“That’s all we have – do you have any questions for us?”

Your mind races but seems to find nothing.  You know you had questions prepared, but what are they?!  As you scramble, you say the only thing that comes to mind – “How much does the position pay” then cringe as you know you shouldn’t have asked…

Why do interviews always seem so uncomfortable?  Maybe if the room wasn’t 120 degrees and you weren’t wearing a suit that used to fit, or if you just had a glass of water you would have done better.  Maybe if you’d spent more time thinking about your 5 year goals, and an example of a time you made a mistake (but learned from it of course) you might have done better.  Or maybe, just maybe, if you had some insight into what the interviewer was looking for, what their expectations were, what questions they might ask, (not to mention how best to answer them), and what you looked like from their perspective – then you would have done better.  While I can’t help you fit into your old suit, I can help you understand how to get that much needed perspective.

Let’s start by turning the table on interviewing – Literally.  How better to learn to think like an interviewer, than to be one.

The quickest way to get that experience is right at the company you currently work for.  Not all companies offer opportunities for people in all positions to get involved in interviewing, but you’d be surprised if you asked, often times how eager they’d be to train you and let you help.  If they’re willing to do so, I cant recommend it highly enough.

Not only is it good for the obvious (and corporately communicated) reasons of building a stronger company, helping plan the future of the organization, etc, etc, it also allows you to sit on the other side of an otherwise uncomfortable table, instantly making you far more qualified at your next interview.   Even if you’re perfectly content with your job, as it’s a great skill to acquire – especially before you need it!

Moments after sitting through your first interview, you’ll have a page full of things you will never do again in an interview, and a number of great tips you can use to put yourself ahead of everyone else.  It’s all about getting a new perspective.

You now have a good list of interview questions you can practice from as well as what answers are worth top points and what answers simply don’t work.  Furthermore, it’s a great way to see where you stand in comparison to other similar candidates in the field, and determine how  you would rank yourself against them.

My current company offers that opportunity and I try to get involved whenever I can fit it in.  In the long run you will get far more out of learning to effectively interview (and consequently be interviewed) than you will from a few more hours of work anyway.

For those of you who do not have the opportunity to interview within your organization, or if your organization is not currently hiring – I will be discussing some sample interview experiences, categories and questions, techniques and tips in another post, to help you learn from my experiences.

For those of you who have done it, I know it can be frustrating if you’re stuck interviewing under qualified candidates, but don’t let that discourage you.  You learn as much from them as from the good candidates, if not more.  Plus you’ll have good stories to tell! 

Who else has participated in interviewing?  What experiences have you had? Do you agree/disagree with the value of doing so?  Let me know.

Before you can anticipate the questions at your next interview, you have to have the perspective of already having been there.  Think Forward – Work Backward.

TFWB Action Plan – Interviewing

1. Find out if your company offers the opportunity for you to get involved in interviewing.
2. Sign up for any training available and volunteer to observe an interview, until you get the hang of it.
3. Conduct the interview.
4. Debrief and document your lessons learned and observations from the other side.
5. Give yourself the same set of questions and see how you do.
6. Repeat – (and come back to share your feedback and experience with us!)