Congratulations, you got the call you’ve been waiting for, you’ve been asked to participate in the final round of interviews for your dream job! You’ve never been this excited about a role, so you want to make sure you’re the candidate that gets the offer. You likely have at least one other candidate that’s still in the running, otherwise you likely would have received an offer between the last round of interviews and your call today. So how can you insure you’re THE candidate for the role? Here are three things that will increase your odds of landing the offer.
Ask the interviewer, “Is there any experience or skill you wish I had?”
We are hoping you’ve already asked this question at the end of a previous interview, but if you haven’t, there’s no time like the present. If you have previously asked this question, there’s no harm in asking it again. The answer from your interviewer will likely indicate what kind of skill or experience that another candidate might have, or is a part of your experience that you haven’t addressed up until now. The interviewer might say something like, “From my notes, it doesn’t look like you’ve participated in or led a system implementation, is that correct?” Your response should directly address that concern. If you have led an implementation, you should say something like, “When I was at XYZ company, we went through a conversion from ABC software/ system to DEF system/software. I was responsible for the budget, timeline and internal communication with the staff.” This tells your interviewer that you have direct experience and can discuss what your role was in the transition.
If you honestly do not have the skill or experience the interviewer asks you about, don’t dodge the question. Rather answer with, “I don’t have direct system implementation experience, however, I did lead our company’s transition from XYZ to ABC. I think I have the skills to handle a system implementation, and that’s one of the reasons I’m so excited about this position. I’d love to have the chance to lead that kind of change.”
Show your interviewer you’re excited about the job, but not desperate
You can do this in a few ways. By answering an interview question to include the phrase, “I’m really excited about this position,” you are directly expressing enthusiasm about the role. Other simple, indirect ways to seem interested are smiling during the interview, nodding when your interviewer is talking, leaning forward, and making sure you’re not fidgeting. Additionally, asking questions will help you show interest. Ask a question that ties in something your interviewer mentioned in a previous interview. Ask something like, “I got to thinking about XYZ after our last interview. You had mentioned you’re struggling with ABC. Would a strategy that included DEF be something you’d be open to exploring?” -Not only are you demonstrating that you actually listened to what the interviewer had to say, you weren’t too nervous or focused on what you wanted to say next, but that you’re genuinely interested in what challenges your interviewer is facing and want to help.
Demonstrate how you can add value
Asking questions like, “I got to thinking about XYZ after our last interview. You had mentioned you’re struggling with ABC. Would a strategy that included DEF be something you’d be open to exploring,” get to the heart of the challenges that your interviewer is facing and also give you an opportunity to show your interviewer how you think. It’s a clear indication that you want to add value immediately and have the mindset to do so. You’ll also want to show that this job isn’t just a stepping stone on your career path, but that you have the desire to grow with the company. If you can find a way to explain that you’re not only excited about this opportunity, but are also energized by the prospect of where the company is headed in the future and express that you’re interested in being a part of that, it should help you demonstrate your long term commitment to the company as a whole.
It’s always hard to know exactly what kind of experience or skills are most important to showcase during a final round interview. However, these three strategies should go a long way toward insuring you’re the last candidate standing.