How to prepare for a job interview: The 4-point summary

Mar 7, 2013 • Andy • Interviews

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The core of your preparation for the job interview:

Learn what they do.
Learn how they do what they do.
Figure out exactly what skills, experience and background you have that will help them do what they do faster and cheaper.
Plan how you're going to explain #3 to them.

Everything else is implementation details.

You should have the first three figured out before you even send a resume. If you don't have what it takes to help them do it cheaper and faster, then don't waste your time applying for the job.

2 responses

Andy,

I think your #3 should be reworded to say:

#3 Figure out exactly what skills, experience and background you have that will help them do what they do with better results.

“Faster and cheaper” isn’t necessarily the goal – or shouldn’t be. There is plenty of evidence that the majority of top performing companies focus on “better before cheaper” and “revenue before cost”. (This HBR post talk about that: “Three Rules for Making a Company Truly Great” by Michael E. Raynor and Mumtaz Ahm).

Adriana B. – April 5th, 2013
Can you specify where exactly in resume one should write facts instead self assessment. Is that ok writing in achievement section for every project you worked on?

Ram – June 11th, 2014

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