How Did My Interview Go?

Landing a job interview is a great feeling. It’s a moment of knowing someone on the hiring side saw the potential of your skills and you. But getting the interview is only the beginning. After the initial excitement dies down, it’s time to start preparing for the interview.

First Impression
An interview is the first time you’ll get to speak to a hiring manager, over the phone or in person. So now is the time to prepare, researching the company and the role. Start the process as soon as you receive the invite to interview because this might be your only chance to impress. As you research, take notes and jot down questions. Don’t try and do research during a phone interview. Making a quick search while on the phone is noticeable in the pauses it takes to answer a question or in the filler words of “um” and “err.”

Phone Interview Etiquette

• Secure a quiet place with no interruptions or outside sounds
• Focus on the interview questions, no multitasking
• Keep the conversation business-like, don’t share personal details
• Be ready to start early, test out phone reception prior to the call
• Never talk about money
• Ask questions at the end to show interest
• Offer concise, clear answers

Cover All Bases
Research and preparation are key but it’s also important to know what’s personally important about the job, the culture and the pay to you. Knowing this ahead of time increases the ability to offer clear answers. Also, be prepared to offer a quick highlight of prior roles and be able to talk about strengths and weaknesses. Understand this is about more than the skills you provide. A company also wants to know how you can solve their problems and benefit the workplace through the role.

Retrospective Perspective
Part fear, part excitement, an interview can fly by leaving you wondering how it went. Once it’s over and you’re alone, take a couple of minutes to reflect on the interview in a quiet spot. Consider what went well and if you were able to provide answers to all the questions. Were you able to demonstrate your strengths and skills in a positive way?

Then look at things from the flip side. Were there aspects that need improvement before the next interview? Knowing where you stumbled and being willing to fix something for the next interview is an important part of the learning process.

Candidates working with a recruiter also have an opportunity to debrief post-interview. The recruiter will offer feedback after talking to the hiring contact. Listen closely to the feedback and ask questions. The more you can refine and learn, the better you’ll become.

How Did My Interview Go? is the second of a multi-part series from Staffing Kansas City featuring some of the most frequently asked job-seeker questions.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and contract employment placement services.