Our goal at Med-Search is to get you through the interview process as smoothly as possible. As interviewing can be a time-consuming and daunting task, a tremendous amount of physical and emotional energy goes into the process. We want to help you and make it count. We interview every day, and we work with hiring managers who conduct interviews regularly. Below are some tips from us, the experts, that will help you land the role that you’re going for! Now, every role is different, and every hiring manager is different, therefore; every interview will be different. Take these tips and customize them to fit your needs. It is never one size fits all, but these can still make the difference between starting over on the job boards and starting your new role!
Tips:
1) Do your Research
– Before interviewing, spend some time on the company website or social media posts. Look into their products or services- now, you do not have to be the product expert during your first interview but showing that you took the time and the initiative to do your own research will show your passion, work ethic, and desire for the job! We usually recommend spending at least 15 minutes going through the website, just to familiarize yourself with the key points.
2) Dress for Success
– Even if it is an online interview, dress like you would for an in person! This will subconsciously give you confidence, as well as display your professionalism!
3) Take Notes
– Bringing a notepad and pen to take notes with during your interview shows your interest in the role, and your organizational skills! Additionally, if you think of a question during your interview, write it down so that you are able to ask that question later on.
4) Ask Questions
– Before you even arrive for your interview, come prepared with 5 or 6 good questions pertaining to the role, the products, or the company itself! Doing this further displays your genuine interest in the company and position and can equip you with knowledge that you can use in future interviews!
5) Similarities and Parallels
– When going into an interview, make sure that you have taken the time to think about the similarities and parallels between what you have done in the past, and what you would be doing in the new role! This shows that you would be able to hit the ground running in your new role, and be able to make an immediate impact.
6) “Tell me a little about yourself”
– This is often times the first question you will be asked in an interview. Interviewers don’t want your life story; they want to know if meeting you would be a good use of their time. Answer with a brief work history showing how each project or job helped prepare you for this job; then give a profile of the “professional you” addressing your skills as they relate to doing this job well.
7) Be a Positive Paul, not a Negative Nancy
– No matter how poorly your past employer treated you, or how seemingly egregious some of the mistakes were, or even how ‘toxic’ the culture was in your eyes at your past job, leave that at the door! When discussing your experience with past jobs, avoid complaining, as this is a sure-fire way to turn the hiring managers off. Think of it this way, if you were on a first date, and your date spent the entire date talking about how bad their previous relationship was, would you call them for a second date? Probably not. Stick to the positives, show why your experience will translate to what you will be doing in this new role, and keep smiling ,smiling, smiling.
8) People Buy from People they like; People Hire People they like
– Just like any sales call you may be on; your goal is to make a friend and to build that likeability factor! Be in a selling mode. Sell yourself, your experience, and your ability to do the job. Follow their lead; in other words, mirror their personality. If they are fast paced, pick up your speed, or if they talk slow, follow their style! Be confident and you’ll be great!
9) Breathe- Body Language Basics
– You’re doing great. Make sure you remember your body language basics from start to finish in your interview. Make sure that you take time to breathe and slow down- I understand you’re excited to be there and excited about the opportunity but be clear and concise. Make sure you smile and have a friendly face! Sit upright and do not slouch. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to be expressive! Keep good eye contact throughout, and pick up on their nonverbal cues on when to stop talking or when to take a different approach. Finally, leave out “You know”, “Like”, “Umm”, and “And” It’s like, you know, when speaking, you kind of, uhm, run into a brick wall, and like it’s all over for the listener who turns off. Remember to breathe, slow down, and take your time in your answers and questions.
10) Always Be Closing
– Your ABC’s. Always be closing. At the end of your interview, ask the hiring manager if he/she could see you being a part of the team, and ask for their endorsement moving forward. Just like you would in any other sales call, make sure you close them for the next step!
11) Follow Up
– This should go without saying, but you never know just how much value is placed on this one simple step that people seemingly forget all the time. FOLLOW UP. After the conclusion of your interview, send an email thank you to everyone that you interviewed with. If it was an online interview, you should have the email address of the person you interviewed with, as they are likely the one who sent you the invite. If it is an in-person interview, make sure you ask for everyone’s business card as their email address will be there. Using the excuse “I don’t have their email address so I cannot follow up”, is not a real excuse! This is one of the easiest things you can do, and it will mean so much.
12) Self Evaluation
– Even before your interview, consider these questions. Then, once you have finished, self-evaluate and see how you did!
- a) Did I ask effective, open-ended questions?
- b) Was I succinct and memorable?
- c) Did I smile and was I energetic and positive?
- d) Was I a “suit” or a person?
- e) Would they want to spend time travelling in a car making sales calls or meeting socially for dinner?
- f) Did I exceed their expectations?
Interviewing. We get it. It can be nerve wracking and can take a lot of physical and emotional energy to get through. That’s why we’re here! We want to help you every step of the way, and that’s why we wanted to share our expert insight into success interviewing. MedSearch has been in business for over 25 years, and with that, we live in the interview process. Just remember the steps above, or give us a call (636-230-0717) and we would like nothing more than to help you along the way!