VOYlegal’s Post

Interviewing sucks. Interviewers want different things. It's impossible to quickly articulate all of your skills. And you typically have less than an hour to make an impression. Avoid these 5 mistakes: 1. Being negative 2. Saying way too much 3. Dodging direct questions 4. Asking only near-term questions 5. Trying to pre-negotiate the role to your liking Interviewing is hard enough. Having the skills is hard enough. Don't make it even harder on yourself. Recruiters and interviewers: what other common mistakes do you think belong on this list?

💡 More sage advice from Jordan Mazer -- Interviewing does suck, but if you apply a few reframes to your answers, your chances of moving forward greatly increase.

Interviewing can be challenging. I often see talented candidates forget some basic interview behaviors that will help them land the offer. 1. Research the company and learn how they generate revenue and the history of the company. 2. Be ready to answer interview questions with real-life examples. STAR method. 3. Avoid talking negatively about your previous employers. 4. Come to the interview with your own prepared questions so that when they ask what questions you have, you have several that have not been answered. 5. Before leaving the interview ask the interviewers if they have any concerns about your qualifications or experience. 6. Ask what next steps are and what their timeframes look like.

Solid advice regardless of your career stage. #careercenter #careerservices #interviewing #interviewingtips

Pro interviewing tip: I once had a tie atop my candidate list for a critical position. One sent me a well crafted follow up email. The other did not. Guess who got the offer? A follow up email - and sometimes an old-fashioned written note - are absolute must-haves in the interview process. But they should be much more than a two-sentence “thanks for your time” note sent immediately after you hang up from the Zoom call. That just signals that you’re “checking a box.” In fact, the only reason you should ever send the follow up immediately is if you know that a decision is imminent (You still need to pay attention to my other advice here, though.) Instead, send your follow up first thing the next morning. If their day was jam packed with candidates and everyone else immediately blasted them with “thank you” emails afterward, your email is more likely to be noticed. Do more than thank them for their time. Show them you listened and that you’re ready to move forward. Reiterate your interest in the role based on what you learned. Make a comment about a specific pain point, idea or situation you discussed in your interview. Remind the interviewer how you’ve successfully done those same things before … or, if you haven’t, how you would. Don’t be afraid to connect more personally if you had some sort of shared interest that you discussed. Ask them if there’s anything that concerned them about your candidacy and ask for the next step. Too many candidates drop the ball after the interview is over. Stand out by continuing the conversation.

I shared a really useful blog yesterday about interview techniques and preparation but something that often comes up in my briefings with candidates is controlling their nerves. Interview anxiety is normal, and can a good thing if you can control it. The blog below from my ace colleague Paloma Zamora gives an insight into some techniques you could use to control your nerves and channel them into positive performance.

What does an interview process look like now? 🤔 It is rare for a firm to make an offer based on one meeting (although it did happen to one of my candidates 😅), but typically there is a three stage process when applying for a new role. Phase one and two involves you meeting with key stakeholders of the business and focuses on your legal knowledge and problem solving abilities. Expect to provide a detailed run down of your CV and experience to date. Firms are becoming increasingly considered about who they onboard. As a result, we have recently seen an influx of candidate assessments at phase two of the interview process. Firms have felt that it is crucial to understand how the candidate places amongst their peers within the relevant bandings. I'd be keen to hear your thoughts or your experiences if you've undergone a technical exam. Finally, you will likely find yourself meeting with other lawyers in the team, usually at the SA level, that will form the basis of the firm's cultural understanding of you. This is your chance to loosen up a little! Of course you want to still treat it like an interview, but showcase your interpersonal skills and prove that you can hold a conversation! This is also your opportunity to ask a couple of questions that you might not necessarily want to ask a Partner! If you are considering your options, please reach out to find out how I can add value to your job search and assist with your interview process!

Being an interviewer can be just as daunting as being interviewed! Here are our tips on conducting a professional interview (in person or online)... #interviewtips #recruitmentagency #hiringstaff

Question: You're faced with an assertive candidate in an interview. How do you regain control of the conversation? When faced with an assertive candidate in an interview, it's important to maintain control of the conversation while still being respectful and professional.   Use structured questioning Stick to a predetermined set of questions This helps keep the interview on track and allows you to guide the conversation more effectively. Politely interrupt if necessary: If the candidate is going off-topic or dominating the conversation, gently interject with phrases like, "Thank you for sharing that. I'd like to move on to our next question." Redirect the conversation: If the candidate veers off-topic, acknowledge their point briefly and then steer the conversation back to the relevant subject. Refocus on the job requirements If the candidate is steering the conversation away from job-related topics, bring the focus back by asking questions directly related to the position's requirements.Use the candidate's name This can be an effective way to regain attention and control of the conversation. Remember the goal is to maintain a balanced, professional interaction. By employing these techniques, you can ensure that you gather all the necessary information while still allowing the candidate to express themselves adequately.

https://lnkd.in/gwAiKHG4 This article did a pretty good job of showing the importance of being prepared for an interview. I also liked that it recommended mastering your emotions. It's easy to be anxious or to be nervous about an interview, but this article teaches you to manage your emotions and to be calm so you can make good decisions about your career. It puts you in the drivers seat of your "emotion bus".