Can't break past the interview round?

[Backstrom]

Okay fellow planners or aspiring planners,

I have a dilemma. Of all the jobs that I felt fairly suited for (okay, this is only three jobs since about late 2012), I have had a strong enough resume + cover letter to make it all the way to the interview round each time.

But every time, I've done a less-than-par job in the interview, which I've felt has costed me an offer. For the most part, I've been able to give good solid answers to each question. But every interview, there's always one question that gets my tongue tied and my words fumbling. This is odd for me, because I've always considered myself a fairly strong interviewer.

I'm curious to know if anyone else is in the same boat? And for those who have been involved in the hiring process, are candidates in the interview stage typically evaluated based on the interview performance alone? Or do they still factor in the resume, credentials, cover letter, etc?

[Nabad]

Doing well in interviews is a skill like any other. Practice makes perfect.

If you can't interview well, you will most likely sink your application. Do mock interviews with friends and perhaps even apply for jobs you don't want just to have the opportunity to interview.

[Hink]

You are reviewed on the whole package. Your credentials on paper get you to the interview. You recommendations finalize the deal. The middle part is all you and how you interact during the interview portion.

For me the trick is to pretend like you don't care if you get the job, yet still want it. Don't come off as desperate, remind them why you can help them achieve their goals, push your education and experience, and always have a handful of questions specific to the agency. Go online and research meeting minutes for public agencies, or look at projects of privates.

Try to be relaxed in your approach and it will seem like you are having a conversation not an interview. That comes across. If you are uptight, scared, and desperate, it sometimes comes off as either unskilled or not confident in your skill set.

Good luck!

[NHPlanner]

As someone that does hiring, here are the most important factors I consider when I decide on who to hire:

1. Interview - You have to be able to make an impression, and show that you'll be a good fit with my existing staff.
2. Cover Letter - My first impression of you is going to be the cover letter. I want to see your writing style/skill, and see that you've put an effort into tailoring the letter for the specific position you're applying for (and at least some impression that you've done some research on my community).
3. Recommendations/References - How you worked in previous jobs goes a long way.
4. Resume - Style, formatting, comprehensiveness (while striving for brevity), credentials.

[dvdneal]

For interviews I like the idea of story telling. When asked a question, tell them a story of how this relates to your experience and how that experience relates to this job. For instance, when asked what you know about...say...code enforcement, don't just give the regulatory answer or say I've done code enforcement for five years. Tell them about one of your cases, how you turned it around, how you can use that skill at work in your new job. Obviously it has to be a short story, but it can be remembered.

[NHPlanner]

For interviews I like the idea of story telling. When asked a question, tell them a story of how this relates to your experience and how that experience relates to this job. For instance, when asked what you know about...say...code enforcement, don't just give the regulatory answer or say I've done code enforcement for five years. Tell them about one of your cases, how you turned it around, how you can use that skill at work in your new job. Obviously it has to be a short story, but it can be remembered.

The "short" part of this is key. I had a recent applicant that spent 28 minutes answering "Tell us a little about yourself."

[chocolatechip]

You have to convey who you are as a person. They need to get a sense of your personal qualities, not just your achievements, which anyone can fabricate. Can you talk their language? Do you come across as earnest or arrogant? Sometimes when I interview, I don't realize that in my effort to sell myself, I might come off as over-confident or flippant. My best advice is to be yourself, which sounds trite, but there's really no science to it. No amount of technical preparation will land you a job. It's the answer to the question "who is this person? would he/she make a good fit in our office? are they trainable? do they know how to commit to something?", not, "this person's portfolio isn't big enough." if they dismiss you over something like that alone, they're not looking for the most important things, don't know what makes for the best kind of employee, and probably already have a bunch of people working for them that suck. Again, the important question for round two is not, "what has this person done," but "does this person have potential, and will he/she fit in our office?" And I heartily agree on "telling the story." In that way, you can convey that you know their language, and the quality of your reasoning and communication style come out as you explain what you did.

[OfficialPlanner]

Doing well in interviews is a skill like any other. Practice makes perfect.

If you can't interview well, you will most likely sink your application. Do mock interviews with friends and perhaps even apply for jobs you don't want just to have the opportunity to interview.

+1 If you're still a student or recent grad, try contacting the career center at your school. They typically host mock interviews and offer other interview tips. Practice makes perfect.

[Reefe]

Agree with the general advice given by those above. Would add that you shouldn't panic if you fumbled a question or two. You can make up for it by coming up with good strong answers for the other questions, and at the open discussion at the end of the interview during which everyone will be more relaxed. That's when you will have the chance to show them who you really are and how interested you are in the job, all the research you've done on the organization etc. That's really a good time to shine, and overcome any fumbles.

If you're applying for a public sector job, know that there will always be a panel of interviewers and a standard list of questions. It does seem intimidating, like an inquisition. But be as honest, enthusiastic and cheerful as you can. People want to hire likeable people.

[bentobox34]

Although it sounds cheesy, "pretend you're the one interviewing them" is a piece of advice I've found very helpful. Think about what you want to know about the job, city, and the people you will be working with and what you would want them to know about you. Realize that although they obviously have the upper hand, you have some power as well in the situation (you are free to offer or withhold your labor) and that you are looking for the best fit for both parties.

I went through several interviews during the Great Recession and finally built up the confidence to take the above approach, and it showed. I went from interviewing and never hearing anything back, to interviewing and while not getting the job, getting personal notes from the interviewers stating things like they really enjoyed talking with me and would encourage me to apply for other positions when available, and then finally landing a job. I would agree with other posters above that practice interviews and/or applying for as many jobs as possible could be a good way to shorten this learning curve.

Regarding questions that make you stumble, another thing to remember (that took me a long time to learn and put into practice), is that it is always OK to pause and say, "Let me take a moment to collect my thoughts." It is also a viable option, if you really need to use it, to say something like, "I don't have as much experience in that area as I would like but I would be very interested in learning more about your city's approach if offered this job." Realize that an interviewer might even be testing you to see how you handle hard questions, which come up all the time in this profession. A person who knows what they know and knows what they don't know can come across better than someone who tries to BS through an answer no matter what the question.