve as mental anchors to give you more focus during your interview. Feel free to paraphrase without falling into waffling.
3. Put all other candidates out of your mind. Nothing about them will help your own interview, so forget they exist. Even if an earlier candidate catches you in the corridor and offers a remark about “difficult questions” or “a challenging interviewer” remember that’s just their perception. Carry no judgements when it’s your turn.
During the Interview:
1. Make sure you smile sincerely at all interviewers to put their minds at ease (Note: most interviewees fail to realise that being an interviewer can be as scary as being the interviewee).
2. If there is more than one interviewer, no matter which interviewer is asking a particular question make sure you offer eye contact to all interviewers while you answer. Never focus too much on one face, because the others might feel ignored.
3. Remember, your job is to generate a trust relationship with your interviewers, so be open with your personality in a way that’s helpful. Don’t try to be the best. Aim to be the most helpful.
4. Focus on passion at least as much as knowledge, and demonstrate this through your language. Cut down on "I was the best in..." and move towards "I am most passionate about..."
5. If you do not know the answer to something, don’t bluff. Admit you don’t know. If you like, say that you would love to learn whatever it is.
6. If you feel you made a mistake at any stage, ignore it and move on with the interview. Don't let mistakes phase you. Confidence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes, are important traits.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you are offered the opportunity. This demonstrates your interest in the job and the company.
After the Interview:
1. Don’t focus on all the things you did wrong. Stay confident and assured about your performance, but write down anything interesting that happened during the interview. You might be able to spot something important that you can address at a 2nd interview (never assume that you won’t be asked to do a 2nd interview, even if it’s not advertised. A 2nd interview may indicate they are interested but not 100% sure about you yet).
2. If you don’t get the job, don’t despair. Ask for feedback on why you weren’t successful on that occasion.
I will leave you with a final tip in the form of a quote:
“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” – Katherine Whitehorn
Author: Eddie O'Hanlon
British Telecom had arrived on campus to see what bright minds they could assimilate into their workforce. I applied for an interview, suited myself up, and readied myself to impress. Half way through the process, my interviewer – let’s call him John – asked:
“So why do you want to work for British Telecom?”
I don’t remember my response word for word (mostly because I replied with a barely coherent onslaught of waffle). As I recall, what I did manage to convey quite successfully was that I hadn’t seriously thought about why I had applied.
Between you, me and this blog, I was primarily motivated by my classmates who were also applying, and I didn’t want to miss out on any big opportunity (whatever that might have been). I had no clear vision of my future, except that I kind of knew I wanted a job rather than a PHD. And I wasn’t even sure of that. John saw right through me, and I never heard back from B.T.
The lesson I learned that day was that, before I applied for any more jobs I needed to be clear about “why”. If I had been honest with John and said I wanted money or security or some kind of stimulation in a shiny building somewhere; that would have at least demonstrated some sort of why.
This brings up the issue of why most people apply for the jobs they do, whether that "why" is good enough, and whether you should be honest about it. Let's face it, in a perfect world, all people should be able to say they applied for a job because they were genuinely excited by the role and the company in question. That’s not the way it works out, though, is it?
What’s my solution? Let’s look at using bare-faced honesty…
“I applied for this job because I need the money…”
“I went for this job because I can’t find anything else…”
“I applied for this job because my husband/wife/friends told me to…”
You might argue that it’s better to bluff, pretend and lie. Happily, there is a third alternative, which is my top tip for today:
Whatever your reasons were for applying for a job… get interested in the role and company (if you aren’t already). Then prepare for the interview.
If you cannot find any way to get passionate about a role you are applying for, you should not be applying for it. Even if your prime motivation is to pay the bills, there must be something you can find about the job itself (or the company) to get you fired up. It’s your job to find that hook. Why? Because your audience (the interviewers) will pick up on your passion. Think about it - if they had to choose between two people with equal skills: one with only selfish motivations, and one with a pinch of passion about the role or company, I hope it’s obvious which one is the better candidate. Nothing trumps passion!
It shouldn’t matter how menial the role may seem to you (or anyone else). Are you applying to flip burgers in a fast food takeaway? Okay, it may not be your life’s dream to be the best burger flipper on the planet, but you might be able to pick up essential skills in the following areas:
- People management: How to deal with customers, solve conflicts
- Time management: How rosters are managed, budgeting food prep times, managing queues
- Business management: Profit margins, handling cash, marketing skills
The skills you learn about might be part of the role you are applying for, or the staff working around you. The lessons you learn could happen through watching successes or failures. It doesn’t matter. You can learn quite a lot from practically every job on the planet. By the way, it’s okay to mention your hooks in your interview…
“I’d like to know more about how retail business works…”
“I’m impressed by your marketing abilities. I’d love to know more….”
“I want to develop my customer hospitality skills…”
Please note, a decent interviewer will be able to tell if an applicant is not interested in their role or company. The tragedy is that most interviewees fail to get themselves interested, and worse, they fail to demonstrate that passion.
By the way, from the interviewer’s point of view, it’s a fair question to ask; “Why our company, and not a rival down the street?” And it’s not good enough to say; “Because the rival isn’t hiring right now.” Find a hook for the company and demonstrate you have it.
Now that I’ve made my point, let me offer a number of tips to help you...
Before the Interview:
1. Find out as much as you can about the the company and the position you are applying for. Be very clear on why you are applying, including all possible hooks. Keep those hooks in mind.
2. List 8-10 questions you could be asked during the interview. Group the questions under 3 categories: personal/human-resource-orientated (your passions, hobbies, etc.), technical (specific skill-related questions) and general career goal-orientated (what your ambitions are, etc.). Draft 30-45 second scripts for answers to each question. You don’t need to stick to the scripts verbatim during your interview. The scripts should serve as mental anchors to give you more focus during your interview. Feel free to paraphrase without falling into waffling.
3. Put all other candidates out of your mind. Nothing about them will help your own interview, so forget they exist. Even if an earlier candidate catches you in the corridor and offers a remark about “difficult questions” or “a challenging interviewer” remember that’s just their perception. Carry no judgements when it’s your turn.
During the Interview:
1. Make sure you smile sincerely at all interviewers to put their minds at ease (Note: most interviewees fail to realise that being an interviewer can be as scary as being the interviewee).
2. If there is more than one interviewer, no matter which interviewer is asking a particular question make sure you offer eye contact to all interviewers while you answer. Never focus too much on one face, because the others might feel ignored.
3. Remember, your job is to generate a trust relationship with your interviewers, so be open with your personality in a way that’s helpful. Don’t try to be the best. Aim to be the most helpful.
4. Focus on passion at least as much as knowledge, and demonstrate this through your language. Cut down on "I was the best in..." and move towards "I am most passionate about..."
5. If you do not know the answer to something, don’t bluff. Admit you don’t know. If you like, say that you would love to learn whatever it is.
6. If you feel you made a mistake at any stage, ignore it and move on with the interview. Don't let mistakes phase you. Confidence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes, are important traits.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you are offered the opportunity. This demonstrates your interest in the job and the company.
After the Interview:
1. Don’t focus on all the things you did wrong. Stay confident and assured about your performance, but write down anything interesting that happened during the interview. You might be able to spot something important that you can address at a 2nd interview (never assume that you won’t be asked to do a 2nd interview, even if it’s not advertised. A 2nd interview may indicate they are interested but not 100% sure about you yet).
2. If you don’t get the job, don’t despair. Ask for feedback on why you weren’t successful on that occasion.
I will leave you with a final tip in the form of a quote:
“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” – Katherine Whitehorn
Author: Eddie O'Hanlon
RSS Feed
