Interviewing

I believe that interviewing is the most important skill to master in a job search. In fact, I would go as far as to say that people who interview well are more likely to be successful at many aspects of their careers than those who don't. To put it bluntly, interviews are hard to fake; anyone can exaggerate on their resume to get noticed, but interviews occur in real-time with no outside help. There is no substitute for being quick on your feet, well-prepared, and articulate in an interview. I have detailed three basic strategies for interviewing below:

(1) Know the job - Don't go into an interview without knowing enough about the role, the company, and even your potential bosses. Demonstrating that you fully understand the job and the company makes you more credible when you claim that you can do that job well. I would even recommend trying to figure out a little about your interviewers and your potential bosses. After all, you're trying to impress them in the interviews and that becomes easier when you get to know their experience and skills. You may even find that you have similar skills, background, or education which is always a boost for your case.

(2) Know your brand - Enter every interview opportunity armed with the knowledge of what you have to offer to that company. Prepare yourself by reviewing your skill set, and potentially even ranking those skills in terms of importance to the job. Review how many years of experience you have with each of your pertinent skills and consider how each skill helps your potential to succeed in the role. With enough preparation, you'll be comfortable in the hot seat; you'll be answering interview questions with the ability to tie your skills directly to the organization's needs.

(3) Take your time - It's easy to panic in an interview and hard to accept silence amidst the discussion. Nevertheless, it is perfectly reasonable to take a moment or two before answering a tough question. I oftentimes simply say "That's a good question..." and I may add "...I'm going to consider it for a moment before answering." Interviewers don't mind waiting for a solid answer, and this behaviour will prevent those run-on rants that you sometimes get stuck with, when you don't first plan out your answer in your head.