3 important things to do in any job interview

The 3 Most Important Things To Do In Any Job Interview

I guess this makes me weird…

But unlike a lot of people, I really like job interviews. And over the span of my career I’ve done quite a few! So I wanted to write this post to share with you the TOP 3 things to do in ANY interview. You’re going to learn what these three things are, as well as why they’re so important.

Let’s get into it…

Ask Great Questions

This is essential for any successful job interview.

You need to come prepared with questions about both the company AND the role you’re going for.

What does this achieve?

Firstly, asking questions demonstrates enthusiasm and interest in the job you’re going for. It shows that you’ve given it plenty of thought, and that you’re SERIOUS about potentially working with this company.

Secondly, you should ask questions because there’s certain things you SHOULD find out about the company and the role before you start there…

And there’s no way to find these things out other than asking in the interview.

For example, you should ask what your day to day responsibilities will be. You should ask what kinds of clients you’ll be working with.

As an added benefit, this will also help you increase your confidence going into the job interview.

This largely comes down to being organised, which I talk about more in my article on preparing for job interviews.

Asking great questions also ties into the next thing you need to do in interviews…

Find Gaps In Your Knowledge

woman on laptop drinking tea with notebook
This completely changed my perspective on job interviews…

In one of the first interviews I ever did, I found out (just from listening) that there were a bunch of things I’d never heard of.

NOTE: I didn’t tell them that I didn’t know what they were talking about – I just let them keep talking.

For example, the interviewer was the boss of a big fleet management association, and he kept talking about RSS feeds. I had ZERO idea what an RSS feed was (again I kept that to myself).

But as soon as the interview was over I went straight home, jumped on Google, and closed that knowledge gap. From then on I realised that interviews are an AMAZING opportunity to find where the gaps in your knowledge and skills are.

Once you find out what they are you can start to close them quickly…

And doing this will help you advance forward in your career.  In fact, continually filling your knowledge gaps is an ESSENTIAL part of any long term career strategy.  
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These gaps can be both in terms of skills you need to build, as well as in terms of knowledge you need to acquire. Think about it – how often are you in the ROOM with someone who has the power to give you a job?

Probably not often, so you should use that opportunity to soak up as much information as possible.

Show Enthusiasm

Blonde woman smiling on the phone
After I landed my first dream job I got some interesting feedback from our Operations Manager…

He told me that after he’d spoken to myself and another candidate on the phone – the first thing my boss had asked was “who sounded the most enthusiastic?”

If you’re going for an interview at a small business – then the business owner has their mind on their business pretty much 24-7.  It’s precious to them. It’s almost like a child.

So if you can come in smiling and full of energy about what YOU can contribute to something that they care dearly about – then can you see how that will position you favourably?

The same goes for recruiters and hiring managers…

They’re looking for someone who shows enthusiasm, excitement, initiative, and drive. Sure, there are other factors that come into play in terms of actually landing your dream job…

But if you’re competing with other people who have the same skills, then enthusiasm could be the 1% that gets you over the line. And like most things – it doesn’t cost you anything.

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