Here at Mavidea, I have done most of the first interviews for the last 5 years or so. Since Mavidea has developed a bit of a reputation for being such a great place to work I have gotten asked a few times to speak about how to get a job.
I’ll cut to the chase with the most important and simplest piece of advice for anyone seeking a job: smile. A lot.
Got it?
Ok, now that you have the smiling thing down, there are a few more steps that will help along the way. And they all center around one word: know.
First, it always helps if you know someone. If you don’t already, think about how you might get to know someone. Look to build your network on LinkedIn and in industry associations. Any time I get a referral from one of our current staff, the candidate gets special attention from me and the team as part of the hiring process.
Second, know your audience. Have an understanding of what they are looking for and why. Ask questions about their top pain points with this position. Ask how long the position has been open. Ask about what ideal performance looks like. Ask how they will know you are doing a good job. Ask about the culture and if their values match yours.
Lastly, know yourself. After smiling, this is my second most important interviewing tip. It is so much easier to answer interview questions when you have an understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, interests and dislikes. Know what you are looking for and ask questions during the interview to see if the position is a fit for you.
Get an understanding of the position so that you will be able to understand if you are a fit.
Is this a sales position and you struggle when meeting new people? Might not be a fit.
Is this a position that requires lots of sitting and you are an up and moving kind of person? Might want to rethink things.
It’s your life (or at least a significant portion of it), make sure to ask lots of questions so you can make an educated decision as to whether or not this is how you want to spend it.
From my experience, the strongest candidates know someone in the organization, know the audience/position they are applying for and know themselves well enough to understand if there is a fit. And they smile. A lot.
Now you know.
Knowing is half the battle.
And other puns from childhood TV shows.
Jake
