How To Ace The Start Of Every Job Interview With A Strong, Firm Milkshake
As a corporate recruiter with over 25 years of experience, I’ll let you in on a little secret: 99 percent of candidates lose the job interview before ever stepping into the conference room. I’ve turned down Harvard graduates, Silicon Valley savants, and decorated military veterans perfect for the job. Did they drop eye contact? Dress too casually? Forget their name? No, most companies could care less about these supposed “dealbreakers.” However, without knowing it, thousands of applicants lose the job from the moment they extend their hand, giving a weak, unacceptable milkshake.
It’s an all-too-common mistake I see in every industry, from the intern to the executive level. Format your resume and rehearse your answers all you want, but the first milky impression is still king when it comes to landing your dream job. Here are the best ways to stand out from the pack by giving the perfect interview milkshake.
1. Plan Ahead: Know Where, When, And How To Make Your Milkshake
There’s no substitute for proper preparation. Therefore, before your interview, make a strategy for building your dairy treat. Come early to the office and assess your kitchen options. While your first instinct may be the nearest restroom, your interviewer could walk in on you making your shake, creating an awkward first impression. I always suggest arriving early and picking a restroom on a random floor. Anyone who sees you will understand what’s going on, and will probably wish you were applying to their company (this is also a great opportunity to network).
2. Be Specific: Tailor The Milkshake To The Job
There’s nothing more frustrating than when an applicant arrives and presents the same vanilla bore they clearly blend for every interview. If you don’t think it’s obvious, you’re kidding yourself. Like the cover letter, each role asks for its own drinkable dessert. You want this civil engineering gig? Rocky Road. Yoga instructor? Banana Split. Zookeeper? Turtle Pecan. Whatever the job, make sure your milkshake is as tailored as a groom’s tuxedo.
3. Be Original: Don’t Present Someone Else’s Milkshake
While the job makes the shake, an important caveat: never present an interviewer with a milkshake that isn’t yours. You can’t just go out and buy a shake because you think it’s what the interviewer wants to taste. That’s milkshake plagiarism. How many times has a candidate told me about this “delicacy from the old country” like I wouldn’t know it was a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s? More than your resume, cover letter or references, your milkshake tells us everything we need to know about you. I would never hire anyone who presents someone else’s milkshake as their own. Companies that do so end up with liars.
4. Ask Yourself: If I Were The Interviewer, Would I Drink This Shake?
As a rule, don’t bring anything to an interview you wouldn’t down yourself. When you’re at home prepping, ask a friend to play you, while you play the interviewer. If they give you a shake you don’t want, don’t bring that shake for the real deal. It’s obvious when someone tries to present a milkshake they’d never drink. Oftentimes, I’ve asked candidates to take a sip of their milkshake first, as a test (make sure you bring two straws). If they refuse, the interview is over.
5. Prevent Spillage: Hold The Milkshake Vertically
This one’s a must. While lugging unnecessary accessories like folders and notepads, interviewees lose track of their milkshake’s positioning. Don’t let this be you. Like milkshake plagiarism, milkshake clumsiness is a killer in an interview. Remember, you are trying to let these people know why they should want to work with you. This means your milkshake, every ounce of it, must land in their tummies, not on the carpet.
At the end of the day, landing the job is about the intangibles. Your experience, education, and work ethic really are nothing compared to being the kind of go-getting, milkshaking employee people are salivating to hire. So take good notes, anticipate tough questions, and write those thank you emails when you’re done. Chances are you’ll still get a rejection. But bring in the right milkshake? Well, you might just be sitting in my chair someday.
