Job interview advice is everywhere—but what really works? Here are 4 examples of how job seekers have been incredibly impressive in the interview and got the offer.
1) Build a Really Big Brag Book
A brag book (aka Kudos folder or portfolio) is a collection of career successes that don’t necessarily fit on your resume—like performance reviews, projects, brochures, presentations, complimentary notes, etc. (Read more about brag books here: Brag Book Essentials for Every Job Hunter.)
Example –
I had a candidate who compiled a brag book that was 1-inch thick—it was overwhelming evidence of her success. During the interview, she used a highlighter to mark specific things the hiring manager really needed to see, based on their conversation. She then showed the interviewer only about 10 specific pages that were amazing in terms of illustrating her success. This gave her a huge advantage, because it emphasized for the interviewer just how amazing she was, and had him thinking about what else was in that book.
2) Give Them Great References
References are so important—companies do call them, and they are very influenced by what they learn. This is why it’s not only important that you choose great references, but that you prepare or coach your references for each job interview.
Example –
Less than 30 minutes after the interview ended, the job seeker had his reference (his former boss) send an email to the hiring manager. The email was written well, saying that this person was ‘all that’ and more—but what was particularly impressive was the timing. He got the offer.
3) Over-Prepare for the Interview
You can never be too prepared for an interview. Not only will you approach it with more confidence, you will actually perform better when you’re ready for anything. However, one step that most job seekers don’t think about (because it’s above-and-beyond) is actually showing them a glimpse of you on the job.
Example –
A candidate met with a client for a sales job calling on a specific kind of physician. When she went to the first interview, she had a list of physicians that she would call on (if she were hired), with a checkmark by the ones she knew. By itself, that was impressive—but she didn’t stop there. In her second interview, she brought the same list—with 25 highlighted names of physicians that she had made the effort to personally speak with to find out who they were using for the specific product this new company represented, along with what they liked and disliked about the product and what they saw as issues. When she presented that to the Regional Manager, he took her in to see the CEO. The CEO was blown away, and she had the offer before she got off the plane on her way home.
This technique is a natural for all kinds of sales jobs, but could be adapted to other types of jobs with a little creativity.
4) Create a 30 60 90 Day Plan
A 30 60 90 day plan is another way to show (not just tell) a potential employer how you would approach your new job and be very successful at it. Basically, it’s a list of actions and goals that you prioritize into what you would do for the first 30, 60, and 90 days at your new job.
(Read more about these plans here: How to Create and Use a 30-60-90-Day Plan to Knock Their Socks Off.)
Example –
Derek had taken a 5-year break from his career (for personal reasons) and it was time to get back to work. He went for an interview for a job he “could have done with his eyes closed,” and yet he didn’t get the job. So, the next time he got an interview, he created a 30-60-90-Day Plan for it. As he walked them through his plan, his interviewers realized that this particular job wasn’t for him, but he was “the best prepared candidate they’d ever seen” and they would be crazy to let him get away. So what did they do? They created a more senior role specifically for him.
Imagine being so wanted by a company that they created a dream job, tailor-made for you? That’s the power of using a 30 60 90 day plan.
I encourage you to use all of these interview tips to set yourself apart and get the offer.