Appealing to Businesses Part 2: During the Interview
Now that you're face to face with employers, how do you stand out from all the other candidates?
In addition to supporting businesses in their hiring process, I want to help candidates navigate the job search process. When I was interviewing for positions, I felt generally confident about how to put my best foot forward, but looking back now, there are so many things I would change both in how I applied to jobs and how I interviewed for them. In this two-part series, I want to share the main takeaways I’ve gained about navigating the job search from my experience hiring these last few years.
Read last week’s newsletter here: Part 1: Getting the Interview – How to stand out among 250 other LinkedIn Applications
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During the Interview: How to Stand Out
After navigating the seemingly never-ending digital maze of applying for jobs online, receiving an invitation to interview can feel almost as exciting as getting the job itself. Since these opportunities are aren’t easy to come by, I wanted to take the time to clarify what employers are really looking for during the interview to ensure you stand out from all the other candidates.
To start, when an employer approaches an interview, first know that they want you to be the right fit. Whether you’re speaking to a recruiter who earns a commission from filling the position or a team member urgently seeking someone to take over the tasks on their plate, you’re engaging with someone who directly benefits from you succeeding in this interview. Your goal is not just to sell yourself or seem likable; it's to demonstrate that you are the right long-term fit for their company. So how do you do that?
When I am looking for someone could be a strong long-term fit for a role, I typically look for candidates who are:
Passionate about our product and what we do
Aligned with our company culture and values
Demonstrate loyalty to the businesses they’ve worked for
Skilled and dedicated in their role
Able to seamlessly fit into our current processes and systems
If the candidate checks these boxes, I am thrilled. Let’s discuss how to effectively communicate each of these qualities, and avoid common pitfalls, below.
Passionate about our product and what we do
After sitting through tons of interviews, I can’t stress enough how often candidates unintentionally give themselves away. If you’re interviewing with a popular or creative company, they’re likely to ask how you know about the brand or how long you’ve been following them. Even if you only discovered them after applying, they don’t need to know that! Avoid giving a literal timeline. I’ve had SO many candidates reply with the answer, “Oh, I just found out about you after looking you up, but I really like what you guys do.” Even if they do genuinely connect with the brand, it falls flat compared to candidates who clearly communicated their enthusiasm for the company. You’ve already done your homework, so focus on what you connect with about the company and don’t sell yourself short by giving yourself away.
Alignment with the company culture and values
When a company prides itself on qualities like friendliness, inclusivity, and a can-do spirit where no task is too big or too small, I look for those same traits in candidates — both in how they present themselves and in the examples they share. While culture alignment often becomes clear throughout the interview, it’s especially powerful in the questions candidates ask at the end. I’ve always valued candidates who inquire about subjects they care about, like our stance on inclusivity or how we treat our people. Taking the time to ask these questions reveals their personal value system and that they care about the same things we do, which is often a strong indicator of a good long-term fit.
Demonstrates loyalty to the businesses they’ve worked for
When employers interview candidates, they’re looking for signs of long-term commitment, like someone who is likely to stay two years or more. While your work history can reflect this, loyalty is about more than just time spent at a job. It’s crucial to speak respectfully about previous employers. If you’ve encountered difficult situations, focus on how you handled them professionally, what steps you took to address issues, and how you worked toward finding a resolution. This shows patience, understanding, and a willingness to navigate challenges in a respectful and constructive way, which would make me as the employer confident you could be a strong long-term fit for the company.
Skilled and dedicated in their role
When I evaluate a candidate’s level of experience, I am less interested in how they describe themselves and more interested in the specific examples of their work they provide. Everyone claims to be organized, but who can back it up with real-life examples? For example, what systems do you use to stay organized? How does that differ from what others do? What examples from your previous work demonstrate skill in your role? Clear examples will set you apart from other candidates who also describe themselves as skilled, organized, and dedicated. Don’t simply say you are organized if it is important to you to get that across. Show it with your examples.
Can seamlessly fit into our processes and systems
One of the biggest indicators of a candidate’s experience level is the questions they ask about our company’s processes. Candidates will often say they are confident they can fit into the day-to-day needs of the role, without asking or knowing yet how our team works. For example, a good candidate for an Executive Assistant role will communicate a general understanding of the role’s needs, but a great one will ask what project management systems we use, how they’re working for us, and provide suggestions that they’ve found helpful in the past. Great candidates familiarize themselves with our processes, communicate their efficiencies in those areas, and suggest ways to improve. Sometimes I leave these interviews feeling like the candidate is already performing in the role — a strong indicator that we may have found our person!
Even though this is a HIGHLY summarized version of what I think helps you stand out during an interview, I hope it helps simplify what you are trying to accomplish when interviewing for a new position. Familiarize yourself with the company, express your enthusiasm, provide clear examples of your strengths, and if you can, start getting to know their processes and even offer suggestions, and employers may start to feel excited that they’ve found the right person for the job.
Since we covered a lot in a short time, feel free to reach out with any questions or if you'd like more details on any of the points mentioned. I truly appreciate knowing what’s helpful to you!!!
Thank you for reading!
Devin
PS. If you are a business in need of hiring support, send me an email! I don’t take a salary percentage of the hire or have any hidden fees or contractual obligations, just a transparent hourly rate to help businesses find and retain the right new hire for their business. Hope to connect with you soon! Recruitment@devintrevino.co