It’s a tough job market out there, and even if you get an interview for a great job, the competition can be steep. Requirements will change from one job to another, but there are certain characteristics that can set applicants apart – and one key mistake they’d be wise to avoid.
Annabella Tamburro, Vice President of Human and Corporate Capital at Canso Investment Counsel Ltd., shares her advice for anyone looking to land that dream interview – and stay ahead of the pack once you secure the job.
Make sure you’re a good fit for the company
“You can work anywhere, but you’re not going to love working everywhere, and your personal style may or may not fit with the company culture or the company vibe,” says Tamburro. It’s a question candidates themselves should be thinking about. In fact, they can ask about company culture and expectations at the job interview, to make sure that even if they’re offered the job, it’s the right fit.
Show your entrepreneurial spirit
A common thread among the Canso group of companies, for instance, is an entrepreneurial mindset. For Tamburro, that means “a person who acts like an owner and takes accountability. It’s someone who doesn’t just work within the box drawn by a specific job description but is curious about what their company does, what the other companies do, how they’re connected, what’s going on out there.” It also means bringing ideas to help the company grow. “We look for people who aren’t just looking for a raise or a better title; we want people who are putting in the work and coming up with ideas because they truly want to see the company be successful and think they can help.” Candidates can show initiative even during the job interview by bringing questions and ideas about what the company does, or any suggestions about the business they think may be helpful.
Be adaptable
A willingness to be flexible, try new things and jump in where needed will come through during the interview process – and create opportunities for new hires. “I came from bigger companies, but I always had that growth mindset; I found it frustrating when a role was limited in its definition,” Tamburro says. “But it’s not about where you’ve been, but it’s about who you are. Of course, there’s technical capability and skills that are required, but it’s innate in someone’s character to have an entrepreneurial mindset – and that’s hard to teach.” Character, personality and attitude can shine through even in a first meeting, so be open-minded and put your best foot forward right from the start.
Take risks
For many young graduates and new job seekers who came up during Covid, working from home and remaining behind a computer became the norm. But spending time with colleagues, looking for mentorship opportunities, and getting out of your comfort zone can be beneficial to your long-term career development – and increase your chances of getting hired. “The new generations coming on board have great potential to be bigger thinkers if they’re courageous enough,” she says. “I see younger students and employees who are afraid to make mistakes or to take risks, and sometimes you have to just try and fail to learn and grow.” Sharing past mistakes and what you learned from them can be a dreaded interview question, but it’s also an opportunity to show humility and a willingness to take reasonable chances.
Do your homework
The one mistake Tamburro encourages applicants to avoid, however, is failing to do their research on the company they’re interviewing with. “It’s such an easy thing to do: Look up the company, the people that are there, what are they doing. Understand the business, be curious about what you’re reading and ask questions related to the company.” That could include posts the company has made on social media, or anything you can find written by or about them that can give you a sense of their culture and what they’re doing. “In the end, it’s you and your capability, skills and fit that will get you the job,” she says. “But researching the company is such an easy step to help get you to the next stage of interviews, and if you don’t do it, that’s just such a missed opportunity.”
