Job interviews: crafting compelling professional narratives

AMY GALLO: Let's say you've landed a job interview

for a position you really want.

Well done.

Congratulations.

But when it's time for the interview,

you might get a lot of conflicting advice.

Be yourself.

Whatever you do, don't be yourself.

Take charge of the interview.

Let the interviewer be in charge.

Confusing, right?

Well, I'm here to help.

In this video, I've culled advice

from top experts in the field and want

to share strategic tips on how best to prepare, what to do,

and what to say so that you can make a great impression

in your next interview.

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First, do your homework.

Let's be honest.

Your primary job in the interview

is to dazzle them with the fact that you're perfectly

suited for the role.

But before you can do that, you need

to invest time in learning about the organization and the job.

So find out as much as you can about

how the organization is structured,

its culture, and relevant industry trends.

If possible, see what you can find out

about the people conducting the interview.

There may be valuable professional or personal points

of connection that could help make your interview more

relatable and memorable.

Lastly, research the requirements and challenges

of the particular position you're applying for

and the qualities of a successful candidate based

on that information.

Ask yourself questions like, what technical skills are

essential to perform this job?

What kinds of people skills would I need to succeed?

What do I need to prove I already know how to do

or that I'm willing to learn in order to be successful?

Being well-prepared will boost your confidence

and give you a better chance of acing the interview.

And all of this information is key to your success

in the next tip, crafting your stories.

That's right.

It's story time.

And these stories are all about why you are

the perfect person for the job.

As author Claudio Fernández-Aráoz reminds us,

"people buy into stories far more than they do evidence

or data."

A good story can also stir up empathy

and boost your likability.

If you give them a chance to relate to you as a real person,

you might just set yourself apart from the competition.

Remember how you just researched the skills required for the job

and what's important to the organization?

Well, now you get to tell powerful personal stories that

connect each of those to your own experiences,

values, and achievements in both your work and personal life.

Pick three or four main messages you want to convey and craft

your narratives accordingly.

The goal is to have these in your back pocket

so you can smoothly trot them out

as answers to relevant interview questions.

Author Vicky Oliver writes that a compelling story

has a great beginning, riveting middle,

and an end that makes the interviewer root for you

to win the job.

Have a good opening line, such as,

let me tell you about a time I rescued the organization,

then tell them about any obstacles or issues that arose

and how you overcame them.

Keep the story short but interesting and impactful.

An important note-- not all stories

have to show total perfection.

You will make a real impression and seem more relatable

if you can share stories of challenges and even mistakes,

as long as you remember to show what you learned from them.

Practice, practice, practice--

Once you select your stories, you need to rehearse.

Just like an actor prepares for the stage or screen,

you are preparing a character, a confident, competent, likable,

flexible version of yourself to perform in the interview.

I'm not saying you should be inauthentic or overexaggerate

your experiences or skills.

But author and coach Cathy Salit writes,

"You are literally auditioning for a new role."

You are presenting the best possible version of yourself.

And since you've done your homework,

you know what parts of your personality and experience

to emphasize for each position.

So what exactly should you practice?

Well, for one, practice your opening.

First impressions really matter here.

In fact, research shows that people

form opinions about your personality and intelligence

in the first 30 seconds of the interview, 30 seconds.

So in front of a mirror, pretend you are introducing yourself

and assess things like your posture, tone,

and body language.

You want to communicate a balance of ease, clarity,

and confidence.

The most important thing is to practice telling your stories

with energy and enthusiasm.

You want to be ready to share them as confident, clear,

and straightforward responses to relevant interview questions.

You can even practice in front of a friend

or record yourself on video.

You can then use the feedback to make any necessary adjustments

to your appearance or your delivery

before the actual interview.

Have a great conversation.

Once you're comfortable telling your stories,

Cathy Salit has another unique piece of advice.

Instead of performing as someone who

is trying really hard to get the job,

perform as someone who wants to have

a great conversation with the person across from you.

First, be curious or at least perform curiosity

if you need to.

Ask open-ended questions connected to what you've heard.

This will allow the conversation to unfold more naturally.

Side note, if you need some ideas,

check out the links for another HBR video on 38 smart questions

to ask in an interview.

Be ready to improvise.

I know I've just told you to prepare and rehearse

your stories, but they aren't just talking points

to be rattled off.

You also need to listen attentively and be ready

to accept every conversational opening with the classic improv

phrase, "yes, and" as a way to build upon the conversation.

Also, as author John Lees reminds us,

be flexible, read the room, and adjust accordingly.

If your radar is telling you that your stories aren't

working, you may need to supply different answers,

adjust your tone, or stop speaking altogether

because, well, some interviewers just love

to hear themselves talk.

Pay attention and change course as needed.

When things go wrong--

despite your best efforts to prepare,

interviews don't always go as planned.

Here are some potential pitfalls and what you can do about them.

Lack of direct experience--

If there are areas where your past achievements don't directly

correlate to the job, redirect the focus

away from where your experience might

fall short and towards an emphasis on your potential

and overall competence.

If you can demonstrate your ability to learn a skill

or adapt to a situation, this could convince an interviewer

to ignore any potential holes in your CV.

One side note-- taking charge of the interview in this way

can help steer interviewers away from unconscious biases

that favor experience over competence.

Tough questions about your resume--

If there are some less-than-perfect situations

on your CV, like a long pause in your work history

or a short stay at a recent job, John Lees

recommends preparing multiple ways

to reply so that you aren't left struggling for an answer.

First, prepare a simple, straightforward response

that doesn't go into too much detail.

Then have an additional reply ready

if the interviewer follows up.

For example, if you didn't finish

a degree that would have been helpful to the job,

be ready to answer an initial question with something like,

I felt it was better to go straight into the workforce.

If the interviewer pushes further,

be ready with another level of detail, such as I

thought about it carefully.

I knew it would carry negative connotations,

but I was confident that I would learn a lot more

with direct work experience.

Mistakes happen.

If you notice your interviewer losing interest

or you've stumbled over some answers,

don't dwell on the mistakes.

Just keep going and stay focused.

Answer the current question as if it's the first one.

Even acknowledging the situation with a corrective statement

like, am I giving you what you need,

is there other information I could give you,

and then following their cues can help dig you out

of the current hole and get the conversation back on track.

A note on preparing virtual interviews--

Many interviews these days take place virtually.

If that's the case for you, here are some specific things

you should do to prepare.

First, prepare your space.

You want your background to be clean and uncluttered.

Clean up the area around you, too,

even if it's not visible on camera.

Research shows that when our space is messy,

so is our thinking.

A clean environment will boost your mood

and make you feel less stressed.

These are things your interviewer can see,

and it will make a big difference in your performance.

Your face should be well lit and visible.

Make sure your internet speed is in good shape.

Pro tip, Google internet speed test

and check to make sure the Wi-Fi you are using

can handle the call.

Next, prepare yourself.

Even though it's virtual, you should dress for the interview.

Unless the organization is an all-suit situation,

experts recommend a business casual outfit in neutral colors

to appear more authentic, trustworthy, creative,

and knowledgeable.

Wear something comfortable.

You don't want to be fidgeting with your clothes

while on camera.

Use your computer's camera to check yourself

and your space ahead of time so you

can see what your interviewers will see and make

any necessary tweaks.

OK, let's review.

Here's a quick wrap-up of the do's and don'ts so you can stand

out in your next interview.

All of these strategies are based on articles

linked in the description.

Do you have any advice on how to stand out in an interview?

Or do you have other big topics you'd like me to cover?

Comment below.

Bye for now.