Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin - Tips to Nail Your Job Interview

Episode Date: September 20, 2021

No matter which industry you’re in, one of the trickiest assignments you’ll have at your company will start before your first day of work. And that tricky assignment is the interview. Nicole breaks down the most common interview questions and how to ace your answer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Well, it doesn't. Charge for wasting our time. I will take a check. Like an old school check. You recognize her from anchoring on CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg. The only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. Nicole Lappin. No matter which industry you're in, one of the trickiest assignments you'll have at your

company will start before your first day at work. And that tricky assignment is the interview. Nailing a job interview takes a lot of preparation, and it also takes a lot of knowledge of the right buzzwords and the phrases that are on the proverbial no-fly list. Today's money rehabber wants to know the inside scoop. Here she is. Hey, Nicole. My name is Lindsay, and I am in the process of applying for jobs. I have a really solid resume, but I never make it past the first interview. And it's happened so many times now that I think I have to conclude that my interview skills have something to do with it. I'm starting to feel a little hopeless, like I'll never get hired anywhere. Can you give

me some advice? Lindsay, first of all, I want to say that this is not a hopeless case. Tons of people struggle to kick butt during the interview process. It's a stressful thing. Long before I started my own business, I was looking for positions as a news anchor, and the interview process sucked big time. I would endure months-long audition processes that were vetted by actual focus groups. Talk about nerve-wracking. Some of my interviews even came with pop quizzes. Like, quick, can you name all the Supreme Court justices? Yeah, that is not a joke. For some of my job interviews, I needed to take on-the-spot current events tests. Luckily, most interviews are not so intense, and there are

some consistent questions that almost always come up in interviews. And so today, I'm going to go over four of these questions and give you some do's and don'ts. Here we go. Number one. Tell me about yourself. Yes, I know that is technically not a question, but it is one of the first things most hirers say. Don't say, well, I went to school at XYZ University, then I got an internship at such and such company, then I got a job at another company, then I got another job, and now I'm looking for another. Oh, also, I have a dog. Why is this a bad answer? Well, they see all this stuff on your resume. Why are you reciting what they already see right in front of them? And unless you see 50 dog photos in their office or you're interviewing

for a doggy daycare, assume they don't care what kind of pet you have. Do say, my passion for XYZ, insert whatever niche you have in the industry that you're interviewing for, started in college, where I found myself trying to solve these kinds of problems in my dorm room. Some of the findings there drove me to put those to the test in the real world. And company such and such was a hotbed of that type of work. Now I'm looking to grow that knowledge base, which I know is an area you'd like to expand as well. I'm here to learn what specific gaps you might have in those areas and how I might be able to fill them. Why this is a good answer? One of my favorite phrases is, how can I be helpful? It's something I often say, not just in interviews, but at the end of

most of my conversations. It reminds the other side that I want to be of service to them, and I'm not there to brag about myself. In interviews, this answer also creates a story of your journey. It doesn't just regurgitate your resume, it gives a narrative and the motivation behind your moves, past, present, and future. Number two, who would you want to have dinner with, dead or alive? Don't say, gosh, that would be a really big dinner party and definitely include the Dalai Lama, the president, the first lady, and of course, probably the pope. Here's why that's a bad answer. Ask 100 people this same question, and I bet at least 25 of them will give this exact same

answer. It's generic. Yeah, duh. Who wouldn't want to have dinner with those folks? No one in any business. Stick to the people relevant in your field and your passions and show a little creativity while you're at it. Do say, for example, if you're interviewing for a tech job, I'd love to meet Jennifer Fleiss and Jennifer Hyman, the Jennifers who founded Rent the Runway.

Talk to them about the latest in XYZ, like the technology, let's say, that's related to the job you're interviewing for and get their thoughts on how we might bring it to scale. Why this is a good answer? You're staying industry specific, and you're also giving color about why you would want to break bread with them and what you would talk about. Hold on to your wallets, boys and girls. Money rehab will be right back. Now for some more Money Rehab. Number three. What are your biggest weaknesses? Don't say, I am such a perfectionist. It is scary. Well, definitely don't say it like that. But don't say that in general. Why that is a bad answer. What's scary is that almost everyone gives that exact same freaking answer to this question.

is that almost everyone gives that exact same freaking answer to this question. Instead, do say, my biggest weakness is that I get so focused on my work that I keep my head down too much. To combat that, I have been more mindful for reaching out to different groups within the company, especially one like this one that offers an open floor plan and an open door policy. I've also really been able to build self-awareness of this issue, which I think is one of my biggest assets in learning and growing in this field. Why this is a good answer? Everyone stutters when asked this question. You worry that you're going to show a huge red flag and they won't hire you. You won't. The key to answering this question, aside from not saying you're a perfectionist,

is to be open and honest, but also to pivot your answer to a strength that ties into that specific company that you're interviewing for. And you get big brownie points by playing up your self-awareness of your weakness, because that is a good quality of any employee and any person for that matter. But plus, you can take this opportunity to express a desire to learn and be a team player, which are both strong qualities of any candidate in any industry. Number four, do you have any questions for me? Don't say, no, I'm good. I think you covered it all. Why this is a bad answer? The worst answer to this question is no. The second worst is how much does this job offer and what are the benefits

or perks? The first answer shows that you are not engaged in the company enough to go above and beyond to be inquisitive in a deeper way. The money question is just tacky and extremely off-putting. If you do get the job, that's when you negotiate your salary, as we talked about in Ella's episode. Do say, I noticed that there is a burgeoning area of study, an XYZ area, and this company has started to explore it further. What are the plans moving forward for addressing that? Why this is a good answer? Well, first, you show that you clearly did your homework on the company and you took time to craft a well-researched, well-thought-out answer to this question because you will be asked it at the end of virtually every interview. Ideally, the XYZ you're steering the interview toward talking about with this question

is an area of your expertise. In other words, you essentially want to plant the idea that you could help the company in building out this area. Bingo. Here's how you should tackle the follow-up note after the interview. And if you're thinking, what follow-up note after the interview? Well, that could honestly be the reason you didn't get the last job you interviewed for. This is a critical final step to the interview process that a lot of people muck up. Think of this as the text you get after a first date. Crucial, right? Without this, there is unlikely to be a second date. Well, interviewing is a lot like speed dating. The follow-up sets the tone for whether or not there is something there there. Immediately following the job interview, you should send something like this.

Hi, recruiter person. It was a pleasure meeting you today. I loved hearing more about your endeavors in XYZ and how I could be helpful in growing that area of your business. I think it is a mutually beneficial fit and I look forward to continuing the conversation. Ormist, Nicole, or whatever your name is, plus your contact info. It seems almost too simple, but it does work. A thoughtful follow-up that stresses how you can be helpful to them and their company shows that you are listening and reminds them why you are

the guy or gal for the job. This will set you apart from the equally awesome candidate who didn't think to follow up or made the follow-up note all about how badly they wanted the job. That sounds thirsty. I'm old school in a lot of ways, so I suggest emailing and handwriting, yep, handwriting the same note. Snail mail will take too long to reach your recruiter person in a timely manner, but it's a gesture that is still important. That's why I say send the same note via email. That way, when they ultimately receive your handwritten note, you've already been hired and the note just reinforces their good decision to do that. For today's tip, you can take straight to the bank. If you don't get a response to your

follow-up email, it's okay to check in after three to five-ish business days. Do not let me catch you being passive-aggressive in your follow-up note, though. That is the worst thing you can do. An email that says something along the lines of, I haven't heard back from you yet, is an email no one likes to get. Instead, frame the follow-up as you checking in to see if there's anything you can do to be helpful to move the process along. This step, just like all the others, is another chance to show what you can do for them. Money Rehab is a production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host, Nicole Lappin.

Our producers are Morgan Lavoie and Mike Coscarelli. Executive producers are Nikki Etor and Will Pearson. Our mascots are Penny and Mimsy. Huge thanks to OG Money Rehab team, Michelle Lanz for her development work, Catherine Law for her production and writing magic, and Brandon Dickert for his editing, engineering, and sound design. And as always, thanks to you for finally investing in yourself so that you can get it together and get it all.