Does anyone really like interviewing for a job? It’s hard work, it’s stressful, and it’s exhausting. It can be exhilarating when you have nailed all the questions and feel you are in sync with the interviewers or deflating when you just can’t seem to find your footing all the way through. At The Strategy Group, we do A LOT of interviewing and see the best of best and maybe some things we’d suggest not to do!

No matter whether you are engaging in a preliminary interview or in the first or second interview – your goal should be to demonstrate why you’re a great fit the opportunity and convince the interviewers that you should be invited to the next round of interviews and ultimately hired for the job! Here’s our take:

  • Look the part. Dress in professional attire, if possible, even for Zoom interviews. This will put you in a professional state of mind.
  • Come prepared. This includes a deep dive into the organization’s website, read the annual reports, look at the 990’s and understand how the organization sustains itself with funding, know something about the programs, the people, the essence of the place.
  • Lose the distractions. Make sure to set yourself up for success in a quiet setting, with no extra people (big or little) or animals to pull your attention away from your interview. Set yourself up in a comfortable place with a neutral or blurred Zoom background.
  • Keep your speech professional. Speak slowly and clearly, try not to repeat yourself, and avoid fillers such as “well,” “actually,” “uh,” “um” and the like.
  • Rehearse answers to common questions. There are so many good interview questions online these days that you are bound to come across a good list of the top 10 most commonly asked questions. “Tell me about yourself and what makes you a good fit for this role.” “What are your strengths and what are some of the areas you need to develop?” (Please come up with something better than you work too hard and need to figure out a better work-life balance!) “What do you need to succeed in this position?” (Go deeper than a strong board and staff!) Don’t over script and practice your answers, but have them in your back pocket ready to go.
  • Listen to the question. We understand how nervous you can get but listening to the question and then answering what was asked is vital during an interview. If need be, you can always ask for a question to be repeated, but it is worse for you to trail off with an answer that simply doesn’t directly link back to the original question. Write the question down if need be.
  • Present with confidence. If you are asked to do an assignment that involves a presentation, come having practiced what you plan to say. Do not read directly from the slides or from your notes. Be prepared to reference what is on the screen or in front of the panelists, and to easily summarize and highlight the major themes and presentation points. Then be ready to answer questions.
  • End on a good note. Have at least three good questions to ask. You don’t need to ask “What qualities do you hope the next CEO or Executive Director will possess?” as that is outlined in the job description. You might ask, “What is the first big challenge you hope the CEO or Executive Director will tackle on day one?” “Tell me about the culture here and how the staff are feeling about a leadership change?” Never ask questions focused on salary, benefits, or “what’s in it for me?”
  • Be patient. Send a short, thoughtful thank you note as a follow up for any interview and then be ready to wait. The Search Committee often needs time to meet with other candidates, or simply needs time to find time to meet and debrief. The process sometimes takes time.

While The Strategy Group isn’t a recruitment firm that focuses on candidates, our job is to match good people with good positions. Keep an eye out for our newsletter, as we post regular updates of open positions, and do check our job board regularly, and if we can be of help, reach out to us at OfficeManager@thestrategygroupllc.org, as we will take your call.