A Job Interview

Jackie tells me not to name anyone on the Internet just yet, but perhaps you can make an educated guess based on the picture.

I have interviewed for a few jobs during the last year, but this opportunity with an insurance company is the most serious chance for a full-time job with pay and responsibilities similar to what I did at Farmers.  I have already survived a phone interview with HR and a first interview with the hiring VP.  Next round of three interviews is Tuesday.  If I survive those, there is a third (and final) round.

I do not have any concern about my ability to do the job.  I meet every qualification, have insurance experience, and did similar work at Farmers.  However, the position is different enough that I expect it will be interesting.

What worries me a little is that there are several rounds of interviews, which means that they have several candidates that they will narrow down to one.  Easy enough to bring me in with my qualifications to fill some interview slots, then go with someone younger who will find the position challenging and a chance for growth blah blah blah.

The way to try to combat that is to nail the interviews, impress them so much that they feel they have to consider me.  Even if I don't get the job, I could perhaps put myself into consideration for something in the future.

Nailing the interview is a matter of preparation.  There are some simple things, like reviewing the financials and checking the LinkedIn profiles of the interviewers, but my main approach is this:

• Make a list of accomplishments (what my outplacement service called SOAR stories.)  Based on the first interview, some of these stories should include things that did not go so well, not just the great things I achieved.
• Find a list of interview questions, and match the SOAR stories with the questions.
• Then, of course, they will ask different questions, but I will have those stories in my mind and can draw from them to answer almost anything.  The thing to avoid is that feeling after you leave the interview that you could have said something better, that you had a really good example you could have given, but it didn't come to mind.

Here I have some advantage, because most people do not have the breadth of experience to draw from that I have, so this good.  Between now and Tuesday afternoon, this will be my focus.