At the start of our careers, all the corporations looked so big and untouchable. Much like when we were 4-year olds staring up at grown-ups… all taller than us.
Everyone starts somewhere with his/her career. We all have our first jobs. We all got there from facing multiple interviews. And many times did not make the cut for the job that we so badly wanted. Some companies were kind enough to tell us about our rejection. Some were heartless enough to deflect us by giving the epic rejection line of corporate interviews ‘We will get back to you.”
I’ve appeared for countless interviews back in the 80’s and early 90’s… and yeah, I’m that old ;). I have been on the other side of the table for the rest of my career. So here is a quick distillation of what will help get you the start of your corporate life:
- Prepare, prepare, prepare: Nothing can underestimate the power of preparation. So often, my basic question to youngsters “So what do you know about us?” has been met with a blank stare and shifting feet. C’mon! Take that 20-25 mins the night before the interview. Go through the website. Read up about the leadership team. Read up about company developments. Look at the social media references – Facebook, Glassdoor, Instagram, Linkedin, Quora. Know the company you are wishing to join from the outside. Please don’t give a blank stare and mumble… “Er… Not much. Can you tell me.” Interviewers are not there to baby-feed you. Make their job easier. Do your prep.
- Dress you part: If you are going for a sales role, look like a great sales person would look. If you are looking for a coding job, look like a great coder (no… unshaven, shabby and dirty fingernails don’t count.) And don’t forget… wear nice footwear – shiny shoes, smart pumps. Your shoes reflect your personality more than any other clothing on your body. Shine! Smell right. A little perfume or eau-de-cologne never did harm. So many promising candidates have turned up not looking their part in my career that it’s sad. Dressing well is part of INTENT. It shows that you wish to get the job so bad that you made sure you dressed well for it. And remember, over-dressing is always safer than under-dressing. Wear that smart dress even if it may not be expected of you.
- Well-written CV: So many times great candidates have come short with a poor CV. Why? We have spell-checkers. We have automated layouts. Tech has enabled us to put our best forward on paper. Keep it clean, error free, on high quality paper and not folded. And don’t forget to carry multiple copies to hand out in case there are many people in the interview panel.
- Do you know why you want to work there? Do you have an answer on why you wish to work for a firm? Maybe it aligns with your career interest. Maybe the category is interesting. Maybe you’ve heard great things about the company from people working there. Maybe you want to change the world through this company’s business. There has to be SOME good enough reason for you to get into this company. Think about it BEFORE you walk into the room and not when asked the question is popped.
- Why hire you? From over 100 applications received, why should an HR manager take you seriously? Think about it. What are you good at… in relation to perhaps scores of other candidates. Are you more extroverted? Did you score well in Academics? Do you have extracurricular achievements that make you a better candidate?
Finally one basic philosophy held me good. Eventually all assignments will need a candidate. So why not me? I would ask myself that question before I strode into the room. I am as good as they can get. And that often gave me the confidence to get that precious job offer from the company of my dreams!
blueyogi 