So you worked on your #resume and cover letter, you applied for that dream #job and got through the #HR screening phone call. Now it is show time because you have your interview with the hiring manager. Your first thought... What do I wear? Great #question BUT your biggest question should be how do I make sure I convince them that I am the "right fit" for the role. That's what its all about .. THE RIGHT FIT.
We all have the #skills, the #experience, the #qualifications, the #network and much more but the #culture, ways of working, #professional #dynamic is never the same for all #organizations.
I will share my step wise prep for interviews here:
Step 1: DO YOUR HOMEWORK:
I cant stress this enough and I don't mean just visiting the company #website and check out their #mission statement, their annual report and #pipeline. Connect with employees of the company, preferably in a similar role to yours and ask them about the culture. Depending on the #role you are applying for, the best question to ask is "What does a day in the life of an #MSL/#Medical advisor/Medical information associate/Clinical trial coordinator etc. look like at your organization?" This will give you a good snap shot of the role and who all you would be interacting with during the day. Remember my blog on #networking? If not read it again because that applies to not just when you are job hunting but also when you land an #interview.
Step 2: Know your audience:
Never hesitate to ask the HR representative the name and designation of the individual/s who will be interviewing you. How else would you spy ;)
Get on #LinkedIn or their website find out their career path, the common #connections you may have, any #publications, #interests, companies and groups that they #follow etc. You will be amazed how many commonalities you may find and use to establish a meaningful connection.
Step 3: #Practice the golden questions:
90% of the questions you will be asked will be the same at every organization. These questions are all available online everywhere. The key is to practice, practice and practice your responses. Most #situational/#behavioral interviews will try to seek the same #insights from you in one way or the other. For eg., I was once asked "Complete the sentence: I get into trouble when I ...?" This sounded odd at first but what this was another way of asking about my weaknesses. I now use this question when I interview candidates. So take a breath and think before you panic due to a new question and then respond. Don't blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Think about the intent behind the question. They key is to do as many mock interviews that you can.
Last but not the least....
Step 4: The Make or Break question:
"Take me through your experience/resume/cv". Seems simple enough but this is the question that will set the tone for the rest of the interview. You can answer it like a typical history class on your self or you can make it interesting and exciting. I am attaching video here for you to watch which is a great way to talk about yourself in a way that will not put your potential employer to sleep! Enjoy!
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