4 Tips after 1000 interviews

Written By Brenna Reagan
 

I can’t believe I have now sent 100 Get Hired emails! When I first started NRG Consulting Group, I had no idea where it would take me. I am glad to be here with you all and working with clients who are making an impact. 

In celebration of our 100th email, I asked the recruiter who has been working with me the longest to share some insights that I know you want to hear. Kristen Carver brings deep recruitment experience and has worked with NRG clients like Run For Something, the Maine Donor Alliance, the Solidarity Center, Movement Labs, and more. She’s also from North Carolina and if you reach out to her on LinkedIn, you should ask her about her love of kickball.

I’ll let Kristen take it away!


I’ve been working in recruiting and conducting interviews since 2016. In that time, I’ve conducted over 1000 interviews for roles ranging from entry level positions for current college students all the way to the C-Suite Executive level. Throughout these interviews, I’ve seen candidates approach the interview in so many different ways—some of them better than others. There are a few things that every candidate can do to stand out from the (ever growing) crowd of folks on the job hunt and I’d love to share them with you all!

Here are a few things I’ve learned from my 1000+ interviews:

1. Do your research.

Candidates that do their research and plan before the call always stand out. You don’t work for the organization yet so you shouldn’t have to spend a long time on the hiring process, but a bit of preparation will go a long way. I suggest spending at least half of the length of the interview preparing. Here are a few things you can do to prep:

  • Almost every interview will start with a question around why you want that particular job at that particular organization. Craft your personal story (or edit it if you already have one—kudos if you do!) to that specific interview. Don’t tell them you want to work in nonprofits or that you want to do good work or that the mission resonated with you. Really break it down and dig into why you think their approach to the work is making an impact and why you want to be a part of that.

  • Use the organization's language - look through the JD, their website, their mission. Use their language as you're telling your story and answering questions.

  • Take a look at the key responsibilities in the JD and prep potential examples of your experience for each one.

  • Think of a few tailored, informed questions you’d like to ask. Be sure to see if you can answer any questions on your own before the call. For example, instead of asking about their team size when it’s readily available on the website, ask instead about team dynamics or how certain roles interact.

2. Be humble.

It’s an interview, of course you want to showcase that you’re the best candidate for the job and that you can get things done, but don’t come to the interview with arrogance. The best candidates are always looking to grow and expand their craft. They're open to new ideas, to change, and are team players. You should definitely express your expertise and experience, but do so in a way that shows you value the support and guidance of other folks as well. Don’t be afraid to showcase how you’ve grown in your career or admit to previous mistakes when it makes sense to do so.

3. Don’t overextend your responses.

Candidates that stick to answering the questions asked rather than trying to fit in as much info as possible into a response usually end up sharing more info that the team is looking for. Hiring teams spend time preparing what they want to ask you. They prep the flow and timing of the interview questions to be able to learn from you and your experience as it pertains to the role. If you go on a long tangent or get too detailed on something, you’ll risk not being able to answer later questions that the team wanted to ask you. This often leaves the hiring team wondering whether or not you meet certain qualifications. I most often see this when candidates introduce themselves. Be sure to have a tailored introduction and prepare for the interview so that you can keep yourself on track.

4. Send a thoughtful follow up.

Don’t think of them as “Thank You” emails. Think of them as another step to connect with folks and showcase what you would bring to the team. Candidates typically say “thank you” at the end of their calls, and that’s perfect! I don’t personally feel that an extra email afterwards should be a make or break for a candidate. Turning down a candidate for not emailing after an interview is outdated and is in no way equitable. But if you stop thinking of them as thank you emails and instead use them as another opportunity to connect with the hiring team? That’s when you’re going to make an impact.

At NRG, we coach our clients on evaluating candidates based on the Core Competencies of a role. We don’t judge or grade candidates based on “vibes” or “likability.” But, especially in today’s job market, it’s not going to hurt to show the hiring team what it would be like to work with you. In many cases, a follow up email can drive home your skills (hello roles that involve strategic relationships). So instead of just emailing a thank you, try following up on things you spoke about or offer real life insight into what you can bring to the role. While a hiring decision (in a perfect world) won’t come down to likeability, many roles do require relationship building or working with a team. This simple addition to your follow up email will showcase how you do that.

Here are a few examples:

  • HR: “Also, I wanted to share this training that I’ll be hopping on later this week around navigating HR guidelines under the new administration in case anyone on your team is interested!”

  • Communications: “I just listened to the podcast that the ED was on. I really appreciated their views on… and can’t wait to bring it back to my current team tomorrow!”

  • Social Media: “I connected with you on LinkedIn and saw that you previously did a lot of work in the environmental space. Check out this post from a page I follow about groups doing climate change work in your city.”

  • Development: “Here’s a funding opportunity that I came across last week that my current team doesn’t qualify for but I thought it could be good for you to take a look at!”

These are just a few tips from my 9 years in the recruitment world but hopefully they can make a difference for your next interview and help you nail the role. And if you’re already doing these things? Keep it up! I know the job search can be tough at times, but try to stay positive and keep building your networks. If we’re not already, connect with me on LinkedIn and let’s stay connected on your job search!

Thanks y’all,

Kristen

That’s not all! We are hiring for additional jobs and you can see all of our openings on the NRG website.

Upcoming Events

Follow NRG on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all of the roles we are hiring for.

If you aren’t currently a member of the NRG Talent Network, consider joining. The questions take 3 minutes to complete and then we’ll send you job announcements when your criteria (salary, location, etc.) matches the position.

Let’s move,

Naomi

P.S.  If you’d like a partner to help you with your job search strategy, sign up right now for 15 minutes with Kristin to learn how NRG’s coaching programs can help you.

If you find this newsletter helpful, forward it to your friends and help us build our network! If you received this from a friend, sign up here to receive future “Get Hired'' newsletters.

 
Brenna Reagan
Previous

Prep For Your Big Interview
Next

Back to basics