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While I’m reluctant to share exactly what Go Fish is looking for during an interview (that would take all the fun out of applying, after all), I’m happy to share some of my best advice for interviewees. Whether you’re interviewing for a role at Go Fish or elsewhere, these pointers should serve you well.

Make a good first impression

Lots of companies conduct an initial phone screen. This, unfortunately, puts you at a disadvantage because no one can see your amazing wardrobe or charming smile over the phone. Make sure to put in a little extra effort with that call, and it will start you down the right path. Answering with, “Hello, this is [your name]” is a great way to start off, especially if you’ve got a name with an unusual pronunciation. And pay attention to the old telemarketing trick of smiling into the phone. It might sound a little unorthodox, but interviewers really can hear it, and it sets a pleasant tone for the call.

I also recommend that you do something to form a bit of a rapport. Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer how their day is going or inquire about any plans for the weekend. Doing that is a great jumping off point for the conversation you’re about to have and it makes you memorable. Just remember to keep it brief – you’re there for a purpose, and you don’t want to waste your interviewer’s time.

Set the scene (in a video interview)

If your interview is being conducted online, make sure you dress professionally and stage the area where you plan to interview. Make your space look attractive and tidy by clearing the background of anything embarrassing or controversial and ensuring that the lighting is sufficient to keep you from being washed out or in deep shadow. Basically, you should treat your home like a TV studio where they are filming a show called, “Courtney Has A Job Interview!”

Make it a conversation

Rather than waiting until the end of your interview, ask questions as they occur to you. A good interview flows like a conversation, and getting into a nice back-and-forth flow is the ultimate goal. If all the interviewer wanted was to fire questions at you, they could have simply sent over a Google Form and saved everyone the trouble of putting on a tie.

Really listen to the questions

I have a semi-weird question I like to ask on a first phone call with candidates. I tell my interviewees that it’s almost like the “greatest strength/weakness” question, but it isn’t quite the same, and that the answer I’m looking for is different. And still, lots of people respond by telling me that “my greatest strength is caring, and my greatest weakness is caring too much”.

One reason I ask this question is that I sincerely want the answer. But, I also want to throw you off your game just a little bit. What I want is to hear how you’ll respond to a question you haven’t rehearsed for. This tells me how good you are at thinking on your feet and responding to the unexpected. But, if you respond with the age-old greatest strength/weakness answer, I’ll know you really weren’t listening to my question. If you’re not listening closely to me on an interview call, I wonder, how will you hear and respond to the needs of your clients or colleagues?

Ask questions of your own

There is no way that a “help wanted” ad can tell you everything you want to know about a job. Everyone has a dealbreaker that will make them pull out of the interview process, whether it’s the hours or the dress code or the expectation that you will work hanging upside down from a trapeze. So, ask about it! Interviewers can tell when you’ve just pulled three questions from a list you found on the internet, so put some thought and some honesty into your queries. Remember, even though the company is interviewing you, you are also interviewing them.

If you want improved work-life balance, ask how the company prevents employee burnout. If you’re changing jobs in order to move up the ladder, ask about how team members tend to advance into leadership positions. If you’re hoping for a company with better benefits, then, by all means, get the tea on those bennies!

Asking a real question about something that matters to you shows that you are seriously considering the company interviewing you. It also gives the interviewer a sense of what matters most to you, which can be terribly important as they try to determine whether or not you’ll be a good fit and enjoy being with the company for the long haul.

• • •

Conducting interviews is a mixed bag. When it goes badly, it’s my least favorite part of my job. But when it goes great, I come away newly energized and excited about the possibility of a fantastic new team member. Here’s hoping that my humble advice takes you where you want to be.

No One’s Greatest Weakness Is “Caring Too Much” is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.

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In addition to putting a pair of human eyes on every resume that comes in, I am every candidate’s main point of contact. Naturally, this means I get asked a lot of questions. But there is one question in particular that I get asked pretty frequently:

“What does your company culture look like?”

Oh, boy – where to start?

The Key Ingredient to a Flourishing Culture

When a candidate inquires about culture in 2018, they are asking what it feels like to work for your organization. They want to know how much trust you will place in them, how they will relate to their coworkers, how casual or buttoned-up your atmosphere is, and what potential growth or promotion opportunities exist. And for some companies, it can seem like a loaded question.

But, here’s a secret. The way to create your organization’s desired culture will always be the same. It’s not branding or social media posts or office furniture – it’s the people.

Suppose that XYZ Company wants to create an office culture based on flexibility and creativity. Their mission statement touts their out-of-the-box thinking and innovation and expression of individual personality is encouraged. They even offer unlimited PTO and bring in ping-pong tables, nap pods, and maybe a bark park so employees can bring their dogs to work. However, having these cool things in place isn’t enough to build a culture. Regardless of how much a company invests in the trappings of creativity and unconventionality, it’s the people who occupy the office that determine the nature of the place.

Finding the Right People for the Job

A company must do more than simply look at past work experience when reviewing a candidate. They need to know whether the candidate is a great culture fit. How much direct supervision does this person need? Are they comfortable with asking questions and admitting what they don’t know? Does a competitive atmosphere bring out the best in them or the worst? Are they more likely to thrive when creating their own way of working, or in faithfully adhering to long-held practices? These are all questions that you need to make sure you answer before bringing a person on.

Hiring folks who feel most comfortable in a more cutthroat, every-man-for-himself environment can kill open collaboration. Someone who flourishes under strict direction from management may flounder in a flat work structure. An employee who is less intense about her work lowers the bar in a competitive environment where others thrive under pressure. And let’s be clear – it’s not that these employees have the wrong idea about how to work. They may be terrific assets in the right environment. But when an employee is placed into a culture that doesn’t match their work style, the results can be disastrous.

Our Culture at Go Fish Digital

We are fiercely protective of our office culture at Go Fish Digital. We want a workplace that buzzes with collaborative energy, allows employees to find their own best work style, and reduces the time and number of approvals needed to turn a good idea into reality. And because we are so protective of our culture, we are particularly choosy (some would say picky) when it comes to building our workforce. Our interview process is fairly lengthy and asks a lot of the candidates moving through it. In the end, we are rewarded with a staff that creates our ideal culture. Our employees are unafraid to ask questions. They are extremely generous with one another, not only with their efforts but also with their time and their personal expertise. Our employees seek professional growth, but never through competition.

We are very picky, but, honestly, all organizations should be. The people you have at your organization are not only shaping its culture, but they are also actively shaping its future. While it may be easy to dismiss culture as a fad or consider it as an issue that only concerns less serious organizations, potential employees legitimately care about this part of the job and its importance should not be overlooked.

Aside from the culture question I mentioned before, there is another one that lags only slightly behind in its frequency. I’ve come to expect it, and I can answer it right away.

“What do you like most about working at Go Fish Digital?”

That’s an easy one. It’s the people.

A Great Company Culture Starts With One Key Ingredient is an original blog post first published on Go Fish Digital.