You Got This: What to Do Before a Job Interview, with Michael Buck

Job interviews aren’t something we tend to do regularly, so it’s normal to be nervous going into one. According to Find Your Dream Job guest Michael Buck, preparation is key because hiring managers can tell who’s done their homework. Begin by studying the job description and getting a handle on the specific duties it requires. Michael adds that because the hiring process can be so stressful, you need to be sure to practice adequate self-care before, during, and after any interviews. Finally, prepare a list of questions for the panel. A candidate with zero questions appears to have little to no interest in the job. 

About Our Guest:

Michael Buck is a recruiter and a human resources manager with deep roots in the nonprofit sector.

Resources in This Episode:

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.

Transcript

Find Your Dream Job, Episode 452:

You Got This: What to Do Before a Job Interview, with Michael Buck

Airdate: May 29, 2024

Mac Prichard:

This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.

I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.

Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.

You have a job interview coming up.

And you’re not sure how to prepare.

How can you make sure you got this?

Michael Buck is here to talk about what to do before a job interview.

He’s a recruiter and a human resources manager with deep roots in the nonprofit sector.

Michael joins us from Milwaukie, Oregon.

Well, let’s get going, Michael.

We’re talking about how to prepare for a job interview. How does getting ready before a job interview help you as a candidate?

Michael Buck:

Being ready for your job interview is really essential to landing that dream job that you want. Being prepared and understanding what may be coming your way as far as interview questions and being able to prepare for those questions that may come up.

Mac Prichard:

Michael, you’ve been a hiring manager for a long time now, and you’ve done a lot of recruiting. Can recruiters like you tell when an applicant hasn’t prepared for a job interview?

Michael Buck:

Absolutely. Being able to know what position that you’re applying for and being able to answer the questions for that specific position is essential.

The way that the job market is working right now, there’s a multitude of ways to apply for different positions, and people really cast a wide net when they are applying for positions. So when you are offered that interview opportunity, it’s really important to go through that job description for that company and understand which position it is that you’re going to be applying for and then help you develop your skills and ability for the interview ahead of time.

Mac Prichard:

Well, I want to talk in a moment about those steps that you can take to get ready for the job interview, but when you’re in the interview room, Michael, what happens in a conversation when a candidate just walks in and wings it? What have you seen as a recruiter?

Michael Buck:

It can be really uncomfortable, there can be uncomfortable silences. It can also be really clear when the person really doesn’t have a clear understanding of what that position is. So being able to have a good understanding of what the company is looking for, for the position that you’re interviewing for is essential.

Mac Prichard:

Sometimes, I meet a candidate who has an interview coming up, and I’ll ask them about the employer and the job, and the applicant will say, “Well, I’m looking forward to the interview because it will give me a chance to explore whether I really want this position or not and learn more about it.”

What do you think of that approach as a hiring manager, Michael? Is that a good idea, or should you do something different?

Michael Buck:

You should absolutely do something different. It pays, really, to do your homework regarding the company that you’re applying for or applying to. Understanding the work that they do and what they may be looking for in an ideal candidate for that position.

When you walk into an interview, and you’re not sure what the company does, you’re not really clear as to what the job responsibilities and the job duties are, it can be really challenging for the panel that is taking time out of their day to interview somebody that they feel may not really be serious about the position, and they really want to focus their efforts on hiring somebody who is prepared, who is ready, and who understands what they’re actually applying for.

Mac Prichard:

Well, you’ve got a number of tips that listeners can follow to get ready for a job interview. Let’s talk about them.

One of your first tips is to study the job description, and you actually mentioned this a moment ago.

Why is it important, Michael, to study a job description before you walk into an interview room?

Michael Buck:

So you can be prepared for any potential questions that may come up, that you have an understanding of the work that they do in that position or what the company does as a whole. Having that understanding really goes a long way and lets the employer know that you’re serious about applying for that position and that you understood what they do, and why you would be a good fit for that position.

Mac Prichard:

What do you recommend focusing on when you’re studying the job description?

Michael Buck:

Look for those key job duties. Identify what the first bullet point is in that job description and understanding that and what they’re looking for. Often, that is probably going to be the most crucial part of that position, but making sure that you’re reading all of those different bullet points because there could be certain things within that job description that they’re really going to focus on during the interview process to see if you have those skills or abilities.

Mac Prichard:

How should you take what you learn by studying the job description and apply it in the interview itself?

Michael Buck:

By looking for and thinking about any questions that may come up. Doing some research when you are looking at positions. Look at other similar positions that other companies offer so that you have a really clear understanding of the position that you’re interviewing for.

Mac Prichard:

How can looking at job postings for similar positions at other companies help you prepare for a job interview? What’s the benefit to you as an applicant in doing that?

Michael Buck:

So that you understand what the workforce is like; that company that you’re interviewing with, or other companies that are looking for similar types of positions. What are those essential job duties? What are those essential skills that you need in order to be successful in that position?

Mac Prichard:

How can you reference that knowledge in the interview itself? Is this something that you should bring up as a candidate in answering questions? What have you seen work when you’ve sat on an interview panel?

Michael Buck:

Being able to, if you’ve had previous experience, being able to relate that experience to that particular job that you’re interviewing for. Using your own knowledge. You are a subject matter expert in that area, so being able to talk about your key strengths and organizational skills, the hard skills, the computer skills that you bring to the table that would make you successful for that role.

Mac Prichard:

Terrific.

We’re going to take a break.

When we come back, Michael Buck will continue to share his advice on how to prepare for a job interview.

Stay with us.

We’re back in the Mac’s List studio. I’m talking with Michael Buck.

He’s a recruiter and a human resources manager with deep roots in the nonprofit sector.

Michael joins us from Milwaukie, Oregon.

Michael, before the break, we were talking about what to do before a job interview, how to prepare, and you’ve got a number of tips for how to do this.

Your second suggestion of what to do before a job interview is to practice your answers. How does this help you as a candidate, Michael, when you practice your answers before you go into the interview room?

Michael Buck:

Interviews, in and of themselves, are really nerve-wracking. It’s not a skill that, generally, you pick up easily without a lot of experience doing it, so we can be our own worst enemies when we get really nervous and get in our heads, so trying to be prepared for the interviews and figuring out what types of questions that the interview panel may be asking prior to the interview so that you can be prepared and you can have some notes that you can roll off of.

Mac Prichard:

How can you figure out what questions might be asked? What’s a good way of doing that?

Michael Buck:

Sure, there’s a lot of great resources out there, and using AI or ChatGPT is a really great step into figuring out what type of questions interview panels may be asking.

You can put in a number of different prompts into the ChatGPT message box and figure out what type of interview questions might an interview panel ask for an operations manager position or a human resources analyst position, or a business partner.

Looking to find common traits within those questions that you can formulate some generalized answers. It’s really important that you’re prepared for that. It gives you an opportunity to do a mock interview with yourself and go through those questions and find the points that are maybe a little harder for you to make and practice those.

Mac Prichard:

Do you have any suggestions for prompts for getting possible questions from ChatGPT or other AI tools? I mean, it’s all about the prompts when you’re working with AI.

Michael Buck:

Certainly, you can put into your standard search engine, “Interview questions for a Human Resources Business Partner,” for instance, and then put into the ChatGPT, if you know that there are, or you think that they might be asking some questions about DEI or talent acquisition, putting those in there and reviewing those and not using it as your answer but just helping it craft your answer that reflects back on your own personal experience.

Mac Prichard:

How about practice itself, Michael? Do you recommend writing out possible answers and then rehearsing them? What have you seen work well?

Michael Buck:

I think it really depends on the individual. I think it does really help to write out some possible scenarios and some questions so that if you have a question that comes up that’s very similar, that you have something that you can go back to or reflect on that you’ve prepared during your interview preparation.

Mac Prichard:

You’ve prepared answers, you’ve practiced them; you mentioned doing a mock interview. Is this something that you should do by yourself or should you work with a friend or colleague and actually have them be the interviewer?

Michael Buck:

The more eyes on your mock interview, I think, the better. You get some really open and honest feedback if you’re asking some close colleagues or friends to help guide you through that process.

A lot of it is really just working through the nerves and being calm and collected when these questions come up because you want to come off as, again, the subject matter expert in this area and being super nervous or fumbling with your words, being able to be rehearsed really goes a long way in the interview process.

Mac Prichard:

In addition to practicing and rehearsing, are there other steps that you’ve seen candidates take that have helped them manage their nerves and put them at ease when they’re preparing for an interview?

Michael Buck:

You know, it’s super important to practice self-care. The interview and hiring process can really be stressful. Some people get very, very anxious right before the interview, so making sure that you’re not rushed and that you’re giving yourself enough time to prepare for the interview and get to the interview.

You don’t want to go in too early, so if you’re there twenty minutes ahead of time, you’re taking a few minutes to collect yourself in your car or walking around the building. Go through those key performance indicators that the position is looking for, review the job description, and just take some time to breathe and to relax.

It really goes a long way into showing some confidence when you’re in front of the interviewer or hiring manager.

Mac Prichard:

Another recommendation on your list of steps to take before a job interview is to prepare your own questions. Why should you do this, Michael? How is this going to help you as a candidate?

Michael Buck:

It can help you because you’ll be prepared. You know, going through some behavioral questions with yourself, too. How you react in certain situations so that you’re on point when they’re asking you those things. Behavioral questions can be really challenging because there’s no necessarily right or wrong answer, but you want to be sure that you’re hitting those talking points that you’re trying to make when they’re talking about certain behavioral characteristics.

Mac Prichard:

Behavioral interview questions are – an example of them, they’re questions that ask about past experience, and you can usually tell you’re getting one because the interviewer will ask, “Tell me about a situation when you did this.”

But in addition to behavioral interview questions you might get from interviewers, Michael, what about asking questions of your own of the employer?

How does this help you, and what kind of questions should you ask?

Michael Buck:

It’s always a good idea to do a little research on the company, so if there’s some news that the company is in, hopefully positive, you can bring that up.

It’s important to be prepared with a list of questions. What does a typical day look like in this role? What challenges do you see coming up for this position over the next twelve months?

Showing them that you’re taking the time, you’re actually critically thinking about this position and how it might align best with you.

Mac Prichard:

What do employers think when they get those questions from candidates? What is their reaction?

Michael Buck:

It helps you stand out. It shows that you’ve taken some time to do some research about the position or about the company. It shows that you have an understanding of who the company is and helping you make that determination of, does it fit within the culture of the position that you’re looking to join a company for.

Mac Prichard:

What do employers think when candidates are asked if they have any questions and the applicant says, “No”?

Michael Buck:

It stymies them. You’re not really sure if they’re there to check a box, if they’re actually there because they’re truly interested in the position that they’re interviewing for, and asking questions lets the employer know that you are truly interested and that you are curious about the position. Having that curiosity leads to better outcomes.

Mac Prichard:

When you prepare your questions before the interview as a candidate, is it appropriate to bring them to the conversation and actually take out an old-fashioned piece of paper with your questions on it and take notes as the employer responds?

Michael Buck:

Everybody works a little differently in that but I always think it’s a good idea to bring a notebook and ask questions.

Write down the names of the people that you are interviewing with, if it’s a panel of two or if it’s a panel of five. Being able to reference back to who those people are and making it personable, so, “John, tell me what you like most about working for this company?” Or, “What about the culture of this company do you appreciate the most?”

Mac Prichard:

Finally, you mentioned self-care earlier in the segment and the importance of practicing it, both before the interview and maybe while you’re waiting in your car before going into the interview room, and you mentioned being nervous.

Do employers expect candidates to be nervous?

Michael Buck:

It’s very common for them to be nervous. Again, most people don’t interview for positions all that often, and interviewing is definitely a learned skill. If you haven’t had a whole lot of positions through your career, interviewing may not be the easiest thing for you.

On the flip side, you don’t want to come off as overly polished in your interviews. Letting there be room for you to ask questions about the company and being about to talk about yourself in that space is really important.

Mac Prichard:

Well, it’s been a great conversation, Michael.

Now, tell us, what’s next for you?

Michael Buck:

Well, I am just really enjoying working in the HR field and seeing all of the different changes that are coming along, technology changes, and how diversity, equity, and inclusion are becoming so important within the workspace, and furthering those ideals and bringing in the best candidates with a wide breadth of experience.

The work can be really challenging, but it also is very rewarding. People go into Human Resources work because they want to help people. I approach the work to be as destigmatizing of, “Human Resources” and not being where you go to when there’s only trouble but working with individuals from across all different parts of the organization.

You’re able to touch all the different pieces. Whether that’s through the benefits administration or through training and development, recruiting, and talent acquisition. It can really be a positive place to be, and people that work in Human Resources, they’re doing it because they want to help people, ultimately, and that’s what I really enjoy most about this work, is being able to step in and help people solve problems and help make them successful in their careers.

Mac Prichard:

Well, terrific. Well, Michael, I know listeners can learn more about you and your work by connecting with you on LinkedIn, and when they do so, I hope they’ll mention that they heard you on Find Your Dream Job.

Now, given all of the great advice that you’ve shared today, Michael, what’s the one thing you want a listener to remember about what to do before a job interview?

Michael Buck:

Just remember, you’re being interviewed because they’re interested in what you have to offer. Coming in and being prepared and being relaxed and knowing that you have those tools to be successful in this role, is the most important thing.

Mac Prichard:

Next week, our guest will be Kyle Kavas.

She’s the president of UPLIFT Leadership.

It’s a nonprofit that helps people figure out who they are, what they want to do, and how to uplift others.

Being clear about the career you want makes a huge difference when you do a job search.

And with many of us switching careers several times, the answer to what you want will change over time.

Join us next Wednesday when Kyle Kavas and I talk about how to know if you’re on the right career path.

Until next time, thanks for letting us help you find your dream job.

This show is produced by Mac’s List.

Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media.

Our sound engineer is Matt Fiorillo. Ryan Morrison at Podfly Productions edits the show. Dawn Mole creates our transcripts. And our music is by Freddy Trujillo.

This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.