IF YOU'RE NOT PREPARED, WHAT'S THE POINT!?

I don’t get it, and maybe I just assume the obvious, but in a competitive job market where employers are looking for a unicorn with every hire, folks are still showing up ill-prepared. I mean, the basic of all basics are falling through the cracks. Here is some free (and what I thought was widely done) advice. DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE THE INTERVIEW! Why waste your time and the person on the other end of the line? It becomes clear within the first few minutes of the conversation if you are prepared…and I promise you, no one is hiring the guy who just shows up.

1.     Research the company – check out their news page, company announcements, third party write-ups, etc. Google is your best friend here…use it!

2.     Check out LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and learn about the person you are interviewing with. Create an ice-breaker if you have anything in common. This helps build rapport and clearly shows you are prepared.

3.     Get some intel from your network on the company, leadership and person you are meeting with. You may have some mutual connections that will vouch for you…it’s a small world.

4.     If you are not a morning person, don’t schedule the meeting in the morning. You know when your brain is hitting on all cylinders.  Best to push out the interview a couple days than sound or say something stupid.

5.     GO FOR THE CLOSE – if you are interested in the gig after your conversation, close them on next steps. Even if you get a BS answer, it still shows you are a hustler.

6.     Have well thought-out questions ready, and I’m not talking about “how are the benefits and vacation.” You are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Get the intel you need to make an informed decision.