I just helped someone get a job. He’s interviewed with me for several roles and didn’t get the nod until now. I was a little worried and I know he was too. Interviewing is so difficult these days.
I championed him to a partner and coached him through the process and micro-manged the crap out of what he said and did and how he interviewed through video interviews and in person meetings.
SUCCESS. A GREAT OFFER! OMG. He is so happy.
I remember standing outside watering a tree on a very hot day while discussing how careful he needed to be with video interviews. I coached him on questions he found difficult. I reminded him to imagine his audience, to position himself in a way they would understand. He said “How do I answer the question why do you want to work here when I haven’t even met them?”
I told him: “It is okay to say some nice things you read about them, and base your potential enthusiasm on that. When all else fails tell them you heard they hire smart people. You just heard that, from me.” He laughed.
The key advice he needed was to remember he didn’t have to give them his whole truth, because we can never do that anywhere, can we? He should give them enough of who he is but not too much. I believe in honesty and transparency but I also believe too often candidates offer up too much information and that can SNATCH DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY. Give them just enough truth carefully packaged to get the response you know they want to give. This is especially important for junior folks, but I work with enough industries at enough levels that I know EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM THIS ADVICE.
This person had in fact been too honest in the past and had not gotten several offers that might have been his if he had been more careful in his positioning. This time he was more selective in what he shared and HE GOT THE JOB.
Sometimes I get a win that reminds me of why I love this game I play to feed my family.
One more bit of advice: Blank walls are preferable as backdrop in a video interview even if a wall of books seem to make you look smart. People have too many reactive opinions about books and can zoom in to see things you might not remember are there. One person forgot to remove their porn from the bookshelf behind them. They didn’t get the job.
