About a month and a half ago, I went on my first job interview in more than six years. A major opportunity came up and I definitely needed to jump on it. It was super nerve-wracking as it had been so long and I didn’t quite remember how to prepare or answer any of the go-to questions anymore. I was a huge ball of nerves.

I immediately did my due diligence (thanks Google) and researched the hell out of the position and field to not be thrown off guard.

The night before the interview, I was pretty sure I would have it in the bag and walk out of the building like:

the office nbc office andy nailed it — Photo: Giphy

But LISTEN. When I got to the facility, I was handed an agenda with time slots of each of the people I would be individually meeting with that day. Not to mention, I would be grilled in a full-group meeting at the end of it all.

In full out panic mode, I knew I had to make something magical happen regardless of the monkey wrench that was thrown in my perfectly planned out presentation and study notes. The interview game surely has changed over the past few years.

The first person I met with was actually over coffee at the company cafe, so it was pretty casual, yet still professional. With each allotted visit, it was interesting how they were all in different settings and formats. For a by-the-book person like me, it was a nightmare. But I handled it pretty well, I think. The full group meeting was a bit awkward because I felt like I was literally on trial. Ok, I’m being dramatic.

Just when I thought it was all over and that I could breathe a sigh of relief, one of the interviewers said, “This was great. We will be contacting you for a second interview, as well as a phone interview with one other member of the staff because they work remotely on the West Coast.”

In my defense, it has been a while, but the process was quite an experience. The last interview I went on, I met with a couple of senior leaders, not the whole staff. I guess you can say that’s a positive thing that companies are making the process like a courtship and allowing everyone’s input. Besides, they do need to see if you would actually be a great fit with the people you would be working with, should you get the offer.

Now that I’ve shared my experience, hopefully these notes will help you ace your interview and get the job you’ve wanted! And if the interview game seems a bit different than you remember, don’t let it discourage you. You’ve got this!

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