Get that dream job
How(e) to ace your next interview
Apologies in advance if you are not a football fan but I can assure you this article has little to nothing to do with football and everything to do with achieving success at the next interview you attend.
In November 2021 Eddie Howe was announced as the new Newcastle United FC first team manager following the sacking of Steve Bruce on 20th October.
Eddie Howe, despite his relative success at Bournemouth, was the one of the youngest and least experienced managers to be in the running for the Newcastle job. He was in the running with some of the highest profiles in the game – Paulo Fonseca, Roberto Martinez, Frank Lampard, Antonio Conte, Steven Gerrard, and Lucien Favre.
References to football end there – the rest of this article could apply to any interview.
Eddie Howe was of interest to the panel of interviewers but until a Zoom interview was seen as ‘a peripheral candidate.’ Bigger names with more trophy winning CVs were seen as the front runners.
Eddie Howe did not just interview for the job, he explained why he wanted it, what needed to be done and what he would do to improve the team in the short and medium term.
He did not present a sales pitch, he presented a comprehensive and detailed plan, addressing the immediate needs, the type of players he would add to strengthen the squad and what his vision was for the following season.
None of the other interviewers were able to match the meticulous plan. None of the other contenders had researched to the depths that Eddie Howe had.
Comments following his interview included “It was the best interview by far” and “he has studied the squad and done his research. He was fully prepared for every question and answered everything thrown at him.”
A senior source commented “Other candidates talked in general about their principles, methods and philosophies, he (Eddie Howe) was specific and tailored everything to what he would inherit in the job”
Now that Eddie Howe has got the job, the hardest bit starts now. It is a difficult task.
The job you are interviewing for could be equally as difficult, but the brilliance of what Eddie Howe did has only just started. The detail he went to and the research he did has not only secured him the job, but by going the ‘extra mile’ during the interview process he has also got the 30-60-90-day plan of how to succeed in the role.
In his case he has got more of a 60-180-360-day plan.
Do not wait for your interviewer to set you the task of putting together a 30-60-90-day plan, be proactive and do it anyway.
Eddie Howe leapfrogged his competition in doing so. So can you.
Eddie Howe was not just successful in securing the job…..having joined Newcastle in November 2021, he guided them to an 11th place finish in the Premier League by May 2022 with the highest points total the club had achieved since returning to the Premiership in 2017. In February 2023 he guided Newcastle to the League Cup Final, the first final they had reached since 1999 with the hope of their first trophy since 1959!!!
In May 2023 Newcastle finished fourth in the Premiership (their highest league finish since 1997) and for the first time in 20 years, they have qualified to play in the European Champions League.
What else does it tell the interviewer about you – proactive, structured, organised, driven and more obvious than other traits - keener than the other (in this case higher profile) contenders.
The worst outcome is that you may not get the job, but you will stand out from the crowd and be remembered. And be considered for many other opportunities in the future.
At Triple Edge Solutions, we can help you prepare efficiently for your next interview and help you stand out from the competition to secure your dream job.