Is your interview prep a high wire act?

Can you imagine preparing for a walk across a two-inch high wire over the Grand Canyon without doing a little homework ahead of time?  Perhaps you saw this death-defying act yesterday on the Discovery Channel.  I am sure it took months and months of prep work, homework, research, and statistical analysis to ensure the utmost safety despite the overall danger of the act.

I realize this is a little extreme when compared with a job interview, but some common themes can easily be applied when considering how to prepare for a job interview at any level.  Here are a few ideas:

1)  Expect the unexpected.  I heard that Nik Wallenda (pictured above) practiced with high powered fans to know what a 50 mph wind gust might feel like and how he would need to react.  In a job interview this could translate into thinking ahead of time for very direct questions such as "When have you experienced conflict with a colleague and how did you handle it?" or "When have you used a unique closing technique to land a sale?" or even "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be and why?"  True story, that has been a question I have had a candidate tell me about after an interview.  You can never be fully prepared for off-the-wall questions such as these, but just thinking ahead of time about some zingers could put you in the right frame of mind for the interview.

2)  Bring the proper tools.  Nik decided to do this walk without any kind of safety harness, but I guarantee you that he had a particular kind of shoe designed for this profession, a perfectly balanced pole with an exact design, and he likely had a team double check every place the wire was connected to the ground for stability.  In the same way it only makes sense to make sure you have the basics for an interview - extra hard copies of your resume, any applications that were required before the face-to-face, examples of your work if and when necessary, and even possibly a professional looking portfolio with a pad of paper and a pen to take notes.  Seems simple, but many people just "wing it" and are not fully prepared.

3)  Clear your mind before the interview.  I don't know what was going through Nik's head before he took his first step, but I am pretty sure he wasn't thinking about what groceries he needed next week or how much laundry he needed to get to later that day.  He was laser focused on the task at hand and certainly cleared his calendar ahead of the event.  Again, sounds simple, but I hear often from candidates after an interview that they hadn't allowed enough time to get to the office and were almost late.  Or another conflict that arose before an interview that caused them to be a little hectic.  These types of small mistakes can cause you to be distracted before an interview.  If first impression is everything, the last thing you want to do is walk into an interview thinking about anything other than the interview.

The favorite thing I like to hear before an interview is that a candidate is a bit nervous.  The means they are fully engaged, thinking only about the interview, and hopeful for a good outcome.  If you do the little things ahead of time, you are much more likely to have a good outcome from an interview.  Again, I realize that no interview is life or death like a high wire act, but extreme examples like this can help put you in the right frame of mind to have success in an interview.

What are other ways you have heard to prepare for an interview that might be more out of the ordinary?  I would love to hear your stories!

Does hiring slow down in the summer?

Is this what you envision when you think of the HR person not returning your calls in the summer?  A common myth is that companies stop hiring in the summer months for all of the reasons that come to mind - family vacations, summer camps, company picnics, golf outings, and many more.  I can assure you, however, that companies are not napping on the hiring process during the summer months.  Especially in the world of insurance where July 1 is a key renewal time for many clients.  Here are three tips to consider for your summer networking or job search:

1)  Be patient.  It is going to be a fact that hiring managers do take some time off in the summer.  That does NOT mean that the open position or ongoing search is not important.  It just may take a few extra days to get back to you.  I find the candidates that embrace that idea will actually endear themselves to the company that is interviewing them.  It shows you are flexible and really looking for the right opportunity, regardless of timing.  Companies like those qualities in a candidate.

2)  Network more, not less.  I don't know about you, but I am generally in a better mood during the summer.  Everyone else is too for the most part.  So take advantage of that and make some connections or re-connect with folks you have spoken with in the past.  Additionally, companies are reviewing financials right now and beginning to make plans for the third and fourth quarters.  Get ahead of that curve and get your background top of mind for any future hires yet to happen this year.

3)  Re-assess your search/career goals.  Take advantage of your time outside of the office as well.  Don't hear what I am not saying - don't leave the family behind on vacation to "clear your head" at Panera for several hours at a stretch.  But it is a great time to evaluate what is really important in your life.  Are you in a position currently that will provide the best work/life balance?  Are you truly happy in your current job?  What are you looking for in your next role to provide more of a challenge?

Bottom line is that now could be the best time to either begin or continue your job search.  Don't wait until after Labor Day to see if there are more postings or general buzz in the market.  Create the buzz yourself by taking action and making something happen.  June is actually one of our busiest months traditionally and this year is no different.  Part of that is by design as we work diligently in April and May to create some momentum going into the summer.  But part of it is related to some of the points I made above.  The reward will come to those that take advantage of the early summer conversations.  Don't get caught napping on your job search!