Getting invited to the interview signals that the organization or company thinks you've got the right experience and skill set to do the job, but most people underwhelm in their interviews. Here are the 3 most common reasons strong candidates blow their interviews.
Reason #1: Not enough detail in their answers
One of the key mistakes people make in their interviews is
excluding critical details that are relevant for the job they are interviewing for.
If you were trying to sell a car to a young family, you wouldn’t just tell them
that it was a safe car with good mileage and plenty of space. You’d tell them
that the car seats 7, received the highest marks for safety from the rating agency,
gets 9 more miles per gallon than a sedan, and has 8 cup holders and a DVD
player. Those details are important to making the sale. The same is true in
your interview. You need to provide the details that help the interviewer do the following:
- see that you have the key skills they are looking for;
- understand the relative importance of your project or accomplishment
- recognize the impact you had
Here’s an example:
Tell me more about this project you worked on last summer
during your internship.
Weak Answer
I did research on the competitive landscape and industry
growth outlook of the widget market. I gathered data on a number of different
variables to understand how the companies were positioned against each other
and any potential regulatory changes. My analysis was a key part of the final
presentation.
Strong Answer
I did over 70 hours of research on the $8 billion widget
market for the firm’s client, who is considering vertical integration into that
market. I looked at the competitive landscape and potential impediments to
industry growth. There are 4 strong companies with a combined 70% market share.
For each of those companies I evaluated quantitative and qualitative factors
including historical and projected revenues by lines of business, cash flow,
product mix and their market share across key demographic groups. For the
industry analysis, I was specifically responsible for assessing the regulatory
landscape, which involved interviewing staffers in several congressional
offices and analysts in two lobbying organizations. My analysis was a key part
of the final presentation and I was even called upon to answer a few questions
during the client presentation.
Analysis
The strong answer is much better
because it provides specific details that help the interviewer understand the
context of the project (market entry analysis for a client), the nature of the
work (competitive landscape and regulatory analysis), and the specific analysis
you performed (e.g. revenue by line of business, product mix, potential
regulation). Hopefully several of these details help the interviewer see that
you have the skills and/or experience to be a competitive candidate for the
job.
Reason #2: They do a poor job of answering the “Why Me” question
Why should they hire YOU over all of the other people who
want the same job? Remember that the ideal candidate for the job is someone who
has the key skills and can hit the ground running. The more evidence you can
provide to illustrate those important skills, the stronger your candidacy.
Why don't you start by telling me about why you're interested in this position?
Weak Answer
I would get a lot out of the job and really benefit from
working closely with such a talented group. I also feel that through my
extra-curricular activities, I have demonstrated the key communications and
analytical skills required to be successful.
Strong Answer
I know that communication and analytical skills are critical
to developing marketing reports and working with the account representatives. I
feel that I have developed these skills in my extra-curricular activities. As
the fundraising coordinator for my fraternity, I developed 3 different
solicitation pitches for different types of alums and personally spoke to over
50 alums about contributing to the fraternity. I also helped the town arts
& activities committee develop a social media marketing strategy that has
attracted 2500 new names to their outreach database.
Analysis
The weak answer ties important skills for the job to
experiences that illustrate those skills, but without any evidence. The
interviewer also talks about how the job would benefit them. In almost any job
interview, this is the wrong approach. The interviewer knows you’d benefit from
the job, their key question is whether the company will benefit from hiring
you. The stronger answer showcases a clear understanding of why those skills
are important in the job, and provides specific evidence of those skills in the
individual’s extra-curricular activities.
Reason #3: Bad energy
Interviewees who have flat verbal delivery, talk too
quickly, are nervous, or arrogant fail the “fit” test. Since most of us lack
enough self-awareness to realize that we may have these problems, the best prevention against this pitfall is to:
1)
Prepare so you have confidence in what to expect in the interview, your knowledge of the industry, company and job, and the key points you will communicate during the interview; and
2)
Get feedback, especially through mock interviews. They way you
talk to your friends probably differs greatly from how you communicate in
interviews.