Why Job Interviews are Important

Interviews are the culmination of all the work that has gone before:

• Networking to uncover leads
• Targeting potential companies that are a match for your competencies, skills, interests and values
• Conducting informational interviews
• Being interviewed by third-party screeners, screeners inside the company, and by the individual who could become your future manager

Whether your interview is with a potential employer for a full-time position, with executives to obtain contract work, or with a business owner to explore the possibility of buying the business, your goal is to provide and obtain information for further decision-making.

Your ability to develop rapport and trust will be as important as competence, track record and accomplishments. No matter how successful you may have been in reaching the decision makers or how well qualified you may be, the person who presents himself or herself best usually wins.

The majority of unsuccessful interviews can be traced to lack of preparation, not lack of qualifications. If you have been invited for an interview, your potential employer is already convinced that you are a qualified Candidate. Your success will be based on the following factors:

• The degree to which you demonstrate your knowledge of the company’s business issues and how you can positively impact those issues.
• The degree to which you demonstrate your compatibility with future colleagues.
• The degree to which you differentiate yourself from other qualified Candidates.

Like many things in life, success in the interview depends on the quality of your preparation. If you have a thorough understanding of what interviewers are looking for and prepare appropriately, your odds of success are dramatically improved.