Consider the interview stereotype: The all-powerful employer grills the hapless candidate, looking for flaws, prying into weaknesses, and trying to trap candidates into saying or doing something that will knock them out of the running.
While this might be how it feels to candidates, in fact interviewers desperately want to find the right person to fill an open position. The talent shortfall is hampering productivity, hindering growth, and causing the hiring manager to spend inordinate amounts of time interviewing. Candidates who understand and appreciate the interviewer's perspective give themselves an advantage during interviews. They tend to be less nervous and less paranoid a bout what the interviewer is trying to uncover with a particular question.
But candidates who can elevate the interaction yet one more rung – from "interrogation" to "business discussion" – will find this change in focus alters the interview from a stressful test to an engaging dialogue about business challenges and solutions.
The first step in achieving this transformation is to change your mindset. During your job search, approach each contact, each discussion, each meeting with confidence. You know what you have done in the past; you know your strengths, skills, and expertise. Be sure you are spending ample pre -interview time preparing your success stories and quantifying the results of your past efforts. Take time for introspection, too, so that you cl early understand and can articulate "who you are" and the value you offer.
Next, approach each conversation as an opportunity to learn. Whether engaged in a networking discussion or on an actual job interview, be careful not to overemphasize what you're looking for or deliver a monologue on your qualifications. Instead, ask questions. Listen carefully. Then look for opportunities to relate what you've learned (about a company, an industry, a competitor, a tough challenge the company is facing) to your own knowledge and experiences – phrased in the form of solutions.
In such a dialogue, you can mention articles or books you've read, experiments you've conducted (successful or not-so-successful), things you've learned from colleagues or competitors, problems that you found intractable in similar situations. As mentioned, the interview then takes the form of a dialogue between two business professionals with some shared challenges and some shared experiences. It becomes natural to relate your own success stor ies in a way that is wholly relevant to the company's challenges, rather than simply reciting "accomplishment statements" that you've memorized for an interview. Consider the advantages of holding a business discussion rather than simply submitting to an interview:
- Peer-to-peer conversation rather than power figure-tosubordinate interrogation. By sharing "war stories" and possible solutions, you will form a bond with the interviewer and establish yourself as a colleague who can provide valuable expertise, advice, and assistance. Rather than thinking, "this person seemed to have some good experience," the interviewer is likely to think, "this person knows what we're facing and can help us!"
- Increased comfort and confidence that project a professional presence. Think about how you feel and perform in meetings, sales presentations, board reviews, and other business discussions. You might find yourself a bit keyed up for a major presentation, but in all likelihood you go into meetings feeling confident and professional. Now imagine feeling this same way for interviews, rather than sweaty - palmed and anxious not to get screened out. Your inner confidence has a huge impression on the way you come across, so why not establish the appropriate professional persona from the very beginning?
- Greater emphasis on what matters: what you can do for the organization. In many interviews, time is spent on questions that often don't reveal information of value. You might find it amusing to discuss what kind of animal you'd like to be or take comfort in parroting your list of strengths. But what really motivates employers to make a job offer is the confidence that you will solve problems for them. So why not get to these important issues as soon as possible?
- Screening criteria that make sense. If during your discussions you find out about problems that you don't think are solvable, you can eliminate that opportunity with few qualms. Similarly, if you learn that the company's challenges require someone with an expertise you don't have, you'll understand why you don't get the job offer. From a better - informed perspective, you'll be less emotionally invested in each opportunity. As a result, you'll be able to keep yourself on a more even keel during your job search and better understand the importance – for you and the company – of making the right match.
You might be concerned about "taking over the interview" with this approach or wonder how to steer the conversation in the right direction. These scripts might help:
- In a formal interview, when asked to "describe your background:" "I'd be delighted to tell you about my experience, but first – if it's all right with you – I'd like to learn a little more about the challenges you're facing with regard to [topic]. Then I can give you t he information that's most pertinent to your situation."
- In a networking meeting, after your initial introduction: "I'm most interested in finding an opportunity with some interesting business challenges. Situations that would be a good fit for me would be [challenge], [challenge], and [challenge]. What companies do you know that face challenges like these?"
- During an informational interview: "I've been reading quite a bit about [industry challenge or company challenge] and I'd love to learn more about your perspective on this issue."
You might not be successful at converting all of your interviews to business discussions. Some interviewers will be bound and determined to ask "their" questions and will not be amenable to engaging in a deeper dialogue. Bu t when you can do so, you'll enjoy more meaningful conversations and glean better information that will help you make good decisions about your career. The end result should be a new position that is a great fit for your experience and your talents – a genuine win-win for you and the company.