Can You Over-Prepare for Your Job Interview?
Legacy signals
Legacy popularity: 2,259 legacy views
I don't think it's even possible to be "over-prepared" for your job interview. The better prepared you are, the more confident you will be--and that shows. Especially in this job market, you've got to show up with your "A" game right off the bat to avoid getting eliminated from consideration. That means putting everything you've got into getting ready for your interview. When you think about your interview strategy, think about your goals. What do you want to accomplish in the interview?
* You want your potential boss to see how successful you are going to be in the job.
* You want to convince him that your product (you as a candidate) is the one he needs to solve his problem.
So, you've got to be able to address, with as much knowledge as you can, what the company's issues are and how you are the best person to tackle them. That takes research and preparation. You've got to know what the company's mission, goals, and biggest problems are.
The best way to showcase your interview preparation is with a 30/60/90-day plan. It's a written outline of your tasks and goals for your first 3 months on the job. You have to do some pretty extensive background research to get one completed, but it's worth it because it is the tool you need to accomplish your interview goals. Most people think about it in relation to sales jobs, but it's completely adaptable to just about every job.
A 30/60/90-day plan shows the hiring manager that you're going to be able to step right into the job without missing a beat. It helps him to see you in the job, because as you discuss your plan, you'll be talking about you on the job. You'll be able to demonstrate your communication and strategic thinking skills. You will be demonstrating your dedication and commitment to the company before you even have the offer.
That's a significant amount of work, and a lot more than most candidates will do. But that's exactly why this kind of "over-preparatio
" makes you stand out as a candidate who's prepared for success.
Further reading
Further Reading
Article
Fastest Way to Find a Job - Tip 17 Newspapers (or Craigslist)
Newspapers (or Craigslist) If you know that I’m not very fond of job boards as a job search resource, then you must be really surprised that I would talk about newspapers or even Craigslist in a series about the fastest way to find a job. I’m sure you assume that I think newspapers belong to the Dark Ages and Craigslist is just the online version of classified ads. Which it is…but bear with me.
Related piece
Article
Fastest Way to Find a Job - Tip 15 - Alumni Organizations
Alumni Organizations Alumni organizations are great networking resources for you, which means they are also great resources to help you find a job.
Related piece
Article
Fastest Way to Find a Job - Tip 19 Industry Organizations
Industry Organizations Industry organizations are some of the best job search resources anywhere. These can be fantastic because they are a direct connection for you to people in your field—including potential hiring managers, but that’s not your only benefit here. You can expand your network, you can learn a lot about your field, and you can often find out about jobs that aren’t necessarily listed on national job boards. For instance, I was a part of several organizations when I was in clinical diagnostics sales: The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC)r
Related piece
Article
How to Answer Interview Questions – Q79
What will you contribute to this job? This job interview question is very similar to “Why should we hire you?” Or, “Why do we want you over the other candidates?” The job interview is a sales process in which you are the product and the hiring manager and company is the buyer. Your salary is the price of the product, you and your skill sets. It’s fair for them to ask, “What are we going to get for our money?”
Related piece