What is the 80/20 rule in interviewing?

It is not enough to just commit your CV to memory and be ready to discuss previous positions held when you are preparing for an interview. When it comes to being ready for an upcoming interview, it is essential to do research about the firm you will be interviewing with, paying particular attention to the organization's personnel, customers, operations, and overall strategy.

The majority of this information is, thankfully, available on the company's website, in their online Annual Reports, or on their social media sites, so it is much simpler to do research now than it was in previous years. Some applicants may also be able to utilize their LinkedIn networks to contact individuals who are presently working by the organization in order to get extra insights about the position they are applying for.

Spending time getting yourself ready for the interview is, however, just as crucial, if not even more so, as researching the firm you will be meeting with. It is advised that you devote just 20 percent of the time you spend preparing to studying the firm in question, and that you devote the remaining 80 percent of your time to concentrating on yourself and the talents and experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Make your mark

The kinds of questions that hiring managers and HR professionals ask during interviews are geared on gaining an understanding of the prior experiences of the candidates who have been selected and how those experiences may or may not be relevant to the post that they are seeking to fill. They want to evaluate your technical talents, how well you will fit in with the company's culture, and how well you will be able to collaborate with the team and the company as a whole. They will also be interested in learning about the things that are important to you personally and professionally, as well as your values.

As a direct consequence of this, the vast majority of the interview questions that they are asking are centered on YOU.

There will, of course, be certain questions that are required to be answered, such as "What do you know about us?" or "What do you think about our new approach on XYZ?" To successfully respond to these questions, you will undoubtedly need to do research; yet, in order to be effective, you will also need to demonstrate an impressive level of personal insight in your replies.

The following are some easy actions you can take to make sure that your first research brief is up to par and that you shine during your forthcoming interview for a job:

Step 1:

When you are in the process of doing research, you should give some thought to the following:

What are YOUR thoughts on the matter?

In respect to the topic you are investigating, what knowledge and expertise do YOU already possess?

What would it mean to YOU to work for this particular company?

Always be sure to include yourself in your fact seeking and subsequent responses, and don't forget to spend the very minimum amount of time—just 20 percent—researching the organization and the position that is being offered.

Step 2:

After familiarizing yourself with the organization, the job announcement, and the position description, you should make an informed estimate as to the questions that the interview panel could ask, concentrating on the essential qualities and capabilities that have been described. You should make an effort to get in touch with the hiring manager if the job advertisement provides their contact information. This will allow you to have a better picture of the kind of applicant they are hoping to find.

After you have finished the research portion of the assignment, you should compile a list of probable questions (between 10-15) that you may be asked during the interview. You may get a head start on answering some of the most often asked questions by hiring managers by doing a quick search on Google. After you've practiced reading your answers out loud and put them down on paper using current and pertinent examples, you may go on to the next step. At this point in the process, it might also be good to invite a friend, or even a mentor, to run through the questions with you and give you feedback on your replies. This can be done by asking them to run through the questions with you and giving them comments on your responses.

Step 3:

What will differentiate you from the other applicants is the contribution that YOU, personally, can bring to the organization's success. In order to put your best foot forward, you need to spend some time contemplating the aspects of your performance in which you have had the greatest influence and emphasizing the major professional accomplishments that stem from those aspects of your performance.

For instance, if you have implemented a process change that has resulted in monetary or time savings for a corporation, this will be positively recognized on your part. In a similar vein, if you have managed a change management program and as a direct consequence enhanced employee engagement, performance, and business culture, then this proves your worth to the potential employer.

If you are the sort of person who is able to "think on your feet," that is fantastic; but, there is no harm in devoting some additional time to preparation in order to truly shine during the interview portion of the process.

"Being prepared and seizing opportunities are the two essential ingredients for success." The driver Bobby Unser

Step 4:

It is now time for the interview, during which you will have the opportunity to leave the panel with a memorable impression of who you are, both as a possible employee and as a person in general. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to arrive to the interview, particularly if you have to go across town or are unsure of the location.

When you are presented to the panel, be sure to be polite, flash the panel plenty of smiles, and demonstrate that you have a good sense of humor. A cultural fit is another key aspect of the interview process, and the panel will be seeking to see how well you can fit into their team. They will be wanting to see how well you might be able to contribute to their organization.

When discussing your professional accomplishments during the interview, don't be afraid to use the pronoun "I" rather than "We." Remember that you are selling yourself, not your coworkers, so focus on selling yourself!

In addition, it is essential to concentrate attentively on each question, remain on topic, and scan the room for subtle clues from the panel, particularly if it seems as if the interview is going on for too long. Don't be hesitant to ask for a question to be repeated or for it to be explained to you in a different way if you require either of those things.

Ask any pertinent follow-up questions at the end of the interview if there is something you would like to know more about, make sure you know what the next steps in the process are, and thank the panel for their time. If there is something you would like to know more about, ask any relevant follow-up questions.

It is normal to feel a little uneasy after an interview and to second-guess some of the answers you gave, but you may have some confidence that the amount of time and effort you put into preparing for the interview will have paid off in terms of how well you performed during the actual interview.

The most important thing to take away from this is to make sure that YOU are the focus of your preparation for the interview. Keep in mind that the primary objective of an interview is not to test how well you are versed in the particulars of the company being interviewed by but rather to provide the panel with a chance to get a feel of who YOU are and what YOU can provide to their organization.