Down Range: A Transitioning Veteran's Career Guide to Life's Next Phase

Chapter 9

Interview to Win!

You have worked your personal and professional network and carefully researched job postings that align with your career HDD. You have some interested employers and have been invited for your first interview. What to do now?

Winning the interview is all about organization and preparation. If your military service taught you one thing, it was about preparation and getting organized to execute your mission successfully. Therefore, you must plan for each interview. Luckily, many have gone before you and there is a wealth of experience that can be summarized in this chapter and into a checklist that we have provided in Appendix H.

Preparing for an Interview

Research isn't just for companies themselves; you can also research the individuals you'll encounter in the interview process. For instance, an army colonel won an interview with a high-level executive at a large company. The colonel searched the web for the executive's name, and found a goldmine of information on the interviewer and the company, including a magazine article about the very executive he was about to meet. A simple web search can reveal useful information that can set you apart.

Some advice on research can be found in Chapter 6, and we have summarized that advice in the checklist in Appendix H. But there is much more to prepare before an interview, such as practicing your responses to potential interview questions, and generating a list of good things to ask the interviewer. You should ...