Job Interview Success: The Secret to Landing Your Dream Job

Here’s a little insider secret: most candidates give bland, forgettable answers. Don’t be most candidates.

One third of hiring managers decide whether a candidate is the right fit within the first 90 seconds. This really shows you the importance of approaching a job interview with the right mindset. It’s not just about your work experience or qualifications, but really about how you present yourself.

Sure, a candidate might look good on paper, might even look good in person (well dressed and groomed), but the right candidate has a certain air about them as they walk into the room, a certain self assurance as they take their seat and begin the conversation.

The successful candidate feels like they belong there.

After two decades of coaching individuals for high-profile interviews, I can affirm that your mindset is the secret ingredient to your success in a job interview. Let’s explore how you can harness the power of your mindset to ace your next job interview and land your dream job.

Understanding the Importance of Mindset

Your mindset shapes your entire interview experience. It influences how you:

• Perceive the challenge of a job interview
• Respond to questions with genuine and memorable answers
• Present yourself as a unique and valuable candidate

The right mindset allows you to approach interviews with confidence, resilience, and adaptability. Instead of viewing an interview as a test, you approach it with curiosity about the company’s challenges and how your skills can be of help. It’s an opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation about your field and your experiences.

The Power of the Two-way Interview

The most transformative shift in your job interview mindset is recognizing that an interview is a two-way street. You’re not just being evaluated for a job; you’re also evaluating whether the job and the company are a right fit for you! This perspective can dramatically boost your self-esteem and performance.

Understanding the Balance of Need:

It’s easy to feel like you’re at a disadvantage when job hunting, especially if you’re eager to secure a position. However, it’s crucial to recognize that companies are in need of a qualified candidate as much as you are in need of a job. They’re investing time and resources into the hiring process because they have a gap to fill. Your skills, experience, and unique perspective could be exactly what they’re looking for.

Cultivating Authentic Confidence

True confidence in an interview setting isn’t about putting on a show or some “mind tricks.” It’s really about three practices:

1. Apply selectively: Seek positions you’re qualified for and genuinely interested in.
2. Know your worth: Understand and articulate why you’re an excellent fit for the role.
3. Clarify your goals: be eager to be hired, but only by a company that aligns with your career goals and values.

To build this authentic confidence, reflect on your experiences. Review your career history, identifying your key achievements and learning experiences. Ask yourself what am I genuinely proud of achieving?

Articulate your motivations to yourself out loud. Ask yourself: why am I seeking this position? Develop a clear, honest answer. Saying what might impress the interviewer is what 90% of candidates do and is a sure way to make your answers boring and disingenuous.

Interviewers are human too. They get tired, they get bored and if you are the 3rd or 30th candidate they’ve interviewed, they’ve heard all the “LinkedIn” answers already.

Understand your unique value. Identify specific reasons why you’re an ideal candidate for this particular role. Investigate the challenges the company is facing. Think about how you can be of value in dealing with those challenges.

When you have these elements clear in your mind, you’ll naturally exude more confidence because you’re speaking from a place of genuine self-awareness and conviction.

Strategies for Effective Preparation

Like most things in life, luck favors the prepared. It’s no different in job interviews.

Dig Deep into the Company. Don’t just skim the website. Really get in there. What’s their mission? Do you buy into it? How is their on the ground reputation? Have you used their products or services lately? Do you know someone who has? Do they live up to their marketing?

Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion.

Years ago I was invited by a company to interview for the role of Sales manager. After doing the usual research- looking at their website, reading about them online- I decided to pop into a couple of their retail stores. I formed an impression about their sales staff and the way they interacted with me as a customer.

In the interview, the sales director asked me what value I thought I could bring to the company. I told him I would start by changing the salespeople’s attitude & approach towards customers. He sat up, curious to hear more.

I told him about my first hand experiences in their stores, then outlined politely that the sales team seemed pushy and as soon as they discovered I was not ready to make a decision, they became bored and disregarding. I went on to outline how I would tackle the problem with training workshops, restructuring of sales incentives and a shift in the company’s focus to customer experience, rather than units sold. Two days later I got a job offer.

Flip the Script – Ask Your Own Questions:

Remember, you’re not just trying to get any job. You’re trying to find the right job for you. At the end of the day, if you do get the job but end up quitting 3 months later because you just can’t stand working there, you’re back to square one. Plus, if you quit or are let go a few months into a job, that looks bad on your resume.

1. Use Your Powers of Observation: Pay attention to everything. How does the office feel? Are the people working there genuinely engaged or just going through the motions? Trust your gut – it’s usually right.
2. Don’t Ignore Red Flags: If something feels off, it probably is. Maybe the interviewer is a bit of a bully, or they’re dancing around your questions about work-life balance. Don’t brush these things off. They matter.
3. Ask Yourself: “Can I See Myself Here?“: Seriously, can you picture spending 40+ hours a week in this place? With these people? Doing this work? If the answer isn’t an enthusiastic “Yes!”, that’s important information.

When you approach an interview this way, You come across as confident, not desperate. You have real conversations instead of just reciting rehearsed answers. You make better decisions about which jobs to take and finally, you find yourself working at a place and at a job you enjoy and excel at .. and that’s the end goal.

Putting It All Together

Mastering your interview mindset isn’t about tricks or gimmicks. It’s about knowing your worth, being genuinely curious about the opportunity, and having the courage to evaluate if it’s right for you.

Every interview is a chance to learn something – about the job, the company, or yourself. Be your authentic self.

Key Takeaways:

1. Get your head in the game – mindset matters more than you think.
2. Know your worth – you bring value to the table.
3. Do your homework – but not just to impress them.
4. Treat the interview like a two-way street – because it is.
5. Be real – authenticity beats perfection every time.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about landing any job. It’s about finding a place where you can thrive, contribute, and grow. With the right mindset, you’re not just going to ace the interview – you’re going to find the right fit for you. Now go out there and show them what you’ve got!