Always Put Your Best Foot Forward

There are times when it’s okay to just throw in the towel, right? Especially when it comes to interview preparation.  Whether it’s an interview for a job, an internship or possibly grad school, you can cut yourself some slack on occasion.

After all, you’ve applied to dozens of places. Even though you’ve scored an interview with a great company, it’s not your first choice and there’s still time for “number one” to give you a call.

Sure, you do the basics such as getting an interview outfit and telling a few trusted friends about this new development. Without putting forth much effort you convince yourself that you’re prepared, you’ve done this before, you are ready for any question and that this interview is really more of an opportunity for you to take a look at them.

You don’t need to put much effort into preparing for an interview that you’re not 100% sure about anyway.

SAID NO CAREER COACH, EVER.

Yet I’ve heard this before, watched it play out and then seen the results. It should be no surprise that they aren’t pretty.

Always put your best foot forward. Approach every interview as though this is THE ONE; the job or internship that you really want.

Here are a few reasons why you should always put your best foot forward:

Personal Brand – Remember: you represent the brand of YOU.  And you always want to present your brand in the best possible way.  Prepare, smile and shine during the interview!

Six Degrees of Separation – It’s a small world. The hiring manager you interview with today may be best friends with the hiring manager you interview with tomorrow. Or they could be connected to some other key individual that may be instrumental in your career.  Give them every reason to praise you.

You Can’t Turn It Down Till They Make You An Offer – Many times I hear clients say, “Based on what I heard during the phone interview, I’m going to turn the company down”. Turn what down?  They haven’t made you a job offer yet!  In most cases it’s in your best interest to continue with the process to see where it leads.  Job location may be a concern for you, yet if the company likes you they may be willing to accommodate a telecommuting situation.  Who knows?  If you pass an opportunity too early you’ll never find out.

Always Go for the Win – Sports teams always approach a game with a winning mind-set. So should you when you go into an interview.   The goal is to receive a job offer – a win.  It allows you to make the decision about employment rather than having it made for you.  Go in to each interview as though it were the only job you want.

Practice Makes Perfect – If nothing else, every interview is an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. Always look for improvement over your last interview. Grade yourself and afterwards note additional ways to improve.