It’s easy to get lost in the tedium of the job search process: honing your resume, mining new connections on LinkedIn, asking your professional network about job openings, and playing the waiting game. Job interviews add novelty to the process, offering a viable way to sell your skills and connect with the office culture without appearing overzealous. But the interview itself is not the only hurdle when landing a new career. Go from “candidate number 1” to “onboarding executive” with these wrap-up tips for executive job interviews.
How to Make Your Interview Matter
- Check your ego at the door. There’s a fine line between confidence and over-confidence. Confidence wins executive careers; overconfidence leaves interviewers feeling sour. Don’t push the bounds of politeness in the hopes of tipping the interview in your favor. The query “Did I get the job?” should never enter the interview space (and should stay clear of follow-up emails, too).
- Be proactive. Don’t let the hiring manager dominate the conversation. After answering your interviewer’s questions, ask a few of your own. Learn about job requirements, salary, and office culture. As you exit the interview, ask the HR team what to expect from the decision-making process. To make a greater impact (and expand your professional network), ask whether you can connect with your interviewers on LinkedIn.
- Don’t forget to follow-up. Keep yourself fresh in the mind of HR by sending a prompt follow-up note after your interview. To make an greater impact, send a “thank you” email that same day.
- Keep following up. There’s a fine line between proactive and pushy; executives who walk it have better job search success than those who don’t. If the hiring manager discloses that a lengthy decision-making process is imminent, check in periodically. Instead of asking, “Have you made a decision yet?” add value by sharing an industry-related article or congratulating your contact on a job-related success. You’ll keep your interview fresh in the manager’s mind without harassing him.
To learn more about creating an impactful resume, acing interviews, and effectively managing your LinkedIn profile, call Executive Resumes Atlanta.