6-Minute Guide to Having a Great Interview

Start by ensuring great personal presentation – read our article about this here. Then follow these tips:

• Be punctual. Plan to arrive 5 minutes before the interview is scheduled.
• Go prepared. Research the past and present of the company on their website and social media channels. Visit their stores and wholesale partners discreetly (don’t tell the team why you are there). Determine their main competitors, read recent press, and watch their fashion shows. All of this will help you have an informed conversation about whats happening with the brand and where they might be headed.
• Know who you’re talking to. Looking up the hiring manager on LinkedIn beforehand. This will give you an understanding of their background and tenure with the company. Don’t reference this research (which some find creepy), but use it to inform your conversation.
• Prepare the story of your career and why you can leverage your experience in the specific role. Prepare a 5-10 minute story of your progression through your roles, what you learned, why you made each move, and what you’re looking for in a next role. Articulate how your previous experience and achievements can translate into success in this new role. Practice this story and tell it with passion!
• Show excitement for the brand. Brands want to hire people that are excited about what they represent and the prospect of working for them.
• Prepare answers to:
  • What are your compensation expectations?
  • Tell me about yourself
  • Tell us about a challenging situation that you have overcome and what you learned
  • Why do you want to work for us?
  • Why did you move between each role on your resume?
  • (If you are not currently employed), why did you leave your last role?

• Don’t lie – ever. You don’t need to volunteer the gory details, but when asked a specific question about your past roles, be honest and forthcoming. Being caught in a lie in your interview or on paper will reflect very poorly, and could even be grounds for future termination if they find out after they hire you. Don’t do it.
• Stay positive about negative experiences in your past. If you were terminated from a role, had a challenging manager, worked for a disorganized company, or disagreed with a superior – either skip the topic or talk about what you learned from the experience and why it helps you be better member of a new team today. Show you are grateful, not regretful, for the experience.
• Ask questions about the role.Preparing a few questions, whether general or specific, conveys your interest in the interview and role. Here’s a good one – What do you think the most challenging part of the role is? Then talk about how your previous experience has prepared you for that challenge.
• Prepare ideas of what you can do in role. Though you may not yet know all the details or specific information about their needs, outlining some ideas for moving forward shows what you could bring to the company, and demonstrates your preparation.
• Be yourself—show personality. Employers want to see your personality shine—they are hiring a real person, not a robot.
• Don’t forget to smile!

Here are some additional resources and tips for nailing your interview. Good luck!

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/so-tell-me-yourself-judi-roo/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/05/02/the-no-1-way-to-nail-a-job-interview/#3c4704085c29