Have you ever climbed a rugged mountain? Have you ever prepped for a job interview? Ever thought about the similarities?
I wanted to share 3 ways how climbing a mountain and preparing for a job interview are similar and include my short list of ways to prepare for a job interview.
“If you care about the role you are interviewing for, it is worth spending time to prepare for the interview.”
Both are difficult
Both climbing a mountain and preparing for a job interview are difficult. I know this is blatantly obvious but, it's best to suck it up and start putting one foot in front of the other. If you find yourself slowed down by the difficulty of preparing for an interview, think of the high that comes from finishing well. If it helps, think about how frustrated you'll be if you don't prepare.
Both demand preparation
To climb a serious mountain, you need to be in good physical condition. A serious job interview requires preparation as well. Here is the list I provide potential candidates (yes, I modify it almost every time but this is the foundation):
Research the company to prepare questions to ask when asked if you have any questions. The questions you prepare matter! They will communicate a lot about you to the person interviewing. If it's the first interview and you ask questions about compensation, you can guess what that communicates. If you ask questions about the culture, you are communicating something very different than money. Be genuine but be careful what you are communicating with your questions.
Be positive and up beat - don't bring up dirt on people or companies you have worked with in the past. No one wants to work with someone who sucks the energy from the business by gossiping.
Find ways to share your personality. It might be sharing your hobbies or an interesting story. Let the hiring manager know who you are.
Know the JD forwards and backwards and be prepared to share relevant examples that demonstrate how you fit each point of the JD.
Give examples showing how you are an Ideal Team Player.
No brainers: practice for the interview, be on time, dress appropriately, eye contact, smile, send a follow up thank you email or text, and finally, enjoy the interview.
Both reward you in the end
I love the high that comes from the final vista in front of you when you reach a mountain peak! The same can happen in a job interview. I'm not saying you're going to get the job every time. I'm just saying that nailing a job interview is exhilarating and is worth the effort of preparing. If you get the job - great! If you don't - think of it as preparation for the next one.
Final thoughts
If you care about the role you are interviewing for, it is worth spending time to prepare for the interview. The last thing you want is to really want the role then stumble in the interview or on a question that could have been anticipated. Good luck with your next job interview!
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