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Ask questions.
As you’ve no doubt heard before: job interviews are a two-way street. One way to impress your interviewer is to ask questions about the role and the company. This not only shows you showed up to the interview well prepared, but also signals your level of investment and motivation for the role. You assume an active role in the process, transforming the interview into a genuine two-way conversation. Examples of questions to ask include:
- “How do you expect this team to evolve in the short and long term? What position do you envision for this team within the company’s core business?”
- “What are the possibilities for personal development in this role? Could you give an example of a growth path within the company, with this role as a starting point?”
- “How do you see my background and experiences fitting into this team and company culture? What new contribution could I bring to the team and company?”
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Be clear about your passions.
Passion and commitment to a role counts for more than experience. If you are able to show clear ambition, well-defined goals and genuine passion to your interviewer, you will stick out in their memory.
One way to incorporate your enthusiasm and passions into the interview is to work it into your answers to the standard questions you will most likely get. There are many creative ways to do this. Here are a few examples:
Q: “What business accomplishment are you most proud of?”
A: “I am most proud of the deal I made with software company X. As someone who is passionate about computers, ICT and software, I was the only one in my team keeping an eye on software companies as potential clients. I used my entrepreneurial mindset to get into contact with software company X through cold acquisition….”
Or:
Q: “What is something you can still improve?”
A: “One aspect I can still improve in is time management. A few months ago, I noticed that I was spending a lot of time working ahead on writing strategic branding plans for our company’s new proposition. I am very passionate about branding and strategy marketing, and was therefore spending a lot of time on them….”
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Show your business acumen.
As with any other business meeting, the way you present yourself is more than half the work of making a good first impression. The first step to a successful interview therefore lies in projecting professionalism, enthusiasm and openness. In essence, a job interview is just another business meeting, so try to frame the meeting in your mind as open-ended from both sides. You just want to meet up to see what you can both do for each other. If you keep that thought in the back of your mind as you go into the interview, it will change your whole demeanor, and you will come across as a relaxed, open and interested business partner.
