Tips (for candidates) in preparation for the interview (10-12)

Are you prepared yet? Well, our Gender Equity Advocates still have some advice for you. Since they're employers--and employees--and they've all been hired themselves after interviewing, we're thrilled to solicit their continued wisdom in this series. Read on for tips 10-12 in our series.

10. Leverage your professional network (yes, that includes LinkedIn). A healthy network matters in our job searches, especially the looser connections that you might find via LinkedIn that will enable you to connect to introductions that matter. 500+ connections may seem like a lot–and you may not know these connections well, but this is a good place to begin to show prospective employers that you are well connected in your field and beyond. Start by looking at your current connections and see if you know their connections, or if their connections work in a similar industry. Consider how you might want to connect with folks who may be useful in helping you learn about a particular industry, organization or role, and how you might be in touch with them using your current connections.

11. Comment away! Spend some time on LinkedIn looking at other people’s posts and commenting on them. See what it is that your connections are up to, and learn from them. Wish them congratulations on articles posted (and read them) and new positions or work anniversaries.Your engagement in this space adds to your value to others, and makes your presence here visible to prospective employers, too.

12. Be specific. In your interview dialogue, give concrete examples of your work or elements of your professional portfolio that help paint a visual image for your interviewer. Use data to inform the story you are telling, and engage your heart to activate your listeners’ emotion. Consider what is visually appealing when you tell stories about your work, and how you speak, and think about using language and storytelling about the very best ways you can show up and be specific at work. Statistics are excellent to include to back up your story, to add to your specifics. Don’t feel the need to crush them with numbers, but use them where you can.

ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN PREPARE IN ONE IMAGE AND NO WORDS