“Rock” that Interview!

Introduction

Hello to you! Today I want to talk about how to improve your job interview skills. As a geologist, the pun in the title is totally intended. In this post I will discuss my experience with interviewing for jobs. First, I’m going to outline my own experience interviewing. Then, I will list some helpful advice I’ve acquired from colleagues, mentors, friends, and family. Finally, I’ll give a step-by-step process of how to come to your interview confident and prepared. This post is intended for any human that breaths and needs to interview for a job, but will be most helpful to geoscientists. Since job interviews can be a stressful subject, here is an adorable picture of my cat before we get started.

Advice: Talk to Your Network

One of the most important tools in your kit is the network of people in your professional and personal life. People generally want to see you succeed. The first thing I do when making a big decision (and a job is a big decision) is to ask my network for advice. For instance, when I interviewed for an academic position, I asked my mentors and colleagues from UNL what I might want to prepare for and how I might stand out. I even put out feelers on Twitter to see what people outside of my immediate network would recommend. Not only can you gain valuable insight from your professional network, but you can also use your personal network to your advantage. Friends and family are wonderful for boosting your confidence, providing outside perspectives, and helping you practice. Here is some paraphrased advice that I have received.

General Advice

• They asked you to interview, so they already see value and potential in you.
• Apply to positions you don’t think you are qualified for.
• Prepare your answers to common interview questions ahead of time.
• You are interviewing the employer. Do you want to work for the institution?
• Send a follow-up email to thank the committee and provide any additional information relative to the position.
• Be yourself! Sometimes the decision will come down to if you fit in with the group.
• This process is not personal. When making decisions there are many factors that come into play sometimes you are not the best choice, and that is okay.
• Wear something that makes you feel confident, but keep it professional.
• Be enthusiastic and authentic.
• See it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
• Make eye contact.
• Brag about yourself! Know your accomplishments and frame them as such.

Academic Advice

• Research the institution and department you are interviewing for.
• Think about how you fit into the department, is it an atmosphere that you want to work in?
• Contact faculty members that already work there to create personal connections and highlight how you might work together in the future.
• Read papers that faculty members in the department have written, look at their websites.

My Method for a Marvelous Interview

Step 1: Celebrate

You got an interview! Don’t panic, celebrate! This means that they have seen potential in you. They are already interested in what you have to offer, and they want to discuss that potential further. This is a time to feel proud of yourself. Use this to boost your confidence and recognize yourself as the bad bi*** you are. Do not ever skip this step. You deserve to pat yourself on the back.

Step 2: Reach out to your network

This is the time to ask those around you for any advice. As I previously mentioned, the people in your life generally want to see you happy and successful. This means that they are going to be willing to help you if you ask for it.

• Email your colleagues and mentors. Ask them if they know about the company/institution you are interviewing for. See if they know anyone personally. Your mentors may provide you with information on whether people are easy or difficult to work with, whether the department is growing or flailing, and what the environment is like. Remember to show you are appreciative! These connections are some of the most valuable when it comes to your career journey.
• Use social media! If you have use social media professionally use those networks. For example, I am pretty active on Twitter. I have posted multiple tweets asking for advice about interviews. I have had numerous helpful responses. I even had someone offer to help me practice virtually. I’ve inquired about what Universities had to offer, which led to a phone call with an advisory board member. There are truly no limits to professional networking when it comes to social media. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone!
• Reach out to your family and friends. I am aware that I am very privileged in that I have an extremely supportive personal network, and that others may not be so fortunate. If this is the case, I am always a resource you can use to hype you up before an interview! For those of you with a solid support system – use them! This is an opportunity to ask others about the location of the job, the financial compensation, and the practicality. It is a chance to discuss whether this job is right for you. It is also a chance to build up your confidence. A good support system is always ready with kind words if you are feeling doubtful.

Step 3: General interview questions

There are a number of extremely common interview questions. It is very helpful to have an answer prepared for these common interview questions. I set aside an hour to sit down with a notebook, and I come up with a few words or sentences to answer each common interview question. Preparing answers early reduces the possibility of you being caught off guard by a question. You may not be prepared for every question they throw at you, but practicing beforehand will keep you confident that you can tackle what comes at you. Here, I have created a list of sources with common interview questions:

• 50 Most Common Interview Questions
• 125 Common Interview Questions and Answers (With Tips)
• How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview Questions
• Your Ultimate Guide to Answering the Most Common Interview Questions

[OC] job interview from comics

If you are interviewing for an academic position. The following websites have resources regarding specific questions you may be asked:

• The Academic Job Interview: Questions to Help you Prepare
• Potential Interview Questions for Positions in Academia
• Common Academic Interview Questions
• Good Interview Questions for Faculty

Step 4: Background research, or “professional stalking”

It’s time for the skills you developed Facebook stalking your ex to shine! Research the heck out of the institution/company, the faculty/employees, the location, the compensation, and the benefits. I typically set aside about an hour of my time to do job background research.

• Look up the institution/company website. You’ll want to get a very familiar with the job itself. What are their values? How do they line up with your own values? What is the company known for? What is employee satisfaction like (search glassdoor for reviews). Do they offer benefits?
• Find out who else works there. If it is an academic institution, how many faculty members are there? What do they research? Think about how your research interests would fit in with theirs. Come up with possible collaborative opportunities. If it is a non-academic institution, how many employees are there? Who would be your superior? Don’t be afraid to do a Google Search on the people who might possibly interview you. No one will fault you for enthusiasm, preparation, and interest in the job.
• Investigate what services and facilities they have. You should have done this a bit before you even applied to the position, but refresh your memory. If it is at an academic institution, what kind of laboratory facilities do they have? What teaching materials are available to you? What university outreach opportunities are there? Does the university offer student research funding? If it is an industry position, who are their typical clients? What services do they offer? How are they advancing technologically? It is impressive to be able to cite a specific service that you could utilize if you worked there.
• Prepare questions for your future employer. At the end of the interview, they will open for you to ask them questions. This is essentially your moment to interview them. Here are a few links to examples:
  • 51 Great Questions to Ask in an Interview
  • 45 Questions You Should Ask in Every Job Interview
  • The Inverse Interview

Step 5: Get a good nights sleep, eat food, and remain calm

Despite your preparation you may have some nerves when it comes to interviews. That is perfectly normal! We all react to nerves and stress differently. Take the time to take care of yourself before the interview. Make sure you get a good nights sleep, eat breakfast and lunch, and drink water! If you are prone to anxiety after drinking coffee, don’t do that interview day. Do some self-care.

Step 6: Look snazzy

This is an interview, and you want to put your best self forward. You also want to balance this with comfort. When you look good, and are comfortable in your own shoes, you are infinitely more confident. If you prefer to wear dress pants, wear dress pants. If you prefer to wear a dress and tights, wear a dress and tights. Remember, this is their first impression of you. Whether it is virtual or in person, dressing professionally is a must. It shows you are serious about the position and capable of being “put together” for lack of a better phrase.

Step 7: Pre-interview review

If you can, keep the 30 minutes before you need to leave for your interview open. Take this time to review!

• Review the job description. Re-read it. What are the job expectations? What are the minimum requirements? What are the preferred requirements? Think about what skills you have that fit into the job description.
• Review your resume/CV. Re-read it. What experience or skills do you have? How can you elaborate further on your job and education experience?
• Review your notes on the general interview questions. Be prepared to answer questions such as, “What is your biggest weakness,” or, “What makes you right for this position?”
• Review the interview specifics. Recall the company/institution. What are their values? What services do they provide? Who are the faculty?

Step 8: If the interview is virtual…

If the interview is virtual (which most of mine have been due to Covid-19) then make sure you have a setup free of distractions. For me, this meant locking my two cats in the spare bedroom. Find an un-cluttered professional background. If it is a Zoom, Skype, or Teams call, check your video and audio beforehand. Setup your camera so that when you tune-in for the interview you aren’t fidgeting with your screen. Make sure you have good lighting. You want to eliminate things that can distract from your interview. You do not want to be remembered as the person who kept forgetting to un-mute their audio.

Step 9: The moment of truth

You’ve properly prepared, which should have you feeling pretty confident. Your nerves may be acting up a bit, but take a few deep breaths before you enter the building or before you open the call. Remember that you are valued and capable. It is your time to shine. Show them why you want this job, and why you belong there.

Step 10: The follow-up

I admittedly did not know this a month ago, but I was told that you should always follow-up an interview with a thank-you email/letter. Thank the search committee for taking the time to speak to you about the position in greater detail. If there was something you forgot to mention, highlight it in this follow-up email. Was there something you wanted to discuss but didn’t get to? Be sure to express your interest in the position!

Summary

Anyone can become an expert at interviewing. All it takes is a little bit of organization and preparation. The more you know about the position, the more certain of yourself you become. Remember to seek advice from you network, do your background research, review the job description, and take care of yourself. In the end, the most important thing is that the job is the right fit for you. Finally, if you get a chance to interview I recommend that you don’t pass it up. Even if you are not as excited about the job, it is valuable practice. As with all things in life, practice always improves your game performance. Thanks for tuning into my rantings on interview success. I hope that you find some of this information helpful.