How to Give “Great Interview”

How many things does Brennan do wrong in this interview? What does he do right? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Brennan’s dad gives him permission to borrow anything in his closet. An interview is a very important day and he has to look sharp.

Interviews are exciting, an opportunity to meet someone and share your passion for what you do and what you can bring to the job you’re interviewing for. Yet, so many people do not like interviewing. In fact, very few would define an interview the way I just did.

But what if you did define an interview as an opportunity to meet someone and share your passion for what you do and what you can bring to the job you’re interviewing for? How would that change the way you approach it?

Here are five tips that when using my definition, will help you give great interview.

1. Dress appropriately. Do not wear a tuxedo for a janitor position, as Brennan and his stepbrother did (note: don’t bring your step brother into the interview with you). A suit would have been fine to show he was taking the interview seriously, and business casual would have been okay as well. Know the position for which you are interviewing, and dress a step or two up. If you are interviewing for an executive position, dress “the part.”
2. Research the company. Almost every company has a website, these days, so go through it. Then, Google the company to learn other important factors in the company history that they may not have put on their site. By sharing some knowledge about the company that isn’t on the site, it shows you did your homework because you are interested in the job.
3. Research the person with whom you’re interviewing. This isn’t always possible on the company website. If you have a full name and a company name, you can Google and there’s a good chance you can find the person on LinkedIn and other social media sites. Brennan didn’t know anything about Pam, which is why he kept calling her Pand… very unprofessional.
4. Instead of “selling yourself” allow the interviewer to “sell the position.” Ask questions like, “What are the biggest challenges for this position?” or “How does this position support others at the company?” Both of these questions allow the interviewer to reveal the needs for you to fill. Then you can determine how your skills not only fit this position, you also can determine how you can bring even more if needed. (Note: be truthful. If you don’t have the skills for the job, it either isn’t a good fit, or share that they are skills you can easily learn, like studying basic Excel through online videos.)
5. Share YOU. When you let your nerves get the best of you, the interviewer doesn’t get to see the person who would show up for work each day. Instead, they see a version of you that is not hirable. Remedy this by having stories to tie in with the skills that apply to the position. When you’re sharing a story, YOU are present in all of your pride and excitement for what you do. If you don’t know how to tie in stories, you can learn how in my Great Cover Letter Program, where you are doing the same story sharing in your cover letters.

AND ACTION! 



1. Evaluate your past interviews that didn’t turn into jobs. What could you have done differently?
2. If you aren’t getting enough interviews, perhaps your cover letters/resumes are the problem. Check out my webinar on 5 Things NOT to Put in a Cover Letter HERE.

Brennan did not get the job… bottom line he just didn’t get how to be a professional and wasn’t motivated to improve. Are you motivated? Then take action now! Embrace the opportunity that interviews should be!