Ace the interview
Three strategies to set you up for success
Hi there, I’m Emily! 👋 Welcome to Hired Humanities, a biweekly newsletter devoted to helping humanities students build careers on their own terms.
Hey, readers! How’s your June going so far?
I normally don’t associate summertime with job interviews, but I can’t seem to get away from the topic. The Internet is abuzz with talk about the Great Resignation now that people are ready to make career moves as Covid restrictions are lifting. Some academic friends have been going through final interview rounds, while others are asking for advice on non-academic interview tactics. When did June become such a hot month for job seekers?
One thing is for certain, though: learning how to interview is an important skill to develop, no matter what industry you’re in or the time of year. That universal truth quickly became apparent after I left academia in 2015. I honestly can’t tell you how many job interviews I’ve had since I transitioned. I’ve interviewed at large and small organizations, for jobs in various industries, and even for different roles within the same company. I’ve sat through phone interviews, group interviews, role-play interviews. And now I’m on the other side of the table as a member of hiring panels.
While I’m sure there are some people who are naturally great at interviewing, it took me a while to find my groove. Interviewing is just another among the many challenges that school doesn’t really prepare you to meet, so I had to learn by trial and error the greatest lesson of all, that success comes down to preparation. There are so many unknowns when you walk into any given interview— the style of the interviewer, the internal processes of the company, the questions you’ll get asked— but you do have control over how ready yourself in the face of those unknowns.
Today, I thought I’d walk through three strategies I’ve used to prepare for interviews. Read on to learn about what you can do to set yourself up for success.
Photo by Jan Kahánek on Unsplash
Define your “why”
It’s nearly inevitable that someone on your interview panel will ask you why you want the role, so thinking through an explanation of your motivation for applying to the job, or your “why,” is key.
You might be saying to yourself, “Emily, that’s easy—why would I need to spend time thinking about it in advance?” but it’s trickier than you think. If your explanation only focuses on what you’ll get out of the role, you can run the risk of seeming individualistic rather than a team player. Take the following example:
I was getting burned out in academia, but I like to research. This role is attractive since I don’t need to apply for grants but I still get to research.
Can you see how this explanation could fall flat for a hiring manager? It makes it seem like the candidate only cares about getting out of academia and isn’t all too excited about the role at hand.
I’ve found that the strongest answers to the question of “why this role?” reveal how your career goals and unique skills intersect with what the company and the position offer. With that in mind, the next time you’re getting ready for a job interview, take a moment to answer the following questions and use the answers to define your why:
What am I looking for in my next role?
What attracts me to the company?
How does this role match what I’m looking for?
How will the role allow me to leverage my skills?
Let’s apply this framework to the statement above. Here’s what we get:
I’m looking for roles that afford me flexibility while engaging in cutting-edge research. I love how innovation is one of your company's values, and I believe that my research experience can help the team continue to push the boundaries of the industry.
Doesn’t this statement sound stronger and more appealing?
Though it is a massive improvement, this particular example is still generic. When you’re defining your why, be sure to tailor it as much as possible to the role and company at hand.
Nail down your talking points
Writing down and practicing my talk points in advance of interviews was a total game-changer for me. Not only did it allow me to connect the dots more clearly between my experience and the roles I was interviewing for, but it also helped me sound more confident the day of.
Below I’ve outlined my preferred method for nailing down talking points. Next time you’re interviewing, try it out and see how it goes.
Step 1: Revisit Job Description
Re-read the original job description and pick five bullet points that your skills and experience match. Having your talking points speak to skills and experience listed in the job description will show the interviewer that you understand what they’re looking for in their next hire, and it’ll keep you focused on the qualities that matter in the interview.
Step 2: Explain Why
Next, write them down on a separate sheet of paper. Underneath each bullet point write a sentence or two explaining why you meet that qualification or exemplify the quality that they’re working for. You don’t need to regurgitate the exact wording of the job description; just be sure to capture the spirit of what they want.
Step 3: Cite Specific Examples
For each of your talking points, identify one or two times you’ve embodied that quality or met that qualification. Focus on what you did and the outcome of your actions.
This part is especially key because vague tales of your brilliance won’t yield good results. Think about it— would you ever make a claim in a paper without providing evidence to back it up? It’s a similar story for interviewing. If you say that you’re a creative problem solver, it’ll be much more believable if you can cite an example of when you’ve actually been a creative problem solver.
Step 4: Practice
Finally, take some time to practice your talking points so they feel natural and come easily to mind. Buy your friend or partner a cup of coffee and ask them to play the interviewer so you can try them out loud. Or, if you’re not the role-playing type, read them aloud to help yourself get used to speaking them with confidence.
Brainstorm some questions
Finally, when you’re in the hot seat, it’s easy to forget that you’re also assessing whether the company is a good fit for you. With that in mind, it’s important to have your own questions for the interviewer at the ready.
In initial phone screens and interviews, you can focus on the basics of the role and the company. I recommend probing for more information on what the day-to-day of the job looks like, including how you’ll spend your time and who you’ll be working with. These details are often hard to tease out from a job listing, so take advantage of your interviewer’s insider knowledge to figure them out.
Another approach I’ve found helpful for formulating my own interview questions is to think about your ideal role. What are the things you want above all else, and what are your deal breakers? Is it a positive company culture and opportunities for mentorship? Use what you value to guide your questions, but remember, frame them in a way that doesn’t make you sound presumptuous or entitled (i.e. no “Will I be promoted to a director within a year?” vibes).
A parting note
Thanks for tuning in this week! Please don't hesitate to drop me a line if you have questions or feedback. And, if you think someone else in your life would love to receive this newsletter in their inbox, feel free to spread the word.
As ever,
Emily
Reading List
A few of my favorite links
📚 On the importance of Juneteenth and commemorating our history.
👀 Interviewing and overthinking often go hand in hand. This article from Psyche has some tips for battling rumination.
🎧 This NYT podcast about far-right extremism in Germany is a harrowing but timely listen.