Top 3 Interview Killers – and How to Avoid Them

You know the moment. It’s been an awesome interview and you’re feeling pumped about this exciting new opportunity. Then all of a sudden you answer a question and you can feel it. Like the air was sucked out of the room. And you know. You. Are. Definitely Not. Getting this job.

Want to increase the chances that you’ll won’t have to experience that again? These tips are a surefire way to tip the scales in your favor. 

1) Know what you’re worth. This is really important because the salary question can come up at any time in the interview process. While you should never be the one to bring it up, you should always be ready to answer it. Do some research within your professional network and online via tools like Salary and Glassdoor. Then come up with an appropriate range, within which your desired salary is closer to the bottom. If you want to be offered $50K, state that you’re looking for something within the $45 to $60K range. Giver yourself room to negotiate and sound confident when you tell someone what you would like. You’re worth it, right?

2) Know what the company is up to. This goes beyond knowing what they do, make or sell. You should be aware of anything that was recently in the news, online or in social media. Do a google search, do a google news search, and then do a hashtag search on Twitter. Then, take it one step further and think about how any changes you’ve identified will be applicable to your desired role. How will you add value?

3) Be ready with answers to the tough questions. Think about some times that you’ve failed at work, and what you learned from it. Be introspective about your career and think about your own areas of opportunity, then find a way to spin that into a positive. Your goal is to appear confident and self-aware, and be willing to learn as much as you are ready to lead.

Working with a professional resume writer certainly helps to define your personal brand, but if that’s not on your radar at the moment it’s up to you to do the homework. Visualize the ideal candidate for your dream job and then develop some targeted examples from your career of how you have displayed those qualities and attributes.