INTERVIEWING: Interview Cheat Sheets
Most students hope that if they have to have a test, then let it be an open book test. You remember open book tests, don't you? They were the ones we had the luxury of using any notes we took and/or any reference texts available.
Here's the good news: life is an open book test. In real life, we're expected to have - and use - cheat sheets. In fact, you'd be foolish not to use reference materials and cheat sheets.
Especially in job interviews. In fact, The Daily Machete will go on record as saying you should never go to a job interview without a cheat sheet. Many professional speakers and nearly all politicians use cheat sheet when giving presentations, so why shouldn't job seekers use them in job interviews? This turns interviews into open book tests - and you have the answers in front of you.
When you use an interviewing cheat sheet, there are a couple things to keep in mind. First, don't let it be the only thing you carry into an interview - put it in your portfolio or on a legal-sized pad of paper. Second, don't make it obvious that you're reading a cheat sheet.
So what does an interview cheat sheet look like? We'll look at an interviewing cheat sheet template later today. For now, however, let's take a look at the components of an interviewing cheat sheet:
Answer bullets.
Prepare for those cliche questions - as well as those questions you don't want to be asked - by writing your answers
ahead of time. Don't try to write the full text of your answers,
however. Just use bullets to jog your memory. This way, you won't
forget a particular portion of your answer, nor will it look like
you're reading from your interview cheat sheet.
Pre-researched
questions. Before you go in for an
interview, you'll conduct research on the company. Based upon this
research, you should have a few questions you'd like answered or
concepts you'd like clarified. Put those questions on your interview
cheat sheet to make sure you don't forget to ask them.
Take notes.
Hiring managers expect you to take a few notes during your
interviews. Including a notes section in your interviewing cheat
sheet also serves another functions for you, however: it conceals the
fact that you have an interview cheat sheet. By taking notes during
the interview, hiring managers will assume you're reading what you
just wrote.
IN THE CARAVAN: Never go into an interview without a cheat sheet. Include intelligent questions and many of your answers. And leave room for additional notes.
LATER TODAY: Interviewing Cheat Sheet Template (Supplemental)
NEXT THURSDAY: Marketing Materials
Check out last Thursday's posts:
INTERVIEWING: Peak Performance at Interviews
INTERVIEWING: Performing at Your Peak (Supplemental)
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