Career - The Institute of You

15 Tips To Work From Home Effectively

Marion Tilly — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 17:16:08 +0000

The Institute of You
15 Tips To Work From Home Effectively

Working from home has become the new norm in many companies who decided to opt for a fully remote workforce. Who needs an office when you can log in and do the job from home?

There are plenty of advantages to work from home: saving time on commute, offering flexibility, working from anywhere in the world. But the (apparent) lack of supervision and framework offered in an office can sometimes leave people unclear as to what they should be doing. Some of us find it hard to stay focused or we might need the daily interactions with others.

I compiled 15 tips you could follow to successfully work from home, whether it is for one day or full-time.

Self-care

1 | Set a routine

If you work from home for a day or two, keep the same routine you have the days when you go to the office. You will trick your mind into thinking this is a ‘normal’ working day. Wake up at the same time, do the things you would normally do, and use the extra time that would normally spend commuting for something meaningful (see #3).

If you are starting a new job that is remote, find a routine that works for you the same way you would do for any new job. Think about at what you are supposed to start working, and how much time you need to get ready in the morning.

2 | Get dressed in the morning

The temptation to work in your pyjamas is real, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You might feel okay during the day, but in the evening it will give you the strange feeling that you haven’t done anything productive, since you haven’t changed clothes in 24 hours. I know it’s strange but there is something about looking the part: if you want to have a successful experience working from home, you need to get dressed.

3 | Replace your commute with a self-care activity

No commute means more time for you. It’s important you use that time in a way that serves you best and that sets you for success for the rest of the day. If you can get more sleep, go ahead and set the alarm later (while maintaining your routine afterwards). You can also use this time for meditation, yoga, running, reading – whatever self-care means to you.

4 | Set working hours, and stick to them

Continue using the same working hours of your job if you are working from home for a few days. If you are free to make your own hours, it is still crucial that you create a regular schedule. And that you stick to it. There might be days where you work late, but if it becomes the norm your work-life balance will take the biggest hit. Make sure you check on yourself to see how working hours are affecting you, and set boundaries not to get there.

5 | Take real breaks

Have you ever worried that if you didn’t reply to a chat message within 10 seconds when working from home, people would think you were not working? I have! If you have too, it probably means the “breaks” you took during that day were limited to going to the bathroom or getting a glass of water. Those are not breaks.

What’s a real break then? It’s a pause in your work that allows you to change your mind for a while and to take a mental (and physical) breath. At work we get coffee with a friend, or we have lunch outside (or in the canteen – but not at our desk), or we go do a quick errand.

It might be difficult to do all that when working from home. Still, I would recommend at least 15 minutes away from your laptop in the morning and in the afternoon, plus a proper lunch break of 30 minutes to an hour. Spend it reading something unrelated to work, preparing lunch, making yourself a coffee/tea and drinking it on your sofa, watching TV for a short while, etc.

6 | Go out once a day

Even though the commute is the least favourite part of the day for a lot of people, we never really realise how much we need to get out of the house. I recently coached a client who was working from home for a few weeks and who admitted, to his big surprise, that he was missing his commute for that simple reason: going out. He replaced it with two quick strolls in the morning and in the evening to start and finish the day with a clear mind.

Productivity

7 | Choose a dedicated workspace

If you have a big enough house or apartment, find a space that can be dedicated to work. It doesn’t have to be an entire room, it can be the corner of a room where you can put a desk, at the condition that it is relatively quiet (cf. #7). If you don’t have the space for a desk, I always recommend to work from your dining table, but to sit on a different chair than the one you usually use for lunch and dinner. Because that will not be your usual seat, it won’t feel like you are working and eating at the same place.

8 | Notice distractions

One of the most difficult things to do for some people is to avoid distractions. Home is rarely the place of increased focus. If anything, it’s the place where we start to let go of the focus and the energy we put into our work during the day. Our mind relaxes and gets distracted. This habit can be a blocker when working from home. If you feel like you can’t focus on your work, simply notice what distracts you: are you checking social media, are you on your phone, are you thinking about everything but work?

You can decide to leave your phone in a drawer for a while, or turn off Facebook and Instagram notifications. Write down the thoughts that distract you if they are not related to work so you can go back to them in the evening and do something about them outside your working hours.

9 | Keep a background noise if it helps

Some people love silence to get things done, while others find silence daunting and work better if they hear some background noise. If that’s your case, turn on the TV, put some music or a podcast – create an environment that stimulates you.

10 | Plan your week

Working from home requires a bit more self-drive than in the office, because there is less peer pressure. You can find that self-motivation by gaining clarity on what you would like to achieve. Ask yourself: “at the end of this week, what do I want to be able to say about it?” Then reflect on specific actions you want to take so you can tell yourself it was a great week.

11 | Create a to-do list for the day

Once you have your weekly plan, it will get easier to create a to-do list for each day. You’ll know what to do today and the day after in order to execute your weekly plan.

12 | Keep track of your achievements

Because there is less visibility on what you do, it’s important you keep track of your achievements when working from home. You can use your to-do list as a reference point, or you can create a tracker – a simple word document – where you list at the end of the day what you have done. That will help you look at what is pending, which is something you might want to look at the day after.

Relationships

13 | Stay in touch with your team

Find ways to connect with your team and your manager each day. And I’m not talking about the usual emails and work meetings. I’m talking about the informal conversations that can happen in the office. For instance, you can create a separate group chat for small talk, sending memes or making jokes and random comments. You can also book a remote coffee break with a work friend: you both get coffee or tea, and chat over a videocall the way you would in the office.

14 | Let the people you live with know you are working

The tips in the article mostly revolve around setting some boundaries for you to adopt a professional mindset in a place that is not for business (your home). One of the boundaries that is important to define is with others who live with you. It can be your wife/husband/partner/girlfriend/boyfriend, it can be our roommates, it can be your kids. Let them know that you are working and that they should avoid distracting you during working hours. Share with them the schedule you defined (#1 and #4) so they know what to expect. If they are at home during the day, you can go chat with them during your breaks (#5), but let them know it’s a short break.

15 | In videocalls, turn the camera on

Last but not least, we finish on a light note, but on a true one: if you have videocalls, turn the camera on. There are two reasons for that and they are about professionalism. The first one is that you want to show people that you are not in your pyjamas on your bed, that you keep your professional appearance even at home (remember, dress the part, #2). The second one is that it is impossible to gauge engagement if people don’t see you in the call. Show them you are actively listening and that you are not doing something else.

Working from home requires us to change our habits. Implementing some of these tips will help you make the transition smooth and effective.

15 Tips To Work From Home Effectively
The Institute of You

Creating A Business Model, But For Your Career

Marion Tilly — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 11:58:40 +0000

The Institute of You
Creating A Business Model, But For Your Career

Before taking the leap in my own career transition, I looked for resources and tools that could help me identify what I might have forgotten. I wanted to be sure that I had a plan for (or at least the awareness of) as many things as possible before drastically changing my career path and leaving my job.

One of these resources I found to be the most useful was a book called “Business Model You” which talked about a simple but effective method: creating a business model, but for your career transition.

The layout

The layout of this business model is actually quite simple, which is the reason why it’s a great tool. In a moment where you lack clarity and you are full of doubt, you need this kind of tool that will help you put relevant information on paper.

You’ve already seen an example of a personal business model canvas as the featured image of this post, but here’s another look with a bit more information on what each part means.

How to fill in your personal business model canvas

Take a piece of paper (the bigger the better) and use post-its. When I worked on the first draft of my own business model, I did on the floor of my living room before writing it down, so I could use as much space as needed and add as much ideas as I could.

You can also do it in a word document if you prefer an electronic version you can easily edit.

Once you’ve picked the support you are going to use, here’s how you start filling it in.

1) Key resources (who you are and what you have)

Add all your skills, knowledge and abilities. What are your strengths? What are you an expert of? What certification, training, experience you have that will be crucial for your success in your new career?

2) Key activities (what you do)

List all the important tasks and responsibilities you will do in your new job that will make you successful. Focus here on the main activity and the big picture, not the details of your future day-to-day.

3) Customers (who you help)

Here the concept of customers is very large in the sense that it’s not just about the actual clients, but also the people you will work with. So think in terms of external customers and internal customers.

External customers: who will you help outside your organisation by doing the activities you have listed in #2? Who will benefit from it directly and indirectly?
Internal customers: if you want to work for a company, what colleagues will you help through your job? List here your manager, your team, any other part of the organisation you will support directly or indirectly.

4) Value provided (how you help)

What is the value you are going to create for your customers (internal and/or external) (#3) by doing your key activities (#2)? What benefits will people get from your activities?

You can now start seeing how the different parts are linked with each other. At this point in your reflection, it is super important that you have really brainstormed about these first 4 sections.

As you started thinking about the value you want to provide, you might have thought about new activities or new customers – go on and add them now. Be as exhaustive as possible because it will impact the rest of the exercise and the other sections.

5) Channels (how they know you and how you deliver)

How will customers find you? How will you deliver the products and services that they will buy? How will they pay you? List the channels you want to use for your customers to get to know you and start working with you (e.g. website, blog, platform like Etsy or Shopify, Google Adwords, etc.).

6) Customer relationships (how you interact)

How will you talk to your existing customers? Will it be by email, by chat, in person, by video conference?

How will you communicate with your potential clients: with a newsletter, social media, online marketing, etc.?

7) Key partners (who helps you)

Who will help you be successful? Who will support you grow and learn? Who will hep you your main activities, take care of existing customers and find new ones? Think about your professional network but also your personal relationships.

8) Revenue and benefits (what you get)

What activities generate money and how much will your revenue be? What services will you provide or products you will sell, and what’s the pricing? If you start a business and decide to keep a side job, write it down with the salary you get. Do you have any other sources of income?

The idea here is to see how you will make this project financially sustainable.

9) Costs (what you give)

You often need to spend money to make money. List all the subscriptions, professional fees, rent & bills, office supplies, IT equipment, trips, etc. that you will have to spend on to do your job.

Okay, it’s done.

When you think you have finished the first draft, take a break away from it, do something else, and then go back to it to review what you have done. It’s not something you’re supposed to do in one go. It’s a process that can take days, weeks, even months sometimes. Add onto it, talk to people you trust about it (it could be the people you added as key partners (#7)), show them what you have written down and ask for their input.

If you need further help to fill in the canvas, the book “Business Model You” offers a lot of tips and examples. You can easily find it on Amazon.

Creating A Business Model, But For Your Career
The Institute of You

The Risks Of A Career Transition & How To Manage Them

Marion Tilly — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:37:29 +0000

The Institute of You
The Risks Of A Career Transition & How To Manage Them

If you’re still reflecting on the idea of a career change, looking at it through the lens of risks might be a good approach. When confronted to a big decision, fear can hold us back indefinitely. So instead of fighting it, let’s embrace fear and use it to your advantage by exploring exactly what could go wrong, and find solutions to prevent or avoid being in a difficult situation.

Risk #1 | You won’t have a lot of experience

If you plan a 180° turn and completely change the type of job you do, you are likely going to face the risk of lacking experience. It’s very normal since you’ll just be starting. At times it’ll get hard and you’ll doubt yourself a lot, especially if you know by heart the job you are currently doing. Going from expert to beginner can be destabilising, but there are ways you can handle it.

The solution:

Contact people who have done a big career change before you to ask for advice
Build relationships with experienced people in your field
Find a mentor who can show you the ropes
Make sure you compensate your lack of experience with an extensive knowledge/education – you might not have a lot of experience in the new role, but you know the industry and/or the topic very well

Risk #2 | You might not like your new company’s culture (or your new manager)

Another risk when changing jobs is to find yourself in a new environment that you actually don’t like, or with a manager that you find unpleasant. The job might be interesting, but if you don’t feel good in the company or with the person who will decide your performance, that’s enough to ruin the experience.

The solution:

Do a lot of research on the company’s values, mission and purpose, but also on employees’ feedback
Ask as many questions as possible about company culture during the interview process. You are evaluating if the company is a good fit for you as much as they are evaluating if you’re a good fit for them – it works both ways.
Talk to current employees if you can, and ask off-the-record questions that will give you a good sense of what’s really happening in the company
Identify who will be your manager, and ask them questions about their management style.

Risk #3 | You might underestimate how much money you want/need to earn

If the career change implies a change of income (you are ready to take a pay cut or you’re starting a business from scratch), it is crucial that you run your numbers before jumping ship. This should be done to avoid stressing over money as a result of your decision.

The solution:

Calculate the minimum needed to cover all your recurring expenses (rent/mortgage, bills, transport, food, insurance, subscriptions, restaurants, etc.)
If you take a pay cut, look at how much this means per month, and what will be impacted the most: can you still pay your expenses but save less? Are you okay with that?
If you start your business, can you do it on the side while staying employed? Can you have a plan B in case this takes a while to take off?

Risk #4 | You might underestimate the logistics

If your new job is located in an area without public transports and you don’t have a car, this can be quite an issue. If you add 30 minutes to your commute every morning and the same in the evening, are you ready to spend one more hour between your home and work? This might not be something you think about before switching jobs, but these details are worth reviewing.

The solution:

Think about a typical day at work in your current job, versus what it would look like in your new job: are there any major changes? Do you have to wake up earlier or later? Is the commute shorter or longer? At what time will you be able to leave work?
Flexibility advantages: some companies say they offer work from home, but put a lot of conditions and requirements to employees who ask for it. See how much flexibility you need (for instance if the kids are sick or for appointments), because an inflexible workplace can really complicate life.

Risk #5 | You might not be as passionate as you thought

Another thing which might hold you back is doubting if you’re really passionate about the career change you want to operate, and if this is a permanent interest or something you will get bored of in a few months. This is an important risk to address because you don’t want to go down a path and realise that you’re not that committed anymore, especially if the career change you think about implies starting a business.

The solution: my advice here is quite simple. After you’ve decided that you really like a job or industry, give yourself six months. During these six months, do some research, read and meet people doing what you’d love to do, but don’t feel pressured to take a decision. Review it six months later and gauge your interest: is it the same? Are you still excited by the prospect of working in a different field/industry despite all the risks? Or are you unsure? This will help you gain clarity.

Think about what’s holding you back from making that career change. If you don’t recognise what is holding you back in this post, here are a few pointers on how you can work on it:

What are your ‘yes but’ when you think about this career transition?
What are you afraid of? Be as specific as possible – don’t just say “fear of failure”: in what specific areas are you afraid to fail?
When you’ve identified the risks that you are most concerned with, set aside the way you feel about them to be able to look at them with your most rational self. What would make this risk disappear?

Ask people you trust for their opinion as well. They’ll give you a different perspective and ideas you haven’t thought about.

The Risks Of A Career Transition & How To Manage Them
The Institute of You

How To Choose Your Next Job Or Career

Marion Tilly — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:34:19 +0000

The Institute of You
How To Choose Your Next Job Or Career

After having worked with people on their career transition (and going through one myself), I am aware that uncertainty about the future frightens us. We might have a lot of signals telling us it’s time for a change, but until we have clarity on that change, it is very unlikely we will do something about it. In this post, we will share how we help our clients finding out the next step in their career.

But before, on that big “career” word

Some people don’t like the word “career”. They tend to put a meaning to it that is in my opinion a bit too narrow. They think a career is an ambitious, calculated, planned journey to maximise advancement and salary increases, up until one reaches the CEO position. This is just one approach to having a career.

There are other notions that are all included in my use of the word “career”: regular employment, starting a business, turning a passion into a job, making a dream job a reality, exploring new jobs that would make one happy, etc.

In this series of articles that I am posting on career transition, I talk about all that. For me, changing company is a career transition, because you are going to meet new people, get familiar with new products and processes, work in a different environment, learn to adapt to the culture, and all that. This transition will impact your professional life.

Now, let’s explore the different career changes you can do so you get clarity. Take some notes while thinking about your situation. It’s always great to document your thought process to be able to come back and add onto it.

1 | New job in your current company

Your next career move doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change companies. If you are happy with your employer, if you like the mission, the values and the culture shared in your organisation there’s no reason you should leave. You might feel stagnant in your current role though, so it might be time for a change. Luckily, because you are already part of the company, you have access to a lot of information regarding opportunities. But what opportunities are we talking about?

You could get promoted to the next level (Team Lead, Manager, Sr. Manager, etc.)
You could do a lateral move by changing team or department

To pick the one that is best for you, you should first reflect on a few things:

What don’t you like anymore about your current role?
What excites you in your current role?
What do you wish you could do more of?
What are you good at in your job?

These questions will help you gain clarity on the tasks and responsibilities that you like, so you can explore what roles or departments in your organisation are the best fit. For example:

If you work in customer service and you don’t want to work with clients anymore, moving to sales would not be a good move.
If you want to earn more money and are ready to do what it takes, then getting a sales job seems like a good option.
If you like helping new hires in your team and showing them the ropes, becoming a trainer could be a great choice.
If you are a people person and want to support others in reaching their goals, a manager position seems appropriate (we already wrote about what to expect when you transition to management).

Once you are set on the role and team you want to move to, talk to your manager about it and ask for their help. Contact some people already doing the job to shadow them and ask as many questions as possible so you are prepared when a role opens. Don’t wait for interviews to show your interest: your application will look like it comes from nowhere and that’s never convincing.

2 | Same job in a different company

If you’ve come to the realisation that the company you work for is not a good fit for you, it might be time to consider changing employer. Before you do that, it’s important you check in and understand how deep your dissatisfaction is and what you can do about it. The grass always looks greener on the other side and you know what you leave behind, but you don’t know what you’ll get in a new company. If you think the risk is worth it, and your gut is telling you that it’s time to move, then trust yourself.

Because of your experience in your current job, you have high chances of getting an interview for a similar position. If you like what you do but could really use a change of environment, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t look for the same job elsewhere.

If you need tips on how to do a successful job search, you can find all our articles here.

3 | New career path

Point #1 is close to what I consider a new career path: if you change responsibilities and learn a new job while staying in your organisation, you are still changing your career trajectory by expanding your skills.

What I am talking about here is a 180° degree career change that doesn’t match what your current employer offers. For example you want to become a graphic designer, work with kids, become a teacher or a professional song writer – basically anything that you are passionate about but that doesn’t really translate in your current situation.

This is the option out of the three that will be the most difficult to implement but that might also be the most rewarding. It requires a lot of reflection to identify:

What you like to do
What you’re good at
What you still need to learn about (and how you will learn it)
How this is aligned to who you are and your values

One of the most popular blog posts on the Institute is about finding your ikigai, which uses the same notions to discover your passion.

Once you know what you want to do, the second part is to find how you are going to make it sustainable:

Are you ready to start working as a trainee to gain professional experience?
Do you know anyone already doing this job who could help you?
Could you become freelance or start your business?

Starting your business requires a few other considerations like: do you have enough savings to leave your job without having clients? Could you do it on the side while being employed? How will you grow your business?

Involve people in your thinking, don’t do it alone. Go to family members and friends who you know have your back and ask for their opinion. They will be a great support and they will also help you bounce ideas and see new perspectives you hadn’t thought about.

How To Choose Your Next Job Or Career
The Institute of You

Are You Ready For A Career Change?

Marion Tilly — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 09:33:07 +0000

The Institute of You
Are You Ready For A Career Change?

Careers are not what they used to be. For the generation who is currently retiring from the workforce and the ones before that, staying in the same job, or the same company, for their entire career was the way to go. But nowadays, changing jobs has become the norm.

It shouldn’t be a decision taken lightly as it will have an impact on your career growth and opportunities (starting new somewhere else). Before diving into all the aspects of a well-planned and well-executed career transition, we wanted to start by the signals you might be ready for a change.

You might be ready for a change if

You don’t want to go to work in the morning, like not at all
You are feeling depressed every Sunday evening
You already think about the upcoming weekend on Monday morning
Your work ethic isn’t as strong as it used to be
You feel distant from your work
You don’t participate and engage in meetings anymore
You stopped sharing your opinion
You feel undervalued
You haven’t learned anything in a while
You don’t really care about or you disagree with the feedback you receive
There are no career opportunities, or you’re not interested in them
You dream of the day you’ll quit and you have a few scenarios playing in your head
You think only a big change in your department/company would change the way you feel, not money or more benefits
You don’t recognise yourself anymore
You really don’t get along with your boss
You found your purpose, and your current job is not part of it

When reviewing the list above, consider 1) how many signs you have ticked and 2) how long each of these have been relevant to you. The more signs you’ve ticked and the longer it’s been going on, the more ready you’ll be for a change.

The big red alarm

You should particularly pay attention to your health and your life. Too many times I have seen people develop sicknesses and illnesses due to work. If:

Your mental health is impacted (anxiety, stress, etc.)
Your physical health is impacted (fatigue, lack of focus, blood levels, etc.)
Your job is negatively impacting your personal relationships (couple, family, etc.)

Then please take care of it. No job should ever have that much impact and no job should be more important than living a healthy, balanced life. If it is the case, you are likely not in the right job or the right company. Work with a professional coach or a therapist to explore how you feel, how you can cope with it, and what actions you can take to stop this situation.

If you’re still doubting

If you don’t recognise yourself in the list of signs above and your job/company doesn’t affect your health (mental, physical and emotional), then it might not be the right time for you to change jobs.

I recommend you explore what it is that you like about your current situation and what you’d like to change (I guess if you clicked on this article it might mean you sometimes think about leaving). If these things are in your control, go ahead and change them. It’s important you stay aware and proactive, and that you don’t arrive to a point of no return.

Trying out new things and understanding what you can get from your current job and company will help you make an informed decision when it’s time to explore new opportunities. That way you’ll leave knowing you gave it more than a try and you won’t have any regrets changing things up in your career.

Are You Ready For A Career Change?
The Institute of You

30 Common Interview Questions & How To Answer Them

Marion Tilly — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:39:46 +0000

The Institute of You
30 Common Interview Questions & How To Answer Them

During my time as a manager and then as a director, I conducted dozens of interviews to hire for my teams but also to support other departments and markets. I interviewed people for different levels, from individual contributors to senior managers and directors.

Now that I am a full-time career and leadership coach, I help clients prepare for the same kind of interviews I once hired for. Here is the list of questions I ask them to prepare before we jump on a call to rehearse them, challenge them a bit more, and get them ready.

For each of these questions, take notes of your answer so you can go back to them later to complete them. You will have to learn and repeat these answers out loud a few times to feel very confident saying them during your interviews.

1. Tell me more about you

This question calls for a story telling, so the best way to nail it is to prepare the story of your career.

Don’t take more than 5 minutes to answer, this should be a short introduction.
Tell your professional journey since you graduated: what happened and why?
Mention all your experiences, spend more time on the ones that are relevant for the job you are interviewing for.
If you changed jobs or industry, or if you have done various jobs that don’t have a lot of common, prepare an explanation as to why you have so many different experiences: what have you learned?

2. Why did you apply to this position / What interests you about this role ?

Now we are in the realm of motivation and it’s very important you answer this correctly.

Always – and I mean, ALWAYS – answer this question by telling the interviewer what you like about the job and the company you’re interviewing for.
Read the job description several times and the about/career sections of the company’s website to learn more about the culture. Take notes of what you like and use that to explain your motivation.
Never – and I really mean, NEVER – reply to this question by saying you just want to leave your current company, or your current role is boring/not good for you.

If you are a passive candidate (you were sourced by a recruiter and you didn’t proactively apply to the job), it’s particularly important you prepare this question. Even though the recruiter sourced you, they are going to want to see if you are motivated enough to go through the rest of the process and to eventually commit to the position.

3. Why do you want to leave your current role/company?

This question says so much about what’s happening in the candidate’s current situation and what their real motivation is. It’s quite subtle, so be smart about the way you answer it.

Here the manager/recruiter wants to understand if you are genuinely interested in the job/company, or if you are trying to escape something.
When asked this question, always, always, ALWAYS be positive and focused on why you want this job (cf question #2).
Do not say that you don’t like your current job or manager, even if it’s true.

To give you a few examples of bad answers candidates gave me for this question:

“Because I have learned everything I could in my current role”: this person was in her role for 8 months. This, to me, showed she wasn’t proactive to ask for more work, or mentor new hires, or start new projects.
“Because the atmosphere in my company is not good”: this person was working for a call-center that was notoriously not a great place to work, however this told me that she was ready to accept any job that came her way, as long as that meant she left her current employer. If a candidate answers that way, it gives the impression it will be hard to keep them in the future.

4. What is your understanding of the role you applied to?

With this question, the recruiter/hiring manager wants to know if you understood the tasks and responsibilities of the job you’re interviewing for.

Read several times the job description, the list of tasks and the expectations.
Ask as many questions as possible to the recruiter during the first phone screen: you are not expected to know a lot about the job during that first phase, but do come prepared.
By the second interview (generally with the hiring manager), you should be able to explain the main responsibilities of the job.

5. What do you know about our company?

The hiring manager wants to see if you have done your homework. Make sure you spend some time researching and taking notes of all the main information:

When was it founded and by whom?
How many employees and offices do they have?
Was the company acquired recently or did they acquire any other business?
What are the company’s mission and values? (this is usually shown on their career page)
What are their products/services/solutions? (even the ones you will not work with)

My second advice to successfully answer this question is to create a customer account, if possible. Experience the product/service like a company would.

6. What environment do you thrive in the most?

Are you at ease in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment, or a more steady, slow-paced company?
Reflect on your experiences so far: where did you thrive the most?
Are you happy with a certain routine or do you like when things change regularly?
Are you okay with noise around you and potential interruptions?
Do you like targets your performance is evaluated against?

This will allow the interviewer to see if the company/team environment will be a good fit for you and vice versa.

7. What is your ideal team?

Here the interviewer wants to see how you interact with team members.

Are you an independent worker or do you need to work with people around you?
Do you like working in a team that bounces ideas off each other?
Would you be helping new hires if this was expected of you?
What role do you play in a team: are you the event planner, the support person, etc.?

8. How would your colleagues/manager describe you?

This question is about self-awareness.

Think about the feedback you have received from your colleagues and your manager.
Don’t make it overly positive because it’s going to sound like you are making it nicer than it really is.
Be honest and transparent.

9. What management style do you prefer?

Think about the best manager you ever had: what did that person do (or didn’t do)?
Now think about the worst manager you ever had and ask yourself the same questions.
Gather the pros and cons of each to start drawing a picture of your ideal manager.
Do you need a manager that delegates or do you more involvement/guidance from them?

Again here, the interviewer wants to see if it will be a good match with your future manager.

10. What experience in your CV is the most relevant for this role and why?

Use what is required from the role (question #4) to see where you have learned these skills in the past.
Think about transferable skills, that is skills you have learned and could use in any company: for instance, learning how to use a specific software, or project management, or dealing with difficult clients are all transferable skills.

11. Why should we hire you?

One of the most dreaded questions, especially for those of us who are not comfortable with “showing off”. To make it easier, you can reframe the way you see this question.

See it as a way for the interviewer to check if you have understood why they are interested in your profile.
See this question as the most direct and open way to tell the recruiter what you haven’t had a chance to say yet. For instance if one of the things you want them to know is that you are great at problem solving, this is a good moment to say it.
Use the answers you have prepared for the other questions in this article to do a summary of what makes you a good fit.

12-20. Tell me about a time…

Below are 9 examples of situations it would be good for you to think about and prepare. For each I have added a few pointers as to what your answer should probably refer to.

12. Tell me about a time you had a challenging situation with a client. How did you handle it? (what the interviewer is looking for: client focus, problem resolution)

13. Tell me about a time you had a challenging situation with a colleague. How did you handle it? (what the interviewer is looking for: communication, feedback, conflict resolution)

14. Tell me about a time you didn’t know the answer. What did you do? (what the interviewer is looking for: teamwork, transparency)

15. Tell me about a time you failed. What happened? (what the interviewer is looking for: growth mindset, learning, resilience, positivity)

16. Tell me about a time you faced a difficult problem. How did you approach it? (what the interviewer is looking for: creativity, out of the box thinking, problem solving)

17. Tell me about a time you had to say no. What happened? (what the interviewer is looking for: confidence, ownership, accountability)

18. Tell me about a time you took an initiative. How did it go? (what the interviewer is looking for: proactivity, going above and beyond)

19. Tell me about a time you received a negative feedback. How did you take it and what did you do? (what the interviewer is looking for: learning, self-awareness, personal growth)

20. Tell me about a time you had to give a bad news to someone at work. How did you handle it? (what the interviewer is looking for: interpersonal skills, communication, emotional regulation, learning)

21-23. What would you do if…

Same as #12.

21. What would you do if you made a mistake and no one else noticed? (what the interviewer is looking for: work ethics, transparency)

22. What would you do if you were asked to perform a task you’ve never done before? (what the interviewer is looking for: teamwork, problem solving, honesty)

23. What would you do if all the tasks in your to-do list were high priority? (what the interviewer is looking for: time management, prioritisation)

24. What are you passionate about?

Passion is a big quality interviewers look for as this is what usually drives performance and initiative at work.

It’s a good way for the interviewer to see if your passion and values match the company’s. For instance, if you reply that you are passionate about the environment and the problem of climate change, but you’re applying to an oil company, this collaboration might not be a good fit.
Don’t answer something corny or banal, like “helping others.” The interviewer has likely heard that a million times before. If you are genuinely passionate about helping others, talk about how specifically you like helping others (volunteering, helping new hires, etc.)
You can answer with something that is not necessarily related to work, but it would be very impactful if you manage to link it to work anyway. For instance, a candidate might say they are passionate about knitting because it helps them be more mindful and in the present, which is very important in a day-to-day job.

25. What are your top 3 strengths and your top 3 weaknesses?

The infamous questions. If you’re lucky, they won’t ask this question at all. If you’re unlucky they will ask for 3 of each.

In your interview preparation, keep this question for last. After working on all the other questions, you will have examples of strengths and weaknesses you’ll be able to use for this questions.
Do not list “perfectionist” as a weakness. Please, just don’t. I rolled my eyes every time I heard this in interviews. If by “perfectionist” you mean “detail-oriented”, say this instead, and have an example of why it’s a weakness for you (example: “I sometimes get lost in the details of a project and I need to be reminded of the big picture). If you mean you can’t delegate work to others because you want it to be done your way, say it like that and explain how you are trying to manage it and get better at it.

26. What are you the most proud of?

This doesn’t have to be something related to work. Talk about your biggest achievement, what you did to reach it and what impact it had on you (learning a new skills, learning about yourself, etc.).

27. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Think about your career goals: would you like to step up in the organisation and become a manager? If so, you can share your ambition but do so by explaining why you would love to become a manager.
Reflect on what you would be interested in learning: what skills would you like to develop? How would you develop them (doing a course, practicing, doing a lateral move, etc.)?
Overall, this question is about the continuity of your journey. The interviewer wants to see if you are going to drastically change path or if you are ready to grow within the company.

28. What are your salary expectations?

As a former hiring manager, here are my tips regarding the salary conversation:

Don’t proactively mention the compensation and benefits, wait for the interviewer to bring it up. It should be discussed in the initial phone screen. If after a round or two you still haven’t been asked about your salary expectations, it’s best to have this conversation with the recruiter and not with the hiring manager (though this is my personal, very subjective opinion).
A lot of companies will unfortunately use your current salary to calculate the offer, so be mindful of the salary you share with them in the first place, especially if you know your current company is paying below the market. If they are, add 10 to 15% to the amount you’re earning.
Research about the company’s approach to salaries on Glassdoor (are they paying below or above the market?), as well as other job sites where they list salary ranges for your city, your industry, your experience, and your type of role.
Set a minimum salary you will not go below, kind of like your non-negotiable salary. I would add 10% to 15% to that as your official salary expectations.
Repeat saying this number out loud. It’s a weird advice, I know, but believe me, it works. Get used to the sound of this number with your voice. Repeat it until it feels natural to say it.

29. How do you deal with stress?

Stress can take many forms at work. This question definitely calls for one or two specific examples of how you managed stress in the past.

Reflect on situations where you:
- had a very tight deadline,
- were overworked,
- were constantly interrupted by colleagues,
- had a backlog of emails to catch up on,
- had no work/life balance, etc.
Pick two that you managed to solve, and prepare a story on what happened that led to this stressful situation and how you handled them: how did you control your emotions, who did you ask help to, what have you learned so it doesn’t happen again to you?

30. Do you have any questions?

Having questions shows curiosity and interest. Always say yes and ask one or two questions you prepared beforehand.

> Read more

Best of luck for your interviews.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any additional support.

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30 Common Interview Questions & How To Answer Them
The Institute of You

10 Ways To Spice Up Your Job And Make It More Interesting

Marion Tilly — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 08:52:56 +0000

The Institute of You
10 Ways To Spice Up Your Job And Make It More Interesting

No job is perfect, and if you have done yours for a while now, you will likely go through moments where your motivation, passion and interest simply decrease. Even though this is normal, it doesn’t mean you should accept it and wait for it to get better on its own.

There are things you can do to spice things up at work and break the cycle of boredom. It’s about being proactive, learning new things, and setting your own goals.

1 | Change your routine

Having a routine is a good way to structure your daily or weekly tasks. It removes the time and energy you’d spend on micro-decisions to make them automatic. It gives you the headspace to think about more important things like a project or an actual task you need to complete.

The danger of these automatic behaviours though is that they put you on auto-pilot. You become less mindful and you arrive at a point where you have so many (tiny) habits structuring your day that you don’t have any surprises anymore, making your day (and your job) less exciting.

The great news is that you can change that very easily by first reflecting on these daily micro-habits you have so you become aware of them, and then change them. For instance, if you can wake up 15 or 30 minutes earlier/later than the usual, you will see different things in your commute. You can decide to take your lunch in a different way once a week, or sit in a different chair next time you have a meeting (this last one may seem tiny, but you will see how your perspective of the room and the group changes as your position changes too.)

2 | Attend trainings, even if they’re not meant for you

If your company is somewhat big, it likely offers trainings of all sorts. Whether it is on products, processes, soft skills or even managerial skills, many companies have internal or external training resources to help their employees grow. To make your job exciting again, find what trainings are organised by your company, even if they are not meant for you (maybe they are for another department). You can ask your manager or HR representative for more information on upcoming trainings. Explain why you would be interested in joining one. It will be a good opportunity for you not only to learn something new, but also to meet new people.

3 | Find a mentor in your company

Another great way to spice up your job is to find a mentor in your company who will offer a safe space for you to openly talk about your work. You can obviously talk to your manager about the way you feel about your job, but I know it’s not always easy. Instead, find someone you do not report to, with whom you will be 100% honest about the lack of interest you’ve had in your job.

Sharing the way you feel to someone else will first help you put words on what exactly is bothering you. It will also give you the chance to listen to advice from someone’s own experience. Everyone goes through this phase at some point in their career. Having feedback on how they managed it and what they did to spice things up at work will be valuable to you.

4 | Shadow people from other departments

If you are bored in your job, it is likely because you know the ins and outs of your tasks, your team and your department. But do you know what other services do? Or how they do it? What are their goals, their processes, their challenges? You might know to some extent, but unless you sit with them and watch them work, you will not fully grasp it.

Think of a department you’d be interested in learning more about, and reach out to someone there, even if you don’t know them. Unless you catch them at a very bad time, people love sharing what they do and they will very likely agree to show you their job.

5 | Create a proper career development plan

In my personal experience dealing with a decreasing lack of interest at work, this #5 was by far the one that had the biggest impact on making my job exciting and fresh again. What is a “proper” career development plan?

One that you document in writing
One that has a short-, medium- and long-term vision
One that focuses on your strengths, your areas of development, and your motivation (there is a difference between knowing you should improve on something and actually wanting to improve it)
One that you keep updated as you reach goals or think of new ones
One that lists the resources you have to support you (materials, training, people)

Creating a document like this and sharing it with your manager, your work friends or your mentor (#3) is the perfect way to find purpose in your current job. You will be able to link what you would like to do in the future to what you are currently doing. You will see a clearer path and see how you can start making it happen now.

6 | Increase the quality of your work

I have always found that improving the quality of my work was challenging and exciting at the same time. It’s about improving yourself, giving your best, not being satisfied with the bare minimum or ticking the boxes. Look for ways you can be a top performer. Listen to the feedback you are given, look at other people work, be thorough and do not leave any stones unturned. You don’t know what you might find.

7 | Start a project or get involved in one

Raising your hand to take part in a project is another way you can make your job exciting. A group project allows you to work with people you wouldn’t necessarily have worked with on a topic that is related to your job, but that isn’t about routine.

There are always things to improve in an organisation. Creating or joining a project is the best way to have a say in how your company, department or team evolve. You will develop skills in collaboration, project management, strategy. You will take part of something different and contribute to positive change.

8 | Organise internal events

You can also contribute by organising internal events, whether it’s a simple team lunch or dinner, or a bigger event that is cross-functional. Set up an interest group to discuss a topic you are passionate about, or talk to your manager or HR representative about organising a Q&A panel with internal speakers.

9 | Ask for feedback

Proactively ask for feedback will help you uncover (or confirm) the areas that you are the strongest in and the ones you could focus on. It will not only help you with your career development plan (#5) but it will also give you a different perspective on your job. Talk to your manager about the best way for you to do a 360° feedback in your company.

10 | Solve problems

This is linked to starting a project (#7) but not just that. Identifying the pain points at all levels (clients, employees, in your team or your entire department) will make things more interesting for you. You probably already know what doesn’t work, so you’ve done phase 1 already. Phase 2 is taking some time to think about how to change that. Phase 3 is to take action.

Solving problems is also about helping others do their job better, onboarding new hires, training them, mentoring them. It’s proactively offering your support so you day-to-day isn’t just about your own tasks anymore, but also about having an impact on others.

10 Ways To Spice Up Your Job And Make It More Interesting
The Institute of You

What You Need To Know Before Becoming A Manager

Marion Tilly — Wed, 22 May 2019 08:30:14 +0000

The Institute of You
What You Need To Know Before Becoming A Manager

Nothing really prepares a person to what they’re about to do through when they move to a management position. Before becoming a manager, there are a couple of things I wish I had known. It wouldn’t have made me change my mind, but it would have certainly helped me in the first year. Now that I coach leaders in their journey to manage and motivate people, I understand it wasn’t just me: we don’t always know what it’s going to be like. So here’s the truth no one tells you.

1 | This is one of the hardest things you’ll do in your career

It is genuinely going to be one of the toughest things you’ll ever do. The amount of new responsibilities that will be put on your shoulders from one day to another is more than you anticipate. Expectations (your team’s, your own manager’s, and your own) will be different. Stakes will be higher. And you won’t be fully ready. And it will be normal. Just accept that and make your best to step up and learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

2 | Your team will remember everything you say and don’t say, everything you do and don’t do

As the manager, you will become a reference for people in your team. If you are not at your desk, they will notice. If you say something and then not do it, they will remember. If you give too much or too little importance to something, they will do the same to some extent. This puts you in a position where you need to be consistent between what you ask them to do and what you do yourself. Be consistent, talk the talk and walk the walk at all times.

3 | Your team’s successes will be theirs. Their failures will be yours.

That’s probably one of the most important things I learned as a manager. You’ll let your team take credit for their successes, but you’ll have to take credit for their failures. If numbers are good, the business will want to know who is working well in the team. If numbers are bad, the business will want to know what you (not your team) could do better. The sooner you understand that and take full ownership, the better you’ll do.

4 | You will not get the recognition you deserve

Not taking credit for your team’s successes despite being involved in it means you won’t get the recognition you deserve. It is your job to make your team work efficiently and have a good performance, and you will not get any special recognition for that. Brace yourself for the lack of recognition from the people you manage. This is probably the most difficult one to accept, because in the end you work for them. You won’t get a lot of thank yous. I told you, expectations will be much higher. Find recognition from your manager, but ultimately, it’s crucial that you know yourself when you’re doing a good job.

5 | You will have to understand people like you never did before

Your job will be to support people in their day-to-day and in their career. They will have personal issues that will impact their work, they will have relationship problems with other colleagues, they will make mistakes, they will expect something you can’t give them. You will be facing many different personalities and traits of character. You will need to understand what motivates people and you will need to find an approach that works for them, without compromising too much on who you are. It’s difficult at the beginning to find the middle line, but with time you will.

6 | You will be between the hammer and the anvil

As a manager, you will be stuck between a rock and a hard place, the rock being your team, the hard place being the senior management. It is expected and asked of you to always support the decisions that are made by senior management, and to communicate them to your team. You, as part of the greater management group, will have to show unity and trickle down decisions from the top to the bottom of the hierarchy. If you disagree with a decision and tell your team, they will follow your opinion and senior management will lose credibility.

7 | It will be lonely

Management can be lonely. There are some things that will frustrate you that you won’t be able to share with your team (see point #6) because it will sap their morale and will make them worried and tense for nothing. You need to find peers (so other managers) who are in the same position as you and who will be able to support you. A support network is essential to bounce back ideas and get feedback.

8 | You are going to work late at night and during weekends

Even if you don’t want it, there will be times where you will have to work late or during weekends. You are even going to check your work emails during your holidays. You will eventually find a way to manage your time better, and to set healthy boundaries between your work and your personal life. At the beginning though, there will be emails to answer, reviews to write, spreadsheets to fill in that you’ll only be able to do on your personal time, since your day will be spent helping your team and attending meetings.

9 | It will change you

This job will change you for the best. It will push you to learn things about yourself, about others, about how a business runs, that you didn’t know anything about. It will broaden your horizon and change your perspective. It’s like stepping into the other side of the mirror: you look at the same things from a different perspective, and nothing will be the same anymore.

There is a saying in French that says: “To win without risk is to triumph without glory” – I find that it encapsulates perfectly what moving to management is: difficult but very rewarding.

What You Need To Know Before Becoming A Manager
The Institute of You

Why Performance Issues Happen And How To Solve Them

Marion Tilly — Wed, 15 May 2019 13:09:54 +0000

The Institute of You
Why Performance Issues Happen And How To Solve Them

During conversations about performance issues between an employee and their manager, various reasons can emerge: training wasn’t long enough, there is a lack of support, the employee is not asking enough questions, the employee is not honest, the manager is not available, the manager’s standards are unreachable, etc. I could go on and on about what is usually brought up in these exchanges.

I have a few problems with these reasons. They are often one-sided. They also usually put the blame on the other person, which can severely deteriorate the trust that is needed between an individual and their manager.

So I want to offer a different way to look at underperformance that isn’t personal and that could genuinely help you – whether you are an underperforming employee or a manager – have an objective and constructive conversation about what can be done.

The different types of tasks

Performance issues usually arise when the behaviour of an employee impacts their ability to perform their tasks successfully.

In ergonomics, a task is the process of producing, transforming, changing something at work. A task is defined by two elements:

A specific goal (which can be qualitative or quantitative) and
The conditions to reach this goal (processes to follow, work environment, team).

Despite having a straightforward and simple definition, the notion of task is actually quite complex when we look at what happens in the workplace. Why? Because human beings have a tendencies to complicate things.

There isn’t one, but five different types of tasks:

Type of task	What it is	Example
1. Prescribed task	The prescribed task is what should be done. It can be more or less defined, more or less abstract.	Tasks that are described in the job description
2. Expected task	The expected task is what is expected from the employee but that is not explicitely. written or said. It’s usually seen as common sense.	Writing an email without a typo or grammatical error is expected but not necessarily said or documented.
3. Represented task	The represented task is the the task that the employee thinks is expected of them. It is highly impacted by how the task was described to them, as well as their own experience and biases.	An employee thinks they shouldn’t emphasise on quality because they were asked to produce high quantity, because that’s how they were doing in their previous job. They will adapt their work accordingly to this belief.
4. Redefined task	The redefined task is the task that the employee gives themselves to do, that they proactively offer to execute. It depends on their representation of the task, and also on their own individual goals for career advancement or work-life balance.	An employee who thinks they shouldn’t emphasise on quality is driven by career growth. They want to do well, which they understood means high numbers regardless of quality. They will change their work to reach what they think is their target and according to their personal goal.
5. Effective task	The effective task is what is effectively done by the employee, with all the unpredictable events that occur in the workplace (computer not working, seasonality, etc.)	During summer, there are generally less clients to call so a sales employee might reorganise their daily tasks to focus more on admin work than what they usually do.

The why of underperformance

As you probably understood by reading the table above, there is very often (if not all the time) a mismatch between the tasks prescribed and the reality. This explains why the job you read about in a description is different than the job you actually do.

But there’s another layer of mistmatch that complicates things even more: what is prescribed and expected from management isn’t always understood by employees. Managers assume employees know what they expect, and employees think they understood what their job really is about. The things that make sense to managers are not always that obvious for employees, and employees are not always asking the right questions or even aware of what they need.

When aligning the five types of tasks, the manager and the employee gain a lot of clarity. They understand the other person’s view, which helps them build trust and empathy. You will find below a few pointers as to how to use the table above to sort the situation you are in.

What you can do

If you are an underperforming employee:

Start by writing down the feedback you have received: is it a problem of quality, quantity, or general behaviour/professionalism?
Then write if the problem might be due to:
- What you understood of the role and the expectations (what was said to you and what you intuitively understood) -> tasks #1 & 2
- The fact that you were doing the job differently in your previous company -> task #3
- What you expect of your own job and how you see it fit in your career -> task #4
- Conditions that are/were not in your control that impact the way your tasks (be objective here, otherwise you will give the impression you are finding excuses and not owning it) -> task #5
In the conversation with your manager, ask them to clarify the role, the targets, the way you can reach your targets (processes, etc.) and their expectations. Ask that they create a document or send you the information so you can have it in writing somewhere. This will allow both of you to avoid any miscommunication or misunderstanding later on.

If you are a manager:

First, identify where the problem of underperformance comes from: look at the five different types and ask yourself if this is an issue with what is prescribed, expected, represented, redefined or effective.
Depending on what you find out, here’s what you can do:
- Issue with the prescribed task: you need to document (in writing) the tasks of the employees, which include their specific goals and the conditions to reach them (processes, team support, etc.)
- Issue with the expected task: think about what makes sense to you and what you think doesn’t need to be said, and then write it. If it’s a problem of grammatical errors in emails, explain to the employee that it is important not to make any. If you explain a professional behaviour, explain in details what you expect to the employee. Be as detailed and clear as you possible.
- Issue with the represented task: an issue at this level means your employee is applying their own filter to what task #1 (prescribed) and #2 (expected). Think about the employee’s background and experience, specifically how they used to do the job in their previous company. If you don’t know, ask them. Explain how things are different in their current role.
- Issue with the redefined task: look at what the employee is proactively doing, while still being underperforming. What does it say about how they redefined their tasks? Help the employee redefine their tasks so it matches what is expected of them. You might have to look into #3 as well, because it is linked to how the employee sees their role overall.
- Issue with the effective task: look at the context of the issue: seasonality, covering up for someone who is absent, technical issues, the employee not feeling very good – all of these things can happen on a daily basis and impact the performance.
Have a conversation with the employee and let them know you will followup with an email that summarises it. My advice here would be to prepare a draft before the talk so you already know what you want to discuss. Before sending it, change it with what was effectively discussed.

Performance issues often come from miscommunication. Now that you know the different levels, try to use them in your next conversation, regardless on which side you side.

Why Performance Issues Happen And How To Solve Them
The Institute of You

What To Do To Rock Your Next Job Interview

Marion Tilly — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 13:30:42 +0000

The Institute of You
What To Do To Rock Your Next Job Interview

Looking for a job can be a long and difficult process, but it’s one that is necessary to go through. Though you are never fully in control, there are certain things you should definitely do to increase your chances of success.

The keyword is mindful preparation.

I’ve compiled in this post all the tips that I personally followed when I was looking for a job and that I now help people with through coaching.

» Before the interview

↳ Take a lot of notes during the preparation phase

Preparation is key to be successful in a job interview. You can’t expect to be successful with improvisation. Preparation will take a few hours as you need some research and think about what you are going to say. The best way – no, the only way to do this correctly is by taking notes. On your laptop or on paper. Whatever works for you, as long as it’s comfortable, easy, and you can go back to them.

These notes will help you with all the job interviews you are going to go through, with all the companies you are going to interview for. Write down everything that will be useful for you to remember.

↳ Research the people you are going to interview with on Linkedin

Take a look at the Linkedin profile of the people you are going to interview with to understand who they are and what their journey is. I find that it always helped me to know more about them, what they studied and what their career looked like. That way the interviewer doesn’t feel like a complete stranger.

↳ Explore the company’s products and services

Go on the company’s website and learn about all the services, products and solutions they offer, even if you won’t directly work with them.

If you can, I would even recommend you create a client/user account to see what the dashboard is like. Companies usually have a free trial, make good use of that. When I was interviewing people, the candidates who had created a customer account had definitely an advantage over those who didn’t. And it’s not that common, so do it!

↳ Read in details their “about” section

The “about” section of the company’s website is crucial. It can also be called “about”, “work with us”, “careers” or “join us”. You can usually find it on the top menu or in the footer.

Here’s what you need to take notes on:

The company’s history: the year it was founded, any merger or acquisition, etc.
The leadership team: who is the CEO?
The mission and values: they are usually clearly stated
The company culture: is it inclusive?
Some data points: where the company is based, the number of employees, etc.

↳ Research the industry

Another very important aspect of the preparation is to get information on the industry, especially if you are interviewing for a role in a industry you are not experienced in.

Some things to know:

Who are the competitors?
What markets are they present in?
What are the potential threats and opportunities?

↳ Read several times the job description

Obviously, reading several times the description to fully grasp what you’re applying for is a no-brainer. I would recommend taking note of the words used to describe the role, so that if you are asked to share what you understood of the position, you can use their own phrasing. Using the other person’s words is a coaching technique that helps build rapport and trust. Try it!

↳ Write down and practice your answers to interview questions

I cannot repeat enough that preparing a list of interview questions is not enough. You actually need to write down the answers and practice saying them several times. It feels like learning it by heart? That’s exactly what you should do.

Imagine preparing for an important presentation where you can’t have notes with you. What would you do? You would prepare what you want to say, learn it, and practice it. Interviewing is the exact same thing.

Now, I reckon it will be the most time-consuming phase of the preparation. One thing you can keep in mind is that you will be able to reuse your answers to most interviews you will do in the future. So keep your notes once they’re done, they might come in handy in the future (and will definitely save you time).

> Read our article: 30 Common Interview Questions & How To Answer Them

↳ Prepare questions to ask at the end

In my humble opinion of former hiring manager, not asking questions at the end of an interview is a terrible move, one that definitely leaves the interviewer unimpressed. Prepare a few questions to ask so you are covered if no question comes in during the interview.

> Read our articles:

↳ Have a salary expectation in mind

The topic of salary you will definitely come up, likely during the first screening call. In this blog post I give a few pointers on how to answer the question about your salary expectations.

↳ Pick an appropriate outfit for the interview

In some industries wearing a suit will be the norm. In any case, the minimum will always be business casual, that is dark pants, a casual shirt or top (but no t-shirt), a jacket and clean shoes.

» During the interview

↳ Be in the present

During the interview take your time to take mindful breaths. When the interviewer is talking, quickly shift your focus on one or two deep breaths. It will calm you instantly.

When you are the one talking, be aware of every word you say, of the people in front of you, of the room you are in. Pay attention to every detail to make sure you are fully grounded in the present.

↳ Be aware of your body language

What does it mean? Make sure you are mindful of your non-verbal communication:

Have a firm handshake
Smile and relax your face
Don’t fidget (legs, finders)
Make eye contact, but not in a weird way (aka: don’t forget to blink)
If you feel like you’re starting to blush, breathe in and out discreetly

↳ Take your time to answer

Don’t rush before answering. Pause for a few seconds to gather your thoughts, remember the notes you took, and find a good example that will illustrate what you want to show. This is not a race and the speed of your answer will not be determinant.

↳ Answer the questions properly

There is nothing worse for an interviewer than a candidate who is vague and is not saying anything in their answers. Make sure you give a detailed reply and that you have at least one concrete example. Give the interviewer the information they asked and don’t beat around the bush. Be concise and direct.

↳ See it like a conversation

Reframe the interview to perceive it like a conversation. It is always pleasant for the interviewer to interact with the candidate in a natural way, like they would in a normal setting. How to transform the interview in a conversation?

Ask some questions about what the interviewer is saying: they will discuss the role / team / company, etc. Make sure you show interest and curiosity by asking for more information or clarification.
You can also connect with the person in front of you by proactively sharing examples in your past experience that relate to what they said.

» After the interview

↳ Send a thank you note

Contact the person you have been in touch with by email (very likely the recruiter) to thank them and share your positive experience of the interview.

Avoid researching the email address of the hiring manager or reaching out to them on Linkedin. The recruiter will forward your email internally to the people who were involved in the process.

↳ Keep your notes

Don’t throw away your interview notes until you actually sign a contract. Like I said at the beginning, you took a lot of time to reflect and write everything down, and you’ll be able to use all that in multiple interviews if needed. If the company has rejected your application, you can discard the notes about them, but do keep the answers to the interview questions.

↳ Reflect on what went well and what could have gone better

Without being too hard on yourself, take a moment when you can to reflect what what you did well and what you could have done better. It’s not about having regrets or being disappointed, but rather analysing the facts so you can learn from them in a rational, logical way.

↳ Then let it go

Once the interview is done and you have reflected on how it went, you can let go. Don’t overthink and wait for an answer, it’s unproductive. Just focus on things you have control over. I’m not just talking about working hard in your current job. I’m also thinking about going to the movies, organising a dinner party, relaxing at home. Anything that will serve you and make you feel good.

Looking for a job can take time and can be stressful, but you got this. Focus on the preparation, being in the present, and the reason why you do all that.