I’ve got one on Tuesday that looks like my best shot at a new job since I got laid off in the summer. It’s with a vice president of the company and the person whose position I’m filling since she got promoted

I’m just a little weirdo, I don’t know how to make them want to hire me boohoo

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    12 years ago

    They are looking for someone capable of solving their own problems and someone that will be easy to work with.

    Be prepared with some stories of things you’ve accomplished, problems you’ve encountered, and how you solved them. Look for stuff that you specifically did, not your team.

    Be sociable and try to convey that you work well with others. Have examples ready of teamwork you’ve participated in, teams you’ve made (if you’ve done that) and what they accomplished, and stories of how you’ve handled difficult social situations such as rude coworkers. This is a line to walk because you don’t want to come off as a complainer. Same as the problem question above, you want a story of a difficult situation, what you did to resolve it, and what the result was.

    Make sure you have the basics down. Dress as well as you can, be clean and groomed, be polite, and listen to everything they say. Adjust your responses to relate to what they say. Everything they say is fair game and an opportunity for you to relate and connect.

    Be honest. If you don’t know something say that. Follow up with how you would go about learning what you need to know to answer the question. You don’t have to know everything, it is more important that you can find the info you need to solve the problems that arise.

    Make sure you look out for your own interests. Is this somewhere you want to work? Are these people you want to work with? Do they seem unhappy?

    Don’t worry about pay or benefits during the first interview unless they bring it up. Be prepared with your expectations (how much pay, how much PTO) but don’t start that conversation during a first interview. That happens during the second interview or at the offer negotiation stage, and even then I’d let the bring it up. You’re not eager to talk money, you’re looking for a good team to work with.

    Know what you’re worth. Look up what similar jobs make, and don’t be afraid to counter their first offer. If you have the flexibility to walk away, even better, that is leverage to get a higher starting salary.