Chances are you don’t interview every day, so you might be working against your nerves a bit. To make it easier, remember CASH – four simple reminders during the conversation.
Create a connection
Answer to your strengths
Seek first to understand, then be understood
Honestly evaluate and interview
Create a connection
If you’re in an interview, you’ve likely met many of the technical qualifications for the role with only a few outstanding questions. What might be new for the interviewer is gaining an understanding of how you fit with that person, the team, and the organization. You should strive to create a connection by acting and responding in an authentic and positive way. This includes finding commonalities and shared experiences, and actively asking yourself how parts of the interviewer’s daily work might be similar to experiences you’ve had before. In short, build a positive connection beyond your technical fit for the role.
Answer to your strengths
In an interview, you’re likely to have all sorts of questions thrown at you. Some you will anticipate, and others might surprise you. Regardless of the question, make sure you answer to your strengths. This means responding in a way that answers the question, but also positions you more strongly as a candidate by leveraging the talking points you’ve rehearsed prior (you did create some talking points when building your personal brand, right?).
The most visible example of this kind of response is what you might experience in the presidential debates. Imagine a candidate responding to a complex question about a local plant closing. At first, the candidate responds by acknowledging the issue and offers a specific solution if one exists. Then, if well-prepared, the candidate might tie the local closing to a larger issue, which raises the perception of the candidate as someone who is a strategic, big-picture thinker. Finally, the candidate will likely then move to a well-rehearsed talking point that either addresses the larger issue or is generally in the same realm.
In an interview, someone might ask how you overcame an obstacle at work. You’ll answer with a specific response and event to start with. Then tie that to a larger issue in a way that shows your focus and care for the larger team and organization (e.g., “and this is something we’ve seen time and again as something that organizations must manage on an ongoing basis”). Finally, tie this back to one of your talking points: “I learned a lot from that experience, and since then have done X – and encouraged others to do so as well. Sharing the experience has hopefully saved others from learning the hard way, and it keeps the lines of communication open for us to share other best practices as well.”
Seek first to understand, then to be understood
This is not a new concept, but an important one to remember in an interview.
Almost 3,000 years ago no less than Solomon said “If one gives an answer before hearing, it is folly and shame.” Somewhere around the 11th century, St. Francis of Assisi asked God to help him seek understanding before trying to be understood. In the 1980s, Steven R. Covey introduced us to Habit 5 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
It helps to understand exactly what the interviewer would like to get from the conversation as a whole – as well as each individual part. If an interviewer says “tell me a little about yourself,” it might be helpful to understand if he or she is seeking a verbal review of your resume, how you like to engage people at work, or about your amazing goldfish collection you forgot to remove from Facebook before starting your job search. It’s okay to ask clarifying questions, and as you do so, it helps to share a little bit more about yourself along the way. Here’s an example:
- Interviewer Sally: So John, tell me a little about yourself. And please feel free to call me Sally.
- Candidate Joe: Thanks for asking Sally, I appreciate that. I’m glad to share, but want to make sure I’m answering in a way that works best for you. Would you like me to talk through some of the experiences I’ve had during my ten years in information technology, or is it better for me to share some of the ways I’ve worked with teams in the past? Or perhaps something different?
- Interviewer Sally: Your resume captures a lot of your experience, but I’m glad to hear about big accomplishments and wins that don’t come through. We have a really special team and operate at a high level, and I want to make sure you’re a fit in our kind of environment.
- Candidate Joe: I’ve been fortunate to work with several different teams through projects and roles, and the consistent thread through all of them is that success is built on how effectively the people work together. Can you tell me more about your team?
- Interviewer Sally: All but two of us came from the same organization previously, and brought the culture with us. The two folks that joined us since then fit right in that mold of airing our dirty laundry in private and walking out of the room with everyone publicly supporting the decision we made – even if we chewed each other out the next time it was just us. Not to scare you, but we fight like dogs but protect the pack.
- Candidate Joe: I like that the team can talk openly and honestly in the room but then present a united front to the rest of the organization. For me, it’s always been important to hear the ideas on the team and recognize pros and cons, risks and benefits out loud and in full color. Toeing the line once we’re out of a meeting like that is actually pretty helpful, because we know we came to a decision as a group and present as a single voice.
See how that could be much more effective than if Candidate Joe simply read his resume to Interviewer Sally? When you’re in the moment, make sure you’re answering the question the interviewer is looking for – not the one that might be easiest or seem obvious to you.
Honestly evaluate and interview
In an interview situation, perception and reality can be different.
If you really want a particular role, there is a risk that you might paint your experience in a way that’s not accurate, or say that you thrive in an environment that in truth makes it challenging to be successful. There is also a risk of missing important information the interviewer shares that might negatively impact your view of the company.
There are three things that are helpful to keep perception and reality in line:
- Understand yourself ahead of time. From the Self component of the 4S Model, you’ve developed an understanding of who you are, what you like, and how you excel. This understanding helps you to recognize when things might not be a fit, and to have a strong understanding of what type of work matches your skills and interests.
- Remember that you’re interviewing the company, too. Thinking about the meeting as seeking a possible match instead of someone “giving” you a job can be extremely empowering. It also positions you mentally to ask critical questions and recognize red flags about the work, work environment, etc.
- Practice being honest. Being honest shouldn’t be something you have to think about in an interview. Starting now, strip out little white lies and exaggerations in your daily interactions, even if they seem immaterial or funny. Practice responding in a positive and accurate way when asked questions.
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