Want To Ace The Interview? Strategies For Gen Y Job-Seekers

Did you know? One of the biggest complaints employers have about Generation Y (1982-1995) is that they’re not prepared for interviews, and many employers consider hiring Gen Ys a risk because they leave their jobs faster than other generations and they are difficult to manage.

Did you know? One of the biggest complaints employers have about Generation Y (1982-1995) is that they’re not prepared for interviews, and many employers consider hiring Gen Ys a risk because they leave their jobs faster than other generations and they are difficult to manage.

Prove that you’re a return on investment. Share a past work experience during the interview to help the employer understand how hiring you will bring the company more value than your salary. Bring a business card and samples of your work to the interview. Get a good reference – a knowledgeable expert with many connections – and follow up with a hand-written thank you note for the employer’s time and consideration.

Here are five more strategies to take into the interview with you:

1. Take an interest.

Don’t appear blasé about the position. While you don’t want to appear overly eager and desperate, you do want to act interested in the role and the organization. Take it upon yourself to do some research and learn about the company prior to the interview. Just as you want the potential employer to take an interest in you, you should appear reasonably interested, informed, and engaged in the employer. Also, be sure to silence your technology prior to the interview – and never read or respond to a text during the interview!

2. Dress the part.

Showing too much skin or dressing too casual or sloppy is likely to result in you being remembered for the wrong reasons. Like it or not, your image tells others a lot about your personality, skills, and talent. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. If you want the job, you must dress like a professional.

3. Be honest.

Don’t embellish on your resume or lie during the interview. You will get caught, and once it’s revealed that a candidate is dishonest or has exaggerated, there’s not much more to say.

4. Less is more.

Don’t overshare about your personal life. Gen Ys have been raised in a sharing, social media driven world and they tend to have strong open relationships with their parents. However, in job interviews it is best not to slip into casual conversation. Any personal drama or negativity shared in an interview is considered a red flag.

5. Ask questions.

Most employers will end the interview asking if there’s anything else you’d like to share about yourself or why you’d like the position. Don’t say ‘no thank you.’ Instead, use this opportunity to ask questions and to say something to give yourself a better chance to land the position.