The Interview
Anthony Bosco
First and foremost, congrats! Something on your resume must have really stuck out to the managers. Now, you have to prove to them that you can speak to your experience. As someone who has worked with countless candidates to staff for Fortune 500 companies such as United Airlines, BP, Bank of America, etc., I have come to learn some tips and tricks that can help you get that “in-person” interview.
First round: this is normally a phone interview with the recruiter. During this interview, they are looking for communication and your qualifications for the position. It is important to sound confident on the phone. Ways that can help this is practicing answers to some basic interview questions. “What motivates you?” or “What were some of your responsibilities in your past internship?” are examples that having a concise, yet detailed, answer can really impress the recruiter. Also, make sure to highlight your experience to the qualifications the position is asking for. Using similar verbiage to the job posting can show the recruiter that you have researched the role and are qualified to do the job. Another thing that can show interest in the position is having questions! There’s nothing worse than ending the phone call with “no questions.” Some great questions for the recruiter are “What are some metrics or KPIs that I will be evaluated on in regards to my performance?” or “Can you tell me about the team dynamic?” These questions can also tell you a lot about what the company is expecting of you. Win-win.
Second round: this one is huge! This is how they will tell if your personality fits with the team. This is generally “in-person,” but given the new norm, this will most likely be done over Zoom, Webex, Skype, what have you. This interview is usually done with a team manager or hiring manager for the company. First and foremost, look professional and have a clean background without any distractions. You want them to focus on YOU, so look good doing it. More importantly, do your homework. Research the company, the role, and the manager’s LinkedIn. Have your questions prepared for the closing remarks. The manager will go into more detail on the position, day-to-day, and overall expectations. TAKE NOTES. Not only to learn more of what is to be expected, but the manager will appreciate someone paying close attention to detail. EYE CONTACT. This not only proves confidence but respect when someone is speaking to you and taking time out of their day to speak with you. Similar to the interview with the recruiter, the manager will most likely ask you about your experience, so make sure you have a few talking points of what you did and how it relates to the company. Highlight what YOU can bring to the team and what sets you apart from the 1,000s of resumes they receive. Don’t be afraid to be unique; that is how they will remember your name. QUESTIONS! Make sure you have 8-10 questions for after the interview. One in particular that I like is “What makes someone successful in this position?” This can tell you a few things: what the managers expectations are and a clearer picture of what the role entails.
VERY IMPORTANT: send a thank you letter to the hiring manager/manager you spoke with thanking them for their time and once again highlighting why you are a good fit for the position/team. Bonus: try to pick out something from the conversation that stuck out to you and tie that into your thank you letter. Email is just fine for this.
Third round: most companies will stop at two rounds, but if you have made it this far, you are very close to securing the position. The team may just want another opinion. The third round might be with either a VP or an Account Exec/Manager. This conversation will be extremely similar to the second round, but you might face some more challenging questions. As always, do your homework. Look up the person you are speaking with and more about their role within the company. Some great questions for the third round I found are “Can you tell me about the growth opportunities from this position?” This shows the VP that you are thinking long term and have goals in mind. Similarly, a question I like to ask is “What brought you to this company?” This is extremely simple, but it could put the VP/Account Manager on their toes and also tells you about how roles can progress with the company. As always, email a thank you letter!
Lastly, outside of all the rounds, questions, and individuals you speak with, BE YOURSELF. Don’t feel that you have to change yourself to fit into a role. You will know a good fit when you see it, so there is no sense in forcing yourself to change just for a job. Go for the career, not just a job. You will be a lot happier this way.
Anthony Bosco is a Senior Benefit Consultant at Go Health, and a 2019 University of Illinois Advertising Alum.