Why you should go for that interview (even when you're not looking!)

At the end of last year, I was encouraged to apply for a role. Let's be clear, I'm happy with my current portfolio of work and didn't see this role as part of my career, however I come from a place of recognising that our areas of focus change and on paper, I met the criteria. It's a role that I was considering doing in the future so out of curiosity more than anything else I began the process.

The application process was relatively simple. Evidence that you meet the criteria, submit a short bio with photo and complete and sign a few forms. So far, no major drama, however many people fall down even at this stage - reasons may include filling in forms incorrectly or saying too much or too little in their bios (more often than not it is the former)

For the most part, the application process was clear. If invited to interview, two possible dates were published in ample time, and candidates were given the chance to advise which would be a better date for them. When invited to interview, we were asked to answer and submit ahead of time a list of questions that would form the basis of the interview. We knew it would be a 30 minute panel interview and a presentation + Q&A.

Why am I sharing this with you? In the last 15 years, I can count on one hand how many interviews I have been to and yet I have interviewed well over 1000 people.

The application/interview/presentation process is a skill in itself and needs practice also. As individuals, we don't put ourselves in these situations enough or prepare our career moves ahead of time. Often, we let circumstances rule and when in interview situations, we may start on a back foot for lack of practice.

Some key tips/reminders on applications & interviews

• Answer the question/read the brief - if you haven't been asked for your life story or CV, don't send it. Stick to the point.
• Remember the process is a two-way street - if you aren't being provided pertinent information before and after an interview, ask yourself if you want to be associated with the organisation.
• Think of it as going for a role, not a job (yes, there is a difference, but more on that some other time)   neither of these are lifetime commitments anymore.
• Think about what you can bring to the table other than what may seem explicit in a job description.
• What skills/experience may you earn by stepping out a little further - plan and start interviewing for roles that you may want to do in a couple of years but may not feel ready for. You may get rejected, but solicit feedback. Or you may surprise yourself and realise you can do the role.
• Panel interviews can be scary - practice won't make perfect but it will certainly help!
• Finally the art of presenting and handling Q&A are also additional skills in themselves - get practice and/or get help!

So how did my interview go? I went because the opportunity presented itself, out of curiosity and because I recognised that I had not been on the other side of the table often enough. So far, the informal, verbal feedback about my performance that day has been positive. I too walked away pleased with my performance and what I had discovered about my abilities. Perhaps because I have a Portfolio and feel no pressure to get the role and it was more of an instinctive decision to apply, I was less nervous and better prepared? Will there be a what happened next here? Time will tell.  

Written by Rupa Datta
Lead Agent Portfolio People

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