By Tiffany A. Dedeaux
This is the question I have learned to ask at the end of any mock interview I
facilitate. While some struggle to know at that moment if I am asking them as an interviewer or as a coach, few do not have an answer. As if in a Breakfast Club montage, they say:
- I wish you had asked me about my strengths.
- How my strengths from my previous career carry over to this one.
- Where do you get your inspiration from?
- What is the most important lesson I have learned?
- Who I am.
If any of these are what you have thought at the end of any job interview, I ask you this:
What Are You Waiting For?
It may be easier to see while in the middle of a pandemic, but time is precious. I recommend sharing who you are and what you are about from the beginning of a job interview. Work it into the famous “Tell Me About Yourself” setup, the recounting of a favorite project that relates to the role you are targeting, or even in the time when you ask questions of the employer.
The reason is that nothing is ever perfectly scripted. Even the Game of Thrones series felt rushed and not entirely thought through at the end of its reign. Before the interview is even scheduled think through:
- What the three most important things are for you to convey to the listener
- Why it is important
- Why it matters.
Come to think of it, if you have not yet been introduced to Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why,” or it has been a while and you could use reminding, allow me to share:
How you talk to and about yourself matters. That is why what I post and what I encourage you to say to yourself tends toward the positive. I deal in do’s not don’ts. I want to be and am here to be your cheerleader, your reminder, your partner in a journey to be your best self.
