Job Interviews in 2022

Keeping up with the best interview practices benefits more than just the average college graduate looking for an entry level position. Business owners and entrepreneurs have to get their experience somewhere before they can make it on their own. Sometimes that’s through growing up in a trade or finding a niche fresh out of school. Many times, however, you start at the bottom. You study in school, interview for an internship, learn all you can and get your foot into the field of your interest. This topic is also important for established business owners, HR managers, and CEO’s alike because obviously for macro-scaled success, you need to hire people to handle the day to day tasks of your business. So, before you write off this post as irrelevant to you, try to think of any possible way that knowing the best interview practices will help you- be it pitching yourself to a venture capitalist or a future partner, or simply being able to find the best professional for the position you’re hiring for.

If you are jumping into the workforce for the first time, or if you’re like one of the hundreds of thousands of people changing careers because of Covid, then these tips will impact you directly!

1. Sell yourself and know your worth.
When you go into an interview, you are literally selling yourself to your potential employer. It’s time to showcase your strengths. Think before you speak. Speak with clarity, and listen intently. Be confident, but not cocky. One of the easiest methods of building confidence for an interview is studying interview questions- both more basic questions, as well as those unique to your field.
In 2020, people were quitting at record numbers. Fast forward to now, and employers are desperate for workers. People are demanding more flexibility, higher salaries, and more benefits. While the potential employees have the upperhand for now, you still must convince the interviewer that your skills and personality traits make you the best fit for the position before you can negotiate. If you can assure them that you are worth their time and money, then they will be more likely to agree to your terms.
2. Do your homework on the company.
You should be highly familiar with the industry, company, department, and position that you are interviewing for. Part of this means going over interview questions that are specific to your position or field. This interview is less about you, and more about whether or not you’re a good fit for the company. You should be actively presenting how your skill sets will help them. Your goal of the interview is to convince them of what you can do for the company.
3. Be punctual.
Time is valuable, and if you don’t respect the time of the interviewer, then they will assume that you won’t effectively manage your time on the job. Even with online or phone interviews, you should always plan to be in place and ready to go about 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
4. Say “thank you” more than once.
Especially when applying for a position with a large number of applicants, you need to find ways to make yourself stand out from the crowd. The easiest way to do this, outside of being qualified and professional, is to say “thank you.” Say it at the end of the interview, then on your way out write a short thank you note on a sticky-note and place it somewhere that it will definitely be seen. Then, the icing on the cake will be a “thank you” letter a day or two after the interview. The more times your name appears in front of the hiring manager, the more your great interview will stick in their minds when it comes time to make a decision.
6. Dress appropriately.
As a general rule of thumb, it is better to be a little overdressed than underdressed. With that said, don’t show up in a black suit and tie to a construction project manager job. Also, while it shouldn’t be your primary concern, it is smart to make yourself somewhat aware of business fashion trends. For example, don’t show up to interview for a position in the public eye, wearing a jacket from your grandfather’s closet.

We know first hand that running your business can take up all of your time and then some! It is so easy to get stuck in a cycle of needing to hire more employees, but not having the time to spend on the search for the right candidates. If you are in need of hiring services then we can help! Omnis specializes in implementing business solutions systems. Contact us for more info!