An Interview Tip for Job Seekers…
An interview for a job is no different than an audition for a role because an interview for a job IS an audition for a role. The only difference you’re not auditioning to play a character in an imaginary world but yourself in the actual world.
And, cutting right to the chase, the biggest mistake an actor can make when auditioning for a role is to try and get the role. I know this sounds weird and counterproductive and if you're auditioning for a role what the heck else ‘would’ you be doing aside from getting the role. Welp, Bryan Cranston lays it out here:
(cranston video)
So when you’re interviewing for a job the last intention you want to have to to try and get the job. It would be better to assume and act as if you already have it. Because there’s another thing that auditioning and interviewing have in common:
Asking and having answers for specific questions..
One of the pitfalls of preparing for a role or an audition is not asked and answered specific questions. Whenever I get an adjustment from a director it’s because I wasn’t specific enough in my preparation. For acting, some basic questions are:
Who am I?
What do I want?
What’s in my way?
Where am I?
How am I going to get what I want?
What am I gonna do when i got it?
There are many more questions but these are a few.
For an interview, you want to be prepared to answer questions confidently, concisely and authentically. How do you do that? Easy the same way an actor prepares a role:
Get specific on what questions that might be asked during and interview.
Hire a coach and practice your interviewing skills just as an actor would practice their auditioning skills.
The best directors help actors ask the best questions. The best interview coaches prep their clients to ask the best questions.
The take away here is that when you’re interviewing you want to:
Assume you have the job and let go of trying to get the job.
Be prepared to answer interview questions confidently, concisely and honestly.