How do you prep for an interview?

I've got a job interview tomorrow afternoon for a position that I think I am really interested in. A former manager of mine had encouraged me to apply and has given me a glowing letter of recommendation. The position is at a former employer of his and he knows the hiring manager well. I think it is a very good fit for what I have done the past few years, as well as my goals in at least the near and mid term, if a bit of a stretch for my level of experience. It's a management position and I have no prior experience managing people, at least in a professional setting. That is my biggest concern.

Seeing mtn's thread, I figured I would solicit some advice from the hive. I think I generally interview pretty well, but I really wanna make a good impression at this one. Aside from the obvious background research on the company and industry, which I have been doing plenty of, what do you guys do to prep for an interview? It's been about 4 years since I've had one and in the past what I've done is look up generic lists of interview questions and kind of run through them in my head.

Any thoughts?

Poorly

Watching with interest. Will (hopefully) be interviewing shortly, for a state job.

Pretty sure standard question is "What makes you the best candidate for this position?".

All my previous jobs were in sales so variants of "I can sell ketchup popsicles to ladies wearing white gloves" worked well - I don't think that will cut it for Driver's License Examiner position or other clerical work.

Your "run through a list of generic questions" is more or less how I usually prepare. Answer the out loud, and be comfortable having an answer for all of them. You should know your own capabilities and past projects, be prepared to talk on how well you did, and especially the interactions that got you there.

If it's a management position, what qualities of past managers have stood out to you as really beneficial for you/your companies work environment? Have a working knowledge and willingness to talk about how you work with people, both your supervisors and your subordinates. That's what will be the distinguishing factor.

My $0.02

Honestly, I don't. For a very good reason. I want anyone that interviews me to understand who I am and how I roll from the outset. Prepping for an interview gives me time to rehearse what people want to hear, not who I am, or who I want to be. Case in point, I jist came across my 1 year at my current job. I went in with no prep and a blinding migraine and was still me. Obviously I got the job. If I can't think on my feet to answer any and all questions a potential interviewer might have, habe examples etc....I'm not ready for the gig. Case in point, I had an interview at titan motorsports. I screwed the pooch on that one, hard. But when I can't answer a simple question like "are you familiar with cars without sounding like a complete dumbass, and my personality doesn't bail me out, I am not going to do well there. I did not receive a call. Had another one at improved performance. Crushed the interview. I know way less about chevy small blocks than I do about Toyotas. Didn't get the gig because who they hired was im fact, way more qualified....but even the owner took the time to say he was impressed. I don't blame him for actually going with someone from the domestic world.

Bottom line, no prep forces me to use my skills walking in, and gives me a better feel of how it's going to work in the long run.

Interesting question. Never really thought about it.

I'm inclined to agree with mnsdm on this one. I don't actually care about your answers to my questions during an interview. I'm trying to see if you are a good fit for our business culture. So yeah, I'd want you to be yourself. Or at least a nervous version of yourself.

BTW, I no longer think you should necessarily wear a suit. Depends on the job. My last few interviews I was interviewing for a field supervisory position. I wore work boots, clean jeans, and a collared shirt. I wanted my visual impression to be that of a git-r-done take no prisoners kind of guy. FWIW, I got the last 4 jobs where I dressed like that.

If it's managerial, be prepared to answer How would you go about firing someone? (Or some variation of that)

Think of some examples of how your experiences show that you can solve the types of problems they may be having that you will be responsible for when hired. You may have not worked as a sirect supervisor, but you have worked with people to gwt E36 M3 done. If they ask open ended generic question like "tell me a bit about yourself" be ready to tell them things that show you are the person they need. Also, I uaually try to have a few questions for them to try to determine if I really want to work there.

Good luck!

If you're confident w/ your field, good.

HR type questions always get me.

What have you done 'above and beyond' the scope of your job? I consider it all my job no matter what, E36 M3 hit the fan or whatever.

What would you do if you saw a co-worker working unsafely or doing something against the company rules? I don't think they ever liked my answers.

Etc, etc

Good luck!

beyond the research/rehearsal of the typical HR questions, think about specific scenarios or examples of how you applied a given skill or obtained an experience they are looking for. Stories or a narrative bring the skills/experience to life. Oh, and a good example of how you turned a weakness into a strength for the old What's your biggest weakness question. There's also the Why do you want to work here - that's my pet peeve question. I'm at an interview to figure that out - but I don't think that's what they want to hear - more of an entry into how you've researched their place.

1: Research the company. Financial statements, history, what is it that butters their bread.
2: Have a list of questions you want answered about the company, written down. Check them off as they're answered. Who are you reporting to. What does the interviewer think of the company. Who are you working with. Advancement opportunity. Why the position is ipen. Etc.
3: A list of points you want to make about yourself. You want to remove doubt. They have doubt about you. Figure out what that is and remove the doubt.
4: write down questions you come up with during the interview.

Watch this YouTube. this is where I got most of this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDY0b5I_gk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDY0b5I_gk

In reply to Furious_E:

There are a couple things you should do:

1.) Try to gain as much knowledge and understanding about their company/business/field as you can. Even if that just means a list of question for them to help you understand it better.

2.) Try to understand who the person is they're searching for, and demonstrate how you can be that person. Based on your comments above, it sounds like you have management experience, just not as a part of your former employment. Have some details about that at your fingertips and be ready to present it to them in a manner that ties into their needs.

3.) This may not apply to you, but for me it's really helped. I'm typically a complete introvert, but I've sort of learned to "play the role" of someone who isn't. It's not that I'm being disingenuous, rather I'm attempting to tap into a part of myself that doesn't come naturally.

4.) Lastly, have some good answers prepared for the typical interview questions like "Name a time when you had to..." stuff. You should still ponder the question momentarily so as to not seem too rehearsed, but you should pretty much already know the answer.

It's a management position and I have no prior experience managing people, at least in a professional setting. That is my biggest concern.

Build this up because it is going to come up.

As I come to the end of my working career, I can say that having management experience over other people is a career game-changer.

Regardless of what the job is, there is a lot of commonalities in being the poor sucker stuck between a group or workers and upper management. Your job is to make the worker bee team look good by enabling them to get the work done, while insulating upper management from the endless petty BS that individuals bring to work. Time and budget accounting will be your crosses to bear. Weave these concepts into a narrative that fits your personality and you should be reasonably prepared when it comes up.

If I were doing the interview, I would consider your age and put the torch to your feet with something like:

(If you are older) "I see that you have no management experience despite a great technical resume" Is there a reason for this?"

If the job is managing a bunch of women, then Vaya con Dios.

I had surgery on a foot before both of my last 2 interviews. That meant that I had to wear one dress shoe, and one black slip-on casual shoe over the other, swollen foot. At the end of the interview (which I totally rocked) I mentioned the recent surgery and explained that yes, I knew how to dress myself. This got a laugh and made me a bit more memorable candidate, and I got both positions.

I am not recommending surgery, but make sure that when they are reviewing the solid candidates, you stand out as "the guy with different shoes". (Hopefully you will be "the guy that built the '64 Cuda" or "the guy who climbed Everest" or something more interesting.)

Thanks guys, all very good input!

In reply to classicJackets:

I think I have some really good answers to that one, lots of both positive and negative examples having been through 6 managers now in just under 4 years in my current job.

In reply to mndsm:

See, this is what I used to do back when I first started interviewing for 'serious' jobs (i.e. not cashiering in a grocery store type stuff) back in college and I do not feel it was an effective strategy for me. I agree your personality needs to show through and I don't want to feel too rehearsed, but if I do nothing I end up feeling unprepared and every answer starts with "Umm...umm..."

In reply to SVreX:

The firing someone question is a very good one I hadn't thought of, very good input! Dress is business casual and we're meeting at their manufacturing facility rather than their office, you think I should wear dress shoes or my beat up old steel toes?

In reply to mtn:

They're relatively small and privately held, so I am lacking in knowledge of their financials, but I do know anecdotally that they are doing well and growing. That's definitely on my list of questions, though. The posting and my former manager have hinted at the advancement opportunities, which is what really attracts me to the position. Definitely a big point of discussion.

In reply to Pete Gossett:

Your third point definitely resonates with me. I'd consider myself a mild introvert, but I know exactly what you mean and think I do pretty well with "playing the role."

I think my selling point on the management experience is going to be leadership positions in clubs/activities/sports teams through school. I've got a number of examples to draw upon there and lots of thoughts as to what I believe makes a good manager (or a bad one, I've seen plenty of both.) Hoping that's enough.

In reply to NOHOME:

90% of my job right now is project management, so I'm good with the time and budgeting aspects for the most part. It's managing people that I feel is my weak point. I'm 27, so actually I think I'm well on the young edge of the age spectrum. I'd anticipate questions about lack of experience or maturity or the like to be much more likely.

Relax and breathe slow.

Prepare some good questions and show some basic knowledge of the company during the interview.

One that I always ask that has stumped every interviewer in every job I've received is along the lines of:

"What objectives will be used to measure my performance/competency, etc etc"

Essentially, how are you going to determine I'm doing good for performance reviews, ie, $$$$

In reply to pinchvalve:

Been there before too. Interviewed for my current job with a cast from my wrist to my elbow. Got me out of wearing a tie because I simply couldn't tie one. Turns out a race car related broken arm is a great icebreaker for an auto company interview!

z31maniac wrote: One that I always ask that has stumped every interviewer in every job I've received is along the lines of: "What objectives will be used to measure my performance/competency, etc etc" Essentially, how are you going to determine I'm doing good for performance reviews, ie, $$$$

Damn. Stealing that one.

mndsm wrote: Honestly, I don't. For a very good reason. I want anyone that interviews me to understand who I am and how I roll from the outset. Prepping for an interview gives me time to rehearse what people want to hear, not who I am, or who I want to be. Case in point, I jist came across my 1 year at my current job. I went in with no prep and a blinding migraine and was still me. Obviously I got the job. If I can't think on my feet to answer any and all questions a potential interviewer might have, habe examples etc....I'm not ready for the gig. Case in point, I had an interview at titan motorsports. I screwed the pooch on that one, hard. But when I can't answer a simple question like "are you familiar with cars without sounding like a complete dumbass, and my personality doesn't bail me out, I am not going to do well there. I did not receive a call. Had another one at improved performance. Crushed the interview. I know way less about chevy small blocks than I do about Toyotas. Didn't get the gig because who they hired was im fact, way more qualified....but even the owner took the time to say he was impressed. I don't blame him for actually going with someone from the domestic world. Bottom line, no prep forces me to use my skills walking in, and gives me a better feel of how it's going to work in the long run.

All of this is how I have obtained all of my jobs even during the "tough times" of the past few years. Since 2007 I interviewed for 11 jobs and was offered a job for 8 of them. And one of the three jobs I didn't get an offer from was because the company declared they were closing the business segment I was applying to. I don't want to come off bragging but I think we can all sense when you are just being you and I didn't apply for stuff that was too far a reach from what I wanted to do and knew how to do. I think the only thing I found useful was to ask questions of the interviewer if I felt there was a translation issue. Car industry project management terms don't line up to federal government project management terms. But they are the same skill being described.

I usually just shave and dress decently. The only job ive ever interviewed for that i didnt get offered was in sales, by the end of the interview we both figured out id be terrible at it. Technical aptitude i have, people skills not so much.

In reply to Furious_E:

The shoes thing is kinda funny. I am SO NOT a shoe guy, but I really found my work boots helped me. They make me stand a little taller, and feel ready for action. I feel confident in them (even though my feet hurt)

I would not wear your beat up steel toes. You are not applying for a laborer's position.

However, I would think twice about the dress shoes too. If your job is going to involve managing production workers on the manufacturing floor, I would come dressed like you were prepared to walk the floor. I'd even request a tour.

That would mean wear newer clean steel toes.

In reply to Furious_E:

Wear dress shoes, carry a bag with steel-toes and let them know you have them "for the plant tour" or whatever. Also take your own safety glasses and ear plugs. You will look prepared.

AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to Furious_E: Wear dress shoes, carry a bag with steel-toes and let them know you have them "for the plant tour" or whatever. Also take your own safety glasses and ear plugs. You will look prepared.

I like that approach.

SVreX wrote:

AngryCorvair wrote: In reply to Furious_E: Wear dress shoes, carry a bag with steel-toes and let them know you have them "for the plant tour" or whatever. Also take your own safety glasses and ear plugs. You will look prepared.

I like that approach.

Very good idea, that's exactly what I will do. Newer clean steel toes are not an option at the moment, I wear mine every day (company policy is I need them on the manufacturing floor, where I spend a significant amount of time) and they are very much due for replacement. I'll bring them along and ask if I should pop them on once I call to let them know I have arrived. Good tip on the eye and ear protection too.

Heading out the door in a moment, wish me luck!