Banji Alo Profile picture
Apr 16 18 tweets 6 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
I recently helped 3 professionals prepare for job interviews.

They landed their dream jobs at:
- JP Morgan, UK
- Australian Government Health Department
- International Research Institute, UK

They couldn't thank me enough.

Here's how I prepared them:

[steal my template]
1. There are 3 key stages in a job interview - entry, process and exit.

The entry and exit are the most important.
#1. The Entry

You need to put your best foot forward for the entry by ACING your first question.

It's crucial
I call the first interview question the "Smoke Alarm Question'.

Most interviews start with "Tell me about yourself" or similar.

It's a warm-up question to get to know the candidate. Sadly many don't use it to their advantage.

Here's what most people do:
- Talk a bit about themselves for 30 - 60 seconds
- Wait for the next question [they want the panel to ask them the next set of questions so they can then reveal more about themselves]

Wrong approach.
You have one task here:

For this first generic question, you need to provide a concrete response such that you will be the preferred candidate if the building's smoke alarm were to go off and the panel decided to use this one question to evaluate all applicants
You must provide a strong response to this first question for the panel to decide that you are their candidate.

How?
Start using the lines, business jargon, your strengths, and values from their job description (and how they match your background and experience) to answer the very first question.

Remember to keep it to 2 mins max.
Why wait until prompted in the next question to reveal crucial information?

You need to build their interest and curiosity from the very start.
Remember, the smoke alarm might go off, and you might not get another shot.

For example, as a data guy: I start talking about my background in data science, the tools I use, processes I improved, and results right from the start.

I don't wait to be asked specifically.
#2 . [During] The process

They need to like you and see you as part of them

A panel will only hire those they like. Nothing more.

Though not yet in, they need to see you as part of them [already]

You need to have a high similarity and familiarity score

How can you do this?
- Research everything you know about the each panel member - background , interests,
- Research the team
- Research the company

Use some of this information as you answer questions from each individual by leveraging their interests
For example, if I notice most of the team members love a particular programming language, then I will use it extensively in discussions.
#3. The exit

- I don't care what you already know about the company, the team and the role. You might not get the job if you don't ask questions at the end.

It turns out that asking questions shows you are:
- Genuinely interested in the role
- Did some homework before showing up at the interview

Never say NO when asked if you have questions. I won't like it as hiring manager

The final exit hack?

Send a thank you note as soon as possible after the interview. It works wonders.
If you enjoyed this thread:

1. Follow @BanjiAlo and RT for more like this.
2. Get my Career Welcome Pack for FREE - You will get a career and job search guide, resume & cover letter template, and six career success essentials

Get it here for free - welcome.banjialo.com

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Banji Alo

Banji Alo Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @BanjiAlo

Oct 12, 2022
I had a 50% pay cut when I left my casual jobs in Australia to start a professional 9-5 one

You might think it's a crazy idea

Here are five reasons why it wasn't:

#thread
1. Post-Study Visa

After my degree, I received a two-year post-study work visa.

This visa lets you work unlimited hours in Australia. Same with Canada, the UK, etc

The problem is that many international students don't use this visa correctly.

They:
- Use it to work as much as they
- Use it to relax, cool off and travel the world for months

I am not saying this is bad, but if your goal is to get a permanent visa, then you need to understand that these aren't your immediate priorities.
Read 16 tweets
Sep 25, 2022
I get shortlisted for at least 90% of the jobs I apply for.

Here are the 5 resume strategies that work for me every single time.

[Not your average resume advice]

#thread
1. Knowing the job of a resume

Your application process becomes easier once you understand that a resume only has one job.

-- To SELL you. @OgbeniDipo

Yes, a resume is a marketing tool.

@wakawaka_doctor
If it doesn't sell you, then forget it.

You won't smell the interview door no matter how solid your skills are or how talented you are.

You are the king, and your resume is your messenger.

It needs to represent you and convey your message properly. @ritapurity
Read 26 tweets
Sep 3, 2022
Many international students enrol for another degree to remain lawful in various countries because they couldn't find a job.

I feel terrible.

Why?

It can be very expensive to study again.

Here are 5 ways to avoid this loop:
#1. Mindset

The problem with many students is that they only think about work after they graduate.

They live like we are in the 80s.
In the '80s:

- Education wasn't as common
- Employers wooed students with jobs
- Our parents got jobs before leaving school.

E.g. My dad, in his early 20's, got a job before leaving school. The job came with a brand new official car and a driver.
Read 21 tweets
Aug 27, 2022
Do you think your challenges will end once you travel abroad?

You lie!

The journey never ends.

Here's what I have found:

(read more)
It's interesting how many young professionals think all they need is to travel abroad and all their challenges will be resolved.

@SummerOkibe @Oludeewon
I am sorry to inform you that it will most likely be the beginning of your challenges.

Why?
Read 15 tweets
Aug 9, 2022
I have reviewed 100+ resumes of graduates and early career professionals in 2022.

99% of these resumes need massive re-work

Here are 12 common issues I noticed

#Thread
#1. Resume Length

Most CVs with 4-5 pages have less than 3 years of work experience.

#Employers will only scan your resume for less than 10 seconds

Keep it to one page
#2. Formatting

Many of these CVs are poorly formatted.

- Margins are not concise
- Bullet points are out of order
- Inconsistent font size and style
Read 18 tweets
Jul 7, 2022
Dear International Students and Graduates,

I will explain why it seems employers don't want to hire you and what you can do better.

#thread
#1. You are considered high-risk

Hiring is a risky business.

You are worried employers don't want to hire you, but the employers are afraid you might not be able to perform in the role.
Would you blame the employer?

Maybe not.

A bad hire is essentially time and money wasted.
Employers don't like to go back to the drawing board.
Read 25 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(