10 Ways Not to Blow an Interview as a Project Manager - Part II
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- Bring your resume. Take a moment to look at the interview from the interviewer’s point of view. If the agency is hiring that means that there is enough extra work to justify a new position (or to refill an existing one). It’s likely that one or more of your interviewers are carrying that load. That means more meetings, and more work on top of the interview process. You want to present your best, so have your resume ready in case it’s needed. You are only cutting into your own interview time if someone has to step out and reprint your resume. And as a project manager or interactive producer, I recommend that you have one or two more copies than you think you’ll need.
- Take notes. Many experts recommend that you ask if you can take notes before the interview starts. That’s fine, but I personally care a lot less about whether you ask. You are a project manager. Please convince me that you aren’t going to rely on your flawless memory to run projects.
- Do your research. Sometime in the interview process, the interviewer is going to offer you the opportunity to ask some questions. This is really an opportunity for you to show off your knowledge of the space, your skill set, and your interest level. So, check out the company website. See who their clients are. Think about the challenges they may be having. If you haven’t done your research it’s going to show. And if you’ve been taking notes, you should easily have several questions that don’t involve compensation and benefits.
- Ask for the job. Someone took a lot of time to set up a series of interviews. Perhaps it was a recruiter, or maybe the hiring manager. Do not walk out the door without a follow-up plan. You might be the lead contender for the position, but if you don’t follow-up, say thank you, and ask for the job, then you are off the radar in days. Maybe even hours. So, show some enthusiasm. Why do you want to work there? What about the agency is appealing to you? Remember, they’ve interviewed three other candidates that day, so remind them of the skills you bring to the table.
- Once you’ve accepted the job – show up. Cold feet. I get it. Sometimes after the interview process is over and you get briefed about the project, you have that hollow feeling in the pit of your stomach and your mind starts asking questions: “Is this project to big for me? Do I really have the experience required?” Those questions are fine and even answering them in the negative is fine. But please do it before you have negotiated compensation and accepted the job. Do not wait until 10 AM the day you are supposed to start to Facebook message someone in another department that you used to work with to say you are having second thoughts and won’t be coming in. Not only do you look bad, but it reflects on the people that recommended you and served as references.
There are many more I could add to this list, but these 10 are the highlighted mistakes of the last two months. Please add your own favorite “what not to do in an interview” stories below!
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