What do Successful Applicants do right in an Interview?

The job application process has changed over the years, as the internet has made it much easier to get your resume in front of the right person at a company.

However, one thing that has not changed too much is the interview process. It might be done remotely over Zoom, but you still need to be polished and put your best foot forward as an applicant. You will not get a second chance to make a first impression. 

Connexis Search Group has had the privilege to help over 150 candidates find new jobs every year. We place candidates in the molecular diagnostics, life sciences, biotechnology, and medical devices industries.

One of the most frustrating aspects of our jobs is for a great candidate to get eliminated for having a poor interview. We hope this article helps; our website has a page with resources to help you through the interview process.

Dress the Part

Yes, appearance matters. Whether you are doing a video face-to-face interview or interviewing in person with the company, applicants need to dress at the top of their game.

You do not need to buy an expensive suit, but you do need to have a suit or whatever is considered appropriate apparel for the job you are applying for. 

Do not wear stained, raggedy clothes or have an unkempt appearance. Make sure you are groomed and neat. A company might not notice if you are dressed well, but they will notice if you are slovenly or look unkempt and dirty. 

Polish your Resume

It is not too late to update your resume even after you have received a request to interview. Polish it; do not make significant changes. Your resume has got you in the door, and you have an interview. But, if there are many people on the interview panel, there is a chance some of them have not read the details of your resume. 

While you should not overhaul your resume at this point, now is an excellent time to add any details you might have left out. You can pass out updated resume copies to each interviewer during your interview and highlight anything you have updated.

For more help with your resume, visit our Candidate Resources Page.

STAR Format

Some companies request interviewees to answer their questions in the STAR format. If it is not formally requested, it is still a good practice to use STAR. So, what is this STAR formatting?

When interviewers ask you questions, you should answer them with a

Situation (what happened),

a Task (what did you need to achieve?),

an Action (what did you do to fix the problem),

and a Result (what happened as a result of your action).

The STAR method is a great way to give the proper examples from your work history and show that you can communicate directly, which employers will appreciate.

Send a Follow-up

The Thank-You note might seem outdated, but contrary to popular belief, it is not. It has never been easier to send a thank you, as you most likely have the email address of the company you interviewed with.

Drop a thank you note, mention the interviewers by name, and point out a conversation topic from the interview that you enjoyed and a nugget about how and why you can help their team. 

The Thank-You note might not seem to matter much to you, but if you are neck and neck with another candidate, that level of detail could separate you from him.

Conclusion

Arguably, the most challenging part of an interview is that the best applicants use this opportunity to brag about themselves. They have to stand out from the pack. Remember that talking about yourself in an interview and taking credit for work accomplished is okay. 

While this might go against your inclination, as long as you are professional and polite, interviewers will take note of your accomplishments. Dress well, be prepared, and speak eloquently; you will set yourself above the competition.

Questions? Ask away.