Interview E34
Do you need to come prepared with your resume to your interview?
Depends. When the interview is scheduled is when you should ask, “What will I need for the interview?” If you are told to have your resume in hand, then you should take your resume with you.
What you could take with you:
1. Pen and paper to take notes
a. If you are a note taker then this is a no-brainer. However, even if you are not a note take you should consider scribbling a few things down to help you keep the conversation going. Statistics have shown that if your interview lasts longer than the time allotted you stand out more as a candidate. You can contribute to your own benefit by writing down what interests you or what makes you question something. When asked if you have any questions you can answer positively
2. Questions
a. Read through the job description, if available, a few times to generate some questions about the responsibilities and qualifications. While a well-written job description may leave you speechless, you should have some questions to help really clarify what you could be doing. Examples include:
i. What does a typical day look like in this role?
ii. How does this role interact with other leaders or team contributors?
iii. If this role was vacated: What were the weaknesses of the person prior to me?
iv. If this role was vacated: What were the strengths of the person prior to me?
1. Both questions will likely throw your interviewer(s) off as they won’t expect for you, the candidate, to inquire as to your predecessor but, there is a good reason. This not only extends the conversations, but you can gather some depth regarding the role. This will be a great way to gauge if you are truly a good fit or not.
v. Ask if there is anything about your qualifications that concern your interviewer(s).
1. Why? To create an opportunity to clarify anything on your resume. By hearing about the concerns, you can offer more insight and specific experiences that will continue to help you stand out. Or help you identify that this is not the right role for you.
3. Salary expectations:
a. Research the role thoroughly. There are websites out there that collect data from employees and employers and salary is one of them. You don’t want to go in with an absolute amount but a salary range. That salary range should be based on the roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of the job along with the location/region of the role, the type of industry, and the size of the employer. Be reasonable. Employers do not solve your financial problems. Once you have a salary range for the role, based on solid researching, it is safe to add 10% to account for the added value of your skill set (again pending all the aforementioned factors).
b. To be clear, DO NOT BRING UP SALARY on your own. If you are told to bring your salary requirements or if you are asked without warning during the interview you need to be prepared. In addition, no need to waste time if the pay is not there.
4. Ask about the culture. The culture of an organization is influenced by several factors including social causes and trends. Know your personal values and your professional values and compare that to what you are told about the corporate culture
5. Confidence
a. You are not just being interviewed. You are, also, vetting the organization. You are going to spend a lot of your time and professional resources so be sure you are able to commit for YOUR right reasons, not just THE right reasons.