Interview Prep for Veterans and Transitioning Service Members
We hear it all the time from our Veterans:
“I’m putting out lots of applications but I’m not getting called for interviews” or “I’m getting interviewed but I’m not getting called with any offers for jobs.”
These are distinctly different problems.
The first problem - no interviews - is usually your resume and LinkedIn.
The second problem - is your performance in the interview. You would not have been called to interview unless you were a good competitor for the other candidates who applied and were called.
So let’s look at how to prepare for and perform before, during and after the interview to ensure you’re given the best consideration for the job.
Interview Prep Tips
When you apply for the job, don’t inflate your abilities.
Read the whole description and make an honest assessment as to whether you can do what they say they will expect of you. We say, if you can do at least 75% of it and you meet most of the required education and experience standards, go ahead and apply.
Have copies of the targeted resume you applied with and copies of the master resume you will want to share with the interview panel. Bring a notepad and a couple of working pens to take notes.
Clean up and complete your LinkedIn profile.
Use the content from your master resume to populate LinkedIn. Remove posts better suited for Facebook or other less professional social media sites. Reorder your skills to highlight the most relevant ones at the top of the list. Make sure your header reflects the job titles you’re looking for or your areas of expertise, not what you used to do. Remove Transitioning Military and similar statements from the header. Your About section should mirror your Summary from your master resume.
Personal Grooming.
When you’re job searching, you should always be ready for an interview. Clean shaved or well groomed. Recent haircut. Clipped and clean fingernails and clean hands. If there’s the slightest chance you could be asked to jump on a zoom call for an impromptu interview, have your computer and backdrop area prepared. It’s not unheard of to be surprised with a short notice interview to catch you off guard and see how you respond.
Clothes for an interview should be clean and wrinkle-free, and should be appropriate for the organization. Business casual is the minimum, but a suit and tie may be needed for a professional environment. Dress at least as well as the lead person on your interview.
The night before, check your grooming and lay out your clothes. Position your resumes, copy of the job description, notepad and pens so you don’t forget them. Review the company’s website and social media and any recent news on the company. Review the job description and the resumes you’ll bring. Have a good dinner and a good night of sleep so you’re well rested, physically and mentally prepared.
Most of the above items are done once or occasionally and are not really labor intensive. That doesn’t diminish their importance. Check this list each time to be sure you’re checking all the boxes in your preparation.
During the interview tension is higher. But if you are properly prepared, you’re in a much better place emotionally than other candidates. You’ll be more focused and confident and the following steps will be a lot easier to maintain for the hour or so you’re likely to be in the interview.
Check where you are to report in advance so you won’t be lost on the day. Arrive 10 minutes early to the office, not the parking lot. Bring to the office just the materials you’ll need for the interview. Leave your phone and all other excess in your car if you can. You want to be looking good, feeling good, well prepared, and unflustered from the moment you enter the parking lot and the office.
Be very nice and polite to whoever greets you. Smile. Maintain a positive, upbeat, professional demeanor until you are back in your car and out of the parking lot.
When meeting new people, continue to remain 100% positive. Shake hands firmly and briefly unless they signal a fist bump or other current greeting in lieu of health concerns. Back straight, head up, smile, speak with confidence at all times.
If they offer water or coffee or some reasonable beverage, accept it. Unless it’s a meal/interview, decline food as it is hard to navigate and can bring too many perils while you’re thinking and answering questions.
Each interviewer will introduce themselves or be introduced including name and position. It would be good to take note of this info if you can. They may also all give you their business cards to save you the effort. Array the cards in front of you corresponding to each interviewer so you can keep track.
Early questions usually involve “Tell us about yourself” and “Please review your resume for us”. Have a short introduction indicating who you are, your education, certifications, experience. Basically the summary statement from your resume. This is a good time to offer copies of your resume and mention that you brought copies of your master resume if they’d like a more complete version of your abilities and experience.
Be honest and brief in all your answers. Provide complete answers but do not go on too long. Never ever go negative in your answers. Situational questions may be asked such as, “Tell me about a time when you had to…”. Keep your answers in a STAR format. Situation, Tasking, Actions, Results.
“I worked at ABC Company as the Senior Manager. I was responsible for 20 people who built stuff and did important things. I quickly determined that this problem existed, formulated a plan to overcome it by taking these big actions over this much time and costing this much money. Upon receiving permission to continue, I briefed my team, made assignments, engaged the plan, made adjustments in process as needed, and finished early and under budget with these amazing results. For this project my team received company-wide recognition as the best-practice method for doing similar projects.”
Do NOT allow yourself to become too familiar or relaxed with the interviewers. They are not your friends or relatives during the interview, even if they are outside it. They will make the best decision for the company based on their observations in their best judgment.
Do not problem solve their issues unless specifically asked what you would do in a certain circumstance. It forces you to make assumptions and you take the risk of offending someone who hasn’t taken the lead or responded adequately and is yet in the room on the interview panel.
Try to follow their volume and speed when talking. Find the average of the room and follow that. Sit up and forward in your chair. Do not sit back into the chair as it presents too relaxed an appearance. When talking on zoom there is a tendency to speak too loud to compensate for a mic or room acoustics. It can overwhelm a system and cause feedback. Know your system and be familiar with using it for Zoom or Teams meetings.
You will, at some point, be asked how much you expect to be paid. Work with your SSV counselor to determine the right range and answer for this. Benefits like vacation time, health insurance, retirement funding, travel, and bonuses should be considered too.
At the end of the interview they will ask if you have any questions. Say, “Yes, I have just a few”.
These are your questions:
“What can you tell me about the team I’d be working with in this role?”
(Short-term question)“How long would I have to be fully up to speed?”
(Medium-term question)“If you hired me today, how would you see me performing a year from now?”
(Extended-term question)
These questions are non-threatening, thoughtful, and force them to think forward, in sequence, into the future, picturing you in the role to progressive lengths of time. It places you well ahead of other candidates as a result.
After this the interview will likely wrap up. Be sure to express that you are very encouraged by what you heard and would love an opportunity to join the team. Shake everyone’s hand and thank them by name for their time and consideration. Ask one of them what the next steps are and when you can expect to hear from them.
You will want to send a thank-you email to the recruiter, interviewers, and any referrals and references who helped you get to this point. Connect with everyone on LinkedIn if they’re willing.
Next, move on to the next to-do item in your job search. Until you have a report date and have completed all the onboarding components, the job is not cured and solidified. Don’t lose momentum in the rest of your search until you know it’s over and you have entered the next chapter of your career.
Why SSV and How We Can Help:
Every step of the way, work with your SSV counselor for guidance and confidently and quickly complete the search. Every Veteran deserves the best career and meaningful employment for the sacrifices he or she has made for their country. And they deserve it without cost. You’ve given enough.
