I’ve been involved with the Help a PR Pro Out (HAPPO) group as a champ for about two years now, and I’m looking forward to hosting my first HAPPO Twitter chat coming up on Thursday, September 13 at 9 p.m. EST. As I’m getting more ingrained in my role as social media manager at Identity, the topic for this chat is very relevant for me: How to nail the interview.
Yes, people can look awesome on paper and perform well during the interview and then completely suck it up once they’ve been hired. I’ve seen that happen. However, the interview is your biggest opportunity to show a prospective employer what you’re all about. You may come across as stellar through your resume and online footprint, but if you bomb the interview, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll remain on the consideration list.
I’ve had good luck so far hiring for my team. I played a large role in hiring the most recent three additions to Identity’s social media team, and all three of them excelled during the interview. One of them I knew well, so that helped, but the other two I didn’t. I was simply going off what they had on their resume, their online footprint and how they responded and connected with me during the interview.
The reason we ultimately chose the most recent addition to our team (an intern) is because she did everything right during the interview. Her experience didn’t differ much from other candidates we were considering, but the enthusiasm/passion she exuded and the answers she provided were top notch.
So, what can you do to make sure you nail the interview? I won’t give all my nuggets of wisdom away before the chat, but I will let you know that we plan to discuss:
- How to make a great first impression once the interview starts.
- What you should avoid doing during the interview.
- What you should do if the person interviewing you is losing interest.
- What other candidates have done during interviews that ultimately landed them the job.
- The best way to follow up after the interview.
All you have to do to participate is log on to Twitter at 9 p.m. EST on September 13 and follow the #HAPPO hashtag. I like to use Tweetchat for Twitter chats, but the platform is completely up to you. Also, follow me and @helpaprproout, as we’ll be sharing the questions.
While this group is catered to PR/communications professionals, this is a relevant topic for anyone who needs to brush up on interview skills, so I encourage you to send the details along to anyone outside of the PR industry who is interviewing.
And, if you live in Michigan and haven’t signed up for the HAPPO Michigan Report that is delivered straight to your inbox every other Wednesday, please consider signing up!