6 Ways to Impress a Hiring Manager in an Interview

Your resume is the first introduction to a hiring manager and can help you succeed in a competitive job market. A resume should always be short and direct, highlighting relevant experiences and skills, past education, and crafting an overall career snapshot. 

Next, you finally land an interview for the job of your dreams. But now you must prove to the hiring manager that you’re highly qualified and a better fit than all the other candidates. Taking the time to prepare for an interview in advance can help you feel more confident and relaxed. 

Be Confident

Going into a job interview is scary and nerve-wracking. Nobody is completely sure what the hiring manager is looking for, but being confident is the key to success. Overall, you must give a clear, concise, and compelling outline of who you are, what you have achieved, and what you bring to the table. 

Reviewing your resume beforehand is a great way to prepare for an interview and boost your confidence. You should practice explaining how your skills and past experiences allow you to meet job expectations and requirements. 

Be Enthusiastic 

Even if you’re an introvert at heart, being enthusiastic in an interview can push you forward that much more. It’s vital to bring your energy level up a notch by talking a little louder and using more inflection or changes in tone of voice. The one person an interviewer doesn’t want to hire is someone who sounds flat or monotone when talking about a position. 

You can also show enthusiasm by asking many questions and being genuinely interested. You want to seem eager to learn more and put thought and consideration into the position. 

Additionally, you can show enthusiasm to the hiring manager by telling them that what their group, company, or organization is doing is unique or interesting. 

Do Research

Before your interview, you should conduct company research to understand its values, goals, and overall mission. You’re looking for information on what the company offers, its culture, history, and achievements.

Some questions you could research include: “How long has the company been in business?” “How many employees are currently working at the company?” “How have the company’s products or services changed over the years?” 

You should also thoroughly review the job description before the interview. This knowledge is essential to properly communicate your motivation in pursuing the role. Doing research days beforehand prepares you for any questions the interviewer may have for you and makes you stand out among the other candidates. 

Be Specific About Why You Want the Job 

After researching the company, you should understand its mission, key competitors, products, services, and target audience. Therefore, it will be easy to explain why you want the job and what opportunities you see on the horizon. 

When asked why you’re interested in a specific position, an example of how you could answer is: “I want this job because I am looking for an opportunity that lets me exercise my skill with numbers and eye for detail. I feel this position will allow me to succeed because my interpersonal skills help me establish meaningful relationships with vendors, and my experience with accounting software allows me to manage invoices and inventory databases confidently.”

Another notable way to stand out from other job applicants is to end your answer with a related question for the hiring manager. Asking a question creates a two-way dialogue and makes the interview more conversational. 

Ask Thoughtful Questions 

At the end of almost every interview, the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions. But you should follow the lead of the interview and prioritize asking questions, too. Doing so shows that you have the enthusiasm and genuine interest in the job. 

Additionally, asking questions gives you a better understanding of whether the role is a good fit for you. Curating a list of five to 10 questions before the interview is a good starting point and will help in case you get nervous or don’t remember exactly what you wanted to ask. 

Some questions that you can ask at the end of an interview include: 

• Can you elaborate on the day-to-day responsibilities that this job entails?
• What are the characteristics of someone who would succeed in this role?
• What are some of the challenges you’ve seen people in this role or on this team encounter? 
• If I were in this role, how would my performance be measured?
• What do you like best about working here? 

Those are just five of the dozens of potential questions you can ask the hiring manager. These questions are vital and highlight your drive to excel in this new position. 

Follow Up 

At the end of an interview, always send a thank you letter to the hiring manager within 24 hours. In the letter, you can refer back to the interview, explain that you found the conversation insightful, thank them for their time, and note that you’re looking forward to discussing it further. You should keep the thank you letter relatively short and sweet. 

If you don’t hear back from the hiring manager by the date they said they would get back to you, follow up with them about one week later. The content should be similar to what you wrote in the first letter.

The entire process of job hunting, interviewing, and the waiting time in between is exhausting and discouraging. At the very minimum, make sure to arrive early to the interview, make eye contact, be polite and friendly, bring an extra copy of your resume, and ask questions.