Make sure your interview isn’t just about you

Many j ob seekers go i nto an inter view as sharp, wellread exper ts on themselves. While it ’s i mportant to display how good a fit you are for the j ob, if you think that the success of the interview relies on “you” as the most important factor, than you are likely walking out without the job.

Kirk Hallowell, a talent management industr y veteran, has seen time and time again that the inter view isn’t just about you. In fact, you are the second most important aspect in the equation.

Begin the i nter view process by understanding the unique reason the company is looking for a l eader i n the first place. The stor y begins, not with you, but with a unique need.

Approach a job opportunity i n the same way a forensic scientist approaches a criminal investigation. Rigorously check out all the clues and i nformation available to put together a meaningful and accurate understanding of the motives and actions.

If you were referred for a position by a colleague, network contact, or recruiting professional, remember that your reference most likely has a number of insights about the organization and the opportunity. Tap their exper tise to ask what they believe the organization is

Dig deep site to understand how the company represents itself to the world and to demonstrate your preparation for the inter view.

Conduct a simple Internet search on the company name, or division names, with a “news” filter to provide you with a great summary of local, regional, and national stories

Familiarize yourself with the significant amounts of financial coverage available on the Internet for publicly traded companies. You should absolutely be familiar with the financial performance of the organization in the l ast two years and understand any major

Check with current or previous employees who may be willing to discuss their experiences. LinkedIn. com and Glassdoor.com are two of the most established resources in this area

Be disciplined about inter view preparation. Make the commitment to spend at least 2 to 3 solid hours doing your research before you star t focusing on the second most important aspect of the inter view: YOU.