Interview skills rusty? Practice, practice, practice

Q: I haven’t interviewed in decades. I’m not kidding. I’ve been at the same company for over 20 years, but a friend of a friend reached out and wants to talk to me about a new job they would create just for me! How can I practice?

A: Congrats at the potential opportunity! Stepping out of one’s comfort zone as a loyal employee is an exciting time. Change can be fantastic. OK, now for how to practice your interviewing. It’s a conversation. Prepare so you can speak to your most authentic self: your accolades, your skills and your experiences. Aim to quantify things. If you run a team, what’s your budget? How many people do you manage, how often do you meet, etc.? Review sample interview questions like why should we hire you and what interested you about this job? Research the company thoroughly — look at their social media feeds as well as their website, of course, but also if you find anything on Google.

A few years ago, a company I recruited for was constantly in the headlines and it was almost like a catch-22: If candidates didn’t ask about the situation, hiring managers assumed they didn’t stay on top of the news (even though they were maybe hesitant to bring up the elephant in the room).

Anyway, above all of this, remember to speak in a non-rehearsed way. Your energy and confidence speak volumes. Take a deep breath, stay focused, practice on Zoom or in person (whichever medium the interview will be conducted on) with a friend or relative.

Also, this employer may not exactly be objective and give feedback, so you may want to hire a career coach or reach out to your alma mater’s career office — many offer services for alums.

Lastly, remember that although you may be nervous (completely normal, by the way), you are interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you! It’s a dialogue, it’s an opportunity for you to learn about them and you can ask yourself in your head during the interview, “Why should I want to work here?” See what they say and if it’s the right fit for you.

Q: My boss did not approve my vacation at the end of the summer that I desperately need! I’m burned out! I need a break. I have the PTO and it’s our department downtime. She didn’t give a reason so now I need to work and tell my family we’re not going away. I guess I’m venting more than anything else, but should I say anything — what should I do?

A: Without knowing the context of your relationship with your boss and if this is singling you out or if this is par for your course, it’s the underlying issue that I’m most concerned about. Why? Why is your boss denying it? You may want to ask for the reason and explain that you have PTO to take and want to know when would be a better time so you can plan ahead as you definitely plan on tapping into the time.

Again, without having more information or context, at first glance it doesn’t seem right. And as for what should you do, my initial instinct quite honestly is look for a new job. If your employer doesn’t value your peace of mind and worth and value as a person, I bet there are numerous other employers who will. Just sayin’.

— Tribune News Service