When you go to an interview, it’s critical that you come armed with knowledge of the company and position. It’s equally important for you to be prepared on a personal level so that you can successfully convince your interviewer(s) that you are the right person for their company. When you walk into the interview room, be sure to:

• Why do you want to leave your current job/previous employer?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• Why do you want this specific position?
• Why should this company hire you?

• 30 second response to “Tell me about yourself”.
• What are your key selling points?
• Think of Situation-Action-Result examples to demonstrate:
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Thinking/Problem Solving
  • Priority Setting
  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Overcoming Obstacles
  • Analytical Skills
  • Flexibility/Adaptability

• Dress appropriately and professionally.
• Bring notebook/binder with samples of your work or recap of your selling points.
• Bring pen and paper to take notes as appropriate.
• Bring extra copies of your resume on quality paper (at least one per person you are scheduled to meet with, plus an extra).

• Thank interviewer(s) for the opportunity to talk with them.
• Be confident and enthusiastic (use voice inflection, gestures, eye contact, positive body language, facial animation – but still be yourself!).
• Get business card(s) of the interviewer(s) so you have the correct spelling of their name, along with email address, phone, and physical address for follow-up.
• At the end of your last interview, ask about next steps.

After your interview, call Stout Executive Search as soon as possible for a debrief. Then, send follow-up thank you email(s) or letter(s) as appropriate.