GeniusMesh Blog

A Google search on “interview questions” will result in hundreds of hits, and most are actually quite helpful. But a common mistake that most candidates make is to quickly review the questions and mentally develop a picture of how you would answer them. Our minds work at blazing speeds compared to our mouths!  Instead of just reading and “knowing” how you will answer the questions, say your answers out loud – preferably while standing in front of a full-length mirror. After you have stumbled with your first few answers, you will quickly realize you need to prepare and practice. 

Many people approach an interview as if it were a test in which the candidate patiently waits to respond to the questions asked by the interviewer.  Although some of the question / answer dialogue is required, essentially the candidate is playing on the interviewer’s home court and playing by their rules.  It is easy to change the game. There is an old saying, “The more they talk, the smarter that they will think you are.” With the standard q/a format, the interviewer may ask a one sentence question, and the candidate may respond with a one paragraph or one-page response.  This normal interaction is the exact opposite of the old saying.

Historically, both a candidate and the hiring company spend a considerable amount of time during the candidate selection process assessing the fit between the candidate and the requirements of the job. Today, an emphasis is also placed on the cultural fit of both parties which is probably more important in gauging the long-term success of a candidate than their actual performance.

There is an old corporate water cooler saying: “Your boss isn’t your boss; your boss’s boss is your boss.”