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For a long time, job seekers have been focused on how hard it is to find a job, and how they’ll have to transform themselves in order to be the perfect candidate for a company. It’s now 2019 and talented people are in control of their fate. There are way more jobs currently vacant than there is talent in this market. How should this change your interview approach? In addition to interviewing well, make sure that the positions you’re targeting are right for you…flip the interview.
As businesses are expanding and their teams are growing, they’re looking for highly qualified people who will push their organization to the next level. This is a prime moment for you; most people in my network that are looking to add to their team, are conducting interviews with people who were not even looking for a new job, they’re passive.
It doesn’t hurt to look or window shop for your dream job - even if you are generally satisfied with your current one - and while doing so, make sure the next company and the people are a fit for you.
They say people quit their boss, not their company. Flip your interview and get to know who you’ll be working for.
Information about your potential manager is literally everywhere; LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Google, any search might bring you valuable information about who they are.
Since we spend more time with our boss than our families most weeks, do some research and find out if they are someone you would enjoy spending most of your time with. Everyone looks for something different in a manger, some things to look for and keep in mind:
Do they promote their internal employees? (Check out the company’s LinkedIn)
If you want to be challenged, see if they challenge themselves. (Check out their Instagram)
Do you want to have a lot in common? (Look at their posts on Instagram and Twitter)
Do you want to talk about new developments in your industry with them? (See what they post about on LinkedIn or if they’re written any articles or books)
Do you want a quiet boss who’s going to let you do your thing? (Go through the company Glassdoor reviews to see what the working style is like)
Flipping the interview is not about learning as much as you can about them, or to impress them. The goal is to see if this is the right manager for you.
Need some help? Here are some great questions to flip the interview:
“Where do you see me in this company in 2-3 years?” (Give them a moment to think about your future. You spend all of your time thinking about your future at that company, they need to think about how they are going to bring you in and mentor you. If they can’t answer it, or haven’t even thought about it, they’re not the right kind of boss.)
“What is one work project that you're most passionate about?” (You’re normally the one answering this in an interview, but asking them will show you how hands on they are and if they're invested in the team.)
“What are some skill sets your top performers have?” (Take that and use it as a frame for mentioning these skills later in your conversation and provide specific experiences)
At the end of the interview ask - “Would there be any concerns you would have in recommending me for this role?”(This gives you the opportunity to overcome objections before they leave the room. If they don’t want to answer this, it probably isn’t someone you want to work for. When people ask this I love it, if they overcome my objections, I’ll hire them)
Always be yourself. The person interviewing you has probably interviewed people hundreds of times, they can tell when you're being genuine or sincere or just giving an answer they want to hear. If this is a job that you want, always be genuine, there’s no substitute for integrity.
The interview goes both ways
No one wants to work for a boss with their feet up on their desk in an ivory tower. If you’re excited about a new role and you’re ready for a new challenge, take control of your interview and create a conversation that satisfies the interviewers knowledge of you, as well as your knowledge of them.