Employers notice several red flags during job interviews. Arriving late, lacking preparation to discuss the job, and using certain phrases can all be warning signs during an interview, including "I work too hard" or "I'm a perfectionist," which may convey insincerity, according to Nolan Church, a former Google recruiter and current CEO of FairComp, a salary data company.
On the flip side, there are aspects that employers appreciate hearing during an interview, which Church always advises people to come with.
Talk About Your Imperfections
Church suggests sharing stories about times you made mistakes, including details about what occurred and the valuable lessons you gained from that experience.
People often hesitate to discuss their imperfections or mistakes during interviews, which the Church considers a strength. Church does not hold unrealistic expectations for the people he hires. Understanding their humanity and fallibility, he prioritizes candidates who can learn from their mistakes and strive for improvement in the future. He looks for individuals who reflect and grow over time with a mindset focused on development. Share a work story where a mistake was made on a project and explain how it led to personal and professional improvement.
Show Mental Agility
Church also suggests sharing a story about your willingness to go against instinct.
Bring a story about a time when you were determined to do something one way but changed your mind, Church advises. You may have proposed a new workflow, but your team suggested another approach, so you tried it.
He says sharing this kind of story demonstrates being a team player. The workplace often sees egos getting in the way, and people tend to believe their approach is superior. However, what matters most to the business is reaching the correct solution, regardless of whose idea it was. You must be ready to set aside your ego and collaborate with your team. Demonstrating this mental flexibility is highly valued by employers.
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Share How You Tested and Work Around a Hypothesis
Church particularly enjoys hearing stories about experiments. Narratives about how you experimented to test a hypothesis are impressive.
Businesses frequently launch products without testing their ideas beforehand. Church explains that people tend to seclude themselves, work on ideas in isolation, and then unveil them with a big bang. However, without gathering data on product interest or functionality, it is not easy to gauge if the big launch will be successful, making experiments crucial for guiding companies in the right direction.
Church believes that Experiments increase the likelihood of success and mitigate the risk of adverse outcomes. Discuss a situation where you have applied experiments in your previous work and how you plan to utilize them in your interviewing role. Demonstrating this mindset can give you an edge over other candidates.
