The Layoff Interview Prep
It may have been a minute since you interviewed for a job. Maybe you’ve been in your position for a while. Or, maybe you’ve been promoted without needing a resume or an interview. And now this. A layoff.
It’s time to plan for what’s next.
A few weeks ago I wrote about The Layoff Confidence Drain and provided some tips about taking time to recenter and how to approach refreshing your resume. Today, I’m sharing some tips on how to approach your interview.
Before Your Interview
Even if the interview you are doing isn’t for a job that you really want, prepare for it. Don’t waste anyone’s time. Dress rehearsals are good but be prepared in the event that you’re exactly who they are looking for! It happens, and then you have to back your way out of it, gracefully.
Here are a few things to focus on:
Prepare for the trick opening, “tell me about yourself.” There are a million places where you can start your reply. Add something that is memorable and may leave a smile on your interviewer’s face!
Know your story. Speak succinctly and confidently about your transitions from one job to the next. Know why you chose each opportunity, what you accomplished and what you learned from it.
Know why you want the job you’re interviewing for. Why is it attractive to you? What can you offer to the employer to satisfy the responsibilities of the job? Talk specifically and compellingly about why you want this job.
Think about your values, how you live your life, and how they apply to your work.
Know your value proposition. What makes you the right person for the job.
Know why you want to work for this specific organization. They will ask you, “why them?”
Read up about the organization. Tour through their website, annual reports, social media and more. Pay attention to the organization’s leadership team and board. Get familiar with what’s going on with the organization that may help you in positioning yourself for the role.
Know who you’re interviewing with. Check out their LinkedIn profile. See what roles they’ve had, where they went to college and where they volunteer their time.
See who you may know who works at the company you’re interviewing with. If you’re on LinkedIn, this is a no-brainer!
Prepare your questions. Do not go into the interview with a blank piece of paper, or worse yet, a blank face.
Practice! Do you remember the Allen Iverson post-game interview when he was asked about missing practice? Allen was the franchise player on the team, and had a good reason why he missed practice, yet, he was asked about practice. You very well may not be Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, so, practice!
Ask a friend, family member, mentor or coach to spend some time doing a practice interview with you. Do it on a videoconferencing platform if that’s the way you’ll be interviewed and record it so you can watch it back.
Assume the best outcome! Tiger Woods once said, “there’s no sense going into a tournament if you don’t believe you can win.”
During Your Interview
Be succinct. Don’t take folx down the yellow brick road for no reason. Hit your response. Make your impression. Maybe even leave room for follow on question. But don’t linger in your response longer than necessary.
If it’s a management role, be prepared to talk about how you manage and what successes you’ve had.
If it’s a leadership role, be prepared to talk about how you lead and what impact you’ve made.
Be prepared to talk about something that didn’t go well for you in the workplace, how you remedied it and what you learned from it.
Be prepared to talk about how you’re using your time while moving toward your next job.
Be prepared to tell the interviewer how soon you can be ready to accept the position.
At the end, ask about next steps. Leave knowing when and how you should expect to hear from them, from whom and what the next interview steps will be. Also ask when the final decision will be made.
After Your Interview
Within 24 hours, write a thank you email to everyone you interviewed with. Note how much you appreciated their time and reiterate why you are the perfect candidate for the role.
Reflect and make notes about what you learned and what you could have done better. The interviewer made an investment of time in you; you do the same. And, your notes will be helpful when you advance to the next round!
Wait patiently! If more time has passed without contact than was shared with you, reach out with an email asking when you might here from them. Understand that there are many things going on behind the scenes like aligning schedules, crafting questions, competing priorities, etc.
Stay busy. Don’t linger in the interview you just had. Get busy looking for your next. Remember that the energy you put out comes back to you tenfold.
Stay positive! Your next incredible job is coming.