Hey gents, Kyle here from the Distilled Man. Up next we're gonna give you some interview tips that will help you nail your next interview and wow your future boss. Some people think they can just walk into a job interview and wing it—no thought to preparation or what questions they might be asked. But in my experience, no matter how good your resume looks or how confident you're feelingm when it comes to interviewing successfully, a little bit of preparation goes a long way. So up next I'm going to give you 9 tips for how you can crush your next interview and wow your future boss Number one, understand the real purpose of the in-person interview. Most of the time if you've made it to the interview stage, by now they’ve actually already looked at your qualifications in your job history and so usually the in-person interview is often less about whether you're qualified and more about, well let's just call them “intangibles.” First, are you a good fit personality-wise. Basically do they like you? Second, are you articulate, can you communicate? So maybe you look good on paper but they want to know if you can actually sound like you know what you're talking about. And then finally, does it seem like you want the job? Because you can have as many qualifications and have the best resumes as possible, but if you don't have enthusiasm about the position, then why should they be excited about hiring you? In a nutshell, beyond any other preparation you do, just whatever you do don't forget how hugely important that interpersonal aspect is—simply just being present and making that connection and that rapport with the person you're talking to. Number two, practice fielding common interview questions. One of the most common questions you should be prepared for is “why do you want this job and why do you want to work here?” Whoa, I did not see that one coming. This question gives you an opportunity to talk about your career aspirations and why the job is a good fit for your strengths and your experience. Another common question is “why do you want to leave your current company?” Even if you're leaving because you absolutely hate everyone at your former company it's best to keep things on the positive side obviously. So focus on the fact that you've had some great experiences you've learned a lot, but now you're excited to explore some some new ways to challenge yourself and grow. And finally an obvious one, “what makes you the best person for this position?” You don't need to oversell yourself here but it is an opportunity for you to talk about what sets you apart—whether it's your experience or your drive—and it's also a great time to just reinforce how excited you are about the opportunity. So beyond these specific questions, you can always get a book that gives you some other ideas of potential interview questions that you might be asked. I got this book probably about 10 years ago, and I can't tell you if it's objectively the best book of its kind. But I'll tell you, it helped me a lot because it's got so many different types of questions, that if you practice you know 20 or 30 of these, by the end of it you feel really really comfortable kind of fielding questions and talking about your own strengths and experience in different ways. Number three, be prepared with specific examples and stories. Any good interviewer is going to ask you for specifics about your experience. They want proof of past behavior that you can do the job. So it helps to have some specific nuggets that you can mention during the interview. Like any big accomplishments relevant to the position. And if possible have some metrics to help quantify what you did. “I managed a team of 12 salespeople with a total budget of 40 gazillion dollars.” “I revamped our company's manufacturing process so we could make widgets 15% faster.” And they don't have to all be huge revenue drivers or showstoppers. But if done well, it helps demonstrate that you've had some past successes, and it helps show the interviewer that you can kind of see the big picture of your company rather than being one of those people who's just like, “well, I go to work, I punch in, I punch out.” A challenge you faced and how you overcame it. Now, this is one of those classic interview questions. For the interviewer, it's really helpful because it it gets you out of the whole selling yourself mode, and gets you to talk about something that actually happened in the trenches. It also gives them a kind of a good idea about your problem-solving abilities and the way you think. An interpersonal conflict that you successfully navigated. So this is very similar to the previous previous one but it gives the interviewer a window into the way that you deal with different personality types. It also gives them a sense, a gauge, of how self-aware you are. Number four, ask thoughtful questions. Probably the biggest mistake you could make is to have no questions prepared of your own. First, it either makes you look desperate, like “Any job will do. Please hire me!” or disinterested. And neither of those things is good from interviewer’s perspective. And secondly, if you are actually considering this job, don't you want to know more about it to see if it genuinely is a good fit? Some of the questions to ask an interviewer are, “what are the most important traits a candidate needs to possess for this role?” and then “what is the biggest challenge this role will face?” And from there, you can segue into you know, questions about team structure or maybe other specific questions about the business. These questions are great because they get the interviewer out of interview mode and it helps you start talking about the day-to-day business. It can also help give you a sense of what to expect should you actually get the job, and maybe give you clue on how you can be more successful. The other nice thing about questions is it's a good way to show that you've done your research about the company. Like “how have things changed since the new CEO took the reins last October?” You just have to be careful to not seem like you're trying to stump the interviewer or like you're asking a question that's beyond the pay grade of the position you're applying for. “So Janice, where do you see the company's customer acquisition strategy going in next five years given recent competitive entrants?” Number five, show that you want the position they're hiring for. As an employer, one of the most annoying things is when someone comes in for an interview for one job and then they try to sort of weasel their way into a higher position or a totally different role. Even if this job really is just one step along your master plan to world domination, don't act like it's beneath you. If it's a job sweeping floors, act like you're gonna be the best damn floor sweeper ever. If it's a job cold calling strangers, talk about how you're gonna have a positive attitude even when people slam the phone down in your ear. If you do an amazing job at the job you're given, they'll recognize your potential and eventually reward you. Number six, don't BS your weaknesses. It's so funny how many people try to judo their way out of answering the question about weaknesses, thinking that they can get by by saying something like “well my weakness is actually my strength.” “I would say one of my weaknesses is that I'm too detail-oriented.” And I'm not saying you need to rip yourself to shreds or highlight every single shortcoming that you have, but you should be able to identify some legitimate areas where you still need to do some work for your professional development. And I think the best way to phrase it is something like “well, I'd still like to work improving X” or “I’d still like to continue growing in this area.” Employers don't expect you to be perfect. And actually having an honest assessment of where you still need some development can be really helpful for them. Number seven take notes look alive. I know this sounds like a very oddly specific tip. But during an interview, if you take copious notes it's a great way to show that you're actively engaged and that you are hungry for the job. When I got my first job in advertising, during the interview I took copious notes. And maybe partly I was compensating because I had never had an office job. But also, it just helped me—taking notes just helped me process everything and kind of listen actively. Years later, my boss still remembered how I took notes throughout that entire first discussion in our interview. And to him I guess it was a sign that, not only was I fully engaged, but I was a go-getter and that it was almost like I was already part of the team. Number eight, bring the best version of yourself. Look, you already know that you need to make a great first impression on your potential employer. They're trying to evaluate you based on whatever information you put in front of them. And like it or not, your physical appearance is part of that. So bring your A-game. Dress your best. Even if it's a casual work environment, better to be overdressed than underdressed in an interview. Rock that suit. Make sure your shoes are shined. Make sure you're well groomed overall. Hair combed, grimy nails clipped. Try to get a full night's sleep, and drink enough water so that you look rested. And if you want more tips, I did a whole other video on How to Make a Great First Impression that I'll link to. And finally number nine, the interview starts the moment you apply. So many people focus on just acing the in-person interview, and what they forget is that a company's perception of you begins way before you walk through those doors. And their evaluation of you continues even after the first in-person meeting. Be mindful of your digital footprint. Google yourself and see what comes up. Check those privacy settings on your social media accounts. Is there something you need to take down or at least something you need to have an explanation for? Treat your phone interview like a real interview. Prepare for it like you would a real interview. Find a quiet place free of distractions. Dress up, take notes. All this “put togetherness” will come cross. Once you arrive for your in-person interview, remember even if you're not talking to your future boss yet, you're still being evaluated. So that receptionist may not be the hiring manager, but that doesn't mean she can't torpedo your chances of getting a job because you're being a jackass in the waiting room. Finally, after the interview, send thank-you emails or thank you notes to everyone who interviewed you. It helps if you ask for their card each time you meet them. This is just one last way to show that you're buttoned up and that you want that job. Ironically, sometimes the people who interview best are not actually that good at their jobs, and people who interview really badly can be great at their jobs. Interviewing is a whole separate skill that takes practice. And much like learning how to talk to women, it helps if you can get comfortable practicing without being attached to the outcome. If you found this video helpful, do me a favor and hit that like button below. And if you want to see more videos like this, you can subscribe to the channel by clicking right about here. And hit that bell icon if you want to be notified when a new video comes out. You can also get a free copy of my ebook, “48-Hour Gentlemen” by clicking right about here. And then finally, you can watch another Distilled Man video right about here. Thanks again for watching, and I'll see you soon! [Music]
