April 30, 2025 • 8 mins
Greg Giangrande joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about the best ways to prepare for job interviews.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now it's time for Greg G and Grande career
advice expert. You can check them out and ask questions
when you go to Greg dot com. That again, the
website is go to Greg dot com. A lot of
people go there with their career advice questions, with their
HR questions, including a question we have here Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Greg?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I'm ready, Larry.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm terrible when it comes to job interviews, this person writes.
I never know how to answer the questions. I ramble
and I lose my train of thought, and when they
ask me if I have any questions, I don't. Please
help me, Greg.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, it's so surprising because most people ate their job interviews.
They don't get nervous, they're articulate, they're right off points,
and they walk away to the un they crushed it.
So this is really surprising.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I feel like you're being facetious a little maybe a
little bit, maybe a little bit, So take hard.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
It is for most people a very nerve wracking experience.
And unfortunately, there is so much information out there about
how to prepare for job interviews. It's overwhelming and it's
often conflicting advice. So here is the best advice. I
(01:22):
can give for everyone on job in the US is
to remember that you don't rehearse answers to a hundred
different questions or a thousand different questions. There are essentially
only four topic areas that an employer is interested in.
What do you know about that industry, What do you
(01:44):
know about that company, What do you know about that
job you're applying for as too, and you know why
you're interested in it? And then what is it about
you that makes you special? Those are the four topic
areas for every job in it So it doesn't matter
what question they ask you, it fits into one of
(02:04):
those four categories. So as long as you're prepared to
answer what you know about any of those four categories,
you are prepared for any interview. Keep your answers succinct.
If you're talking for more than two minutes before pausing,
you're talking too long and you're not reciting what's on
your resume. They've already read it. Now I want the
(02:26):
story behind the story. Think of it as speed dating.
In the first five minutes, they're making a decision about
whether or not they want to invite you back for
a second interview or offer you the job. Within the
first five minutes.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What is the biggest mistake You went through talking too long?
But is there one thing that everybody does when they
blow interviews? Is there one big mistake.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I wouldn't say that there's one big mistake. There are
several common mistakes. One is reciting what on the resume
and not engaging in a conversation. They've already read their resume.
The second common mistake is to not come across as
(03:12):
someone that they would like to work with every day. Remember,
this person that you're interviewing with or your prospective new
boss is going to be spending more time with you
than probably their loved ones. Everything. They want to know
that this is someone that they're actually going to get
enjoyment like working with that they're going to make them
(03:34):
look good, make the team look good. And so that's
what needs to come across that you are the type
of person that people want on their team who's going
to add value and be good to work with every day.
Those but people forget that and they think it's like
a test and every question they get they wreck their
brain what's the right answer, and they lose their personality
(03:57):
and they become more like an autonomic time.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, that's fascinating and it makes so much sense, but
it is also intimidating. Does that mean I have to
make the person that's interviewing me like me beyond of
just being qualified for the job.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Everyone who's on the interview is presumed to be qualified
for the job. That's why you got brought in for
the interview, because your resume or the reference that somebody
referred for you suggests that you do the job. Now
is how do you do the job? What is it
going to be like to work with you while you're
(04:39):
getting the job done? And that's really what the interview
is all about, and that's why you have to be
able to explain to someone not just what's on your resume,
but how you went about working with others accomplishing those tasks,
how you dealt with difficult situations and challenges, so that
they can get a sense of the person that they're
working with, not the piece of paper and the bullet
(05:01):
points that are on it.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Let's get to the second question here. I was offered
a job, which I accepted and resigned from my current position.
Now my new employer has rescinded the job offer, saying
they are on a hiring freeze. My current employer won't
allow me to stay?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
What are my rights?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Uh? That is an excruciatingly difficult situation, And it happens.
It happens. It's a terrible situation. You know that you
just never know what is going on at the company
you're you're interviewing with, and there may be a change
(05:46):
in leadership, there may be a financial disclosure. It happens.
You don't really you don't have a right to stay
in your job if you've resigned in your your current
employer has accepted your resignation, and you can't force someone
to put you on the payroll into a job if
(06:07):
they can't afford it. The most you can do is
plead with that new employer to at least give you
some period of time. You can get a lawyer to
see if there's a verbal contract where they might be
committed to paying you for a period of time. But
that's about the best you're going to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, it's a horrible situation.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And explain to me unemployment compensation at that point, because
you weren't let go, or you weren't fired, you resigned
and then you went to find another job and you
couldn't find it. You don't qualify, right.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Actually, there are so many exceptions for being awarded unemployment,
and this would be one of them. This would be
a likely scenario that the Unemployment Division would say, and
you can challenge it if they deny you. But this
is one of those situations where you're very likely to
be awarded.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Unemployment, I imagine.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And you tell me if I'm wrong that You've conducted
a lot of job interviews.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I've been at it a long time, Larry, okay, tens
of thousands.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Can you share with us a couple of the worst
and why they were so bad? Maybe just one?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Well, I've had people cry because they went into the
interview having just been told that their partner was breaking
up with them. I've had people proposition me, oh wow.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's a good interview. Did they get the job? They
did not know?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
That's a bad one. And I've had people I've had
people who who are so nervous that they start cursing
at themselves for how badly they are.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
We can end with that one, and that's the top
for that's the best. Greg gian Grande, thank you so much.
Career advice expert. Check them out at codegreg dot com.
And now it's time for Greg G and Grande career
advice expert. You can check them out and ask questions
when you go to Greg dot com. That again, the
website is go to Greg dot com. A lot of
people go there with their career advice questions, with their
HR questions, including a question we have here Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Greg?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I'm ready, Larry.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm terrible when it comes to job interviews, this person writes.
I never know how to answer the questions. I ramble
and I lose my train of thought, and when they
ask me if I have any questions, I don't. Please
help me, Greg.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, it's so surprising because most people ate their job interviews.
They don't get nervous, they're articulate, they're right off points,
and they walk away to the un they crushed it.
So this is really surprising.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I feel like you're being facetious a little maybe a
little bit, maybe a little bit, So take hard.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
It is for most people a very nerve wracking experience.
And unfortunately, there is so much information out there about
how to prepare for job interviews. It's overwhelming and it's
often conflicting advice. So here is the best advice. I
(01:22):
can give for everyone on job in the US is
to remember that you don't rehearse answers to a hundred
different questions or a thousand different questions. There are essentially
only four topic areas that an employer is interested in.
What do you know about that industry, What do you
(01:44):
know about that company, What do you know about that
job you're applying for as too, and you know why
you're interested in it? And then what is it about
you that makes you special? Those are the four topic
areas for every job in it So it doesn't matter
what question they ask you, it fits into one of
(02:04):
those four categories. So as long as you're prepared to
answer what you know about any of those four categories,
you are prepared for any interview. Keep your answers succinct.
If you're talking for more than two minutes before pausing,
you're talking too long and you're not reciting what's on
your resume. They've already read it. Now I want the
(02:26):
story behind the story. Think of it as speed dating.
In the first five minutes, they're making a decision about
whether or not they want to invite you back for
a second interview or offer you the job. Within the
first five minutes.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What is the biggest mistake You went through talking too long?
But is there one thing that everybody does when they
blow interviews? Is there one big mistake.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I wouldn't say that there's one big mistake. There are
several common mistakes. One is reciting what on the resume
and not engaging in a conversation. They've already read their resume.
The second common mistake is to not come across as
(03:12):
someone that they would like to work with every day. Remember,
this person that you're interviewing with or your prospective new
boss is going to be spending more time with you
than probably their loved ones. Everything. They want to know
that this is someone that they're actually going to get
enjoyment like working with that they're going to make them
(03:34):
look good, make the team look good. And so that's
what needs to come across that you are the type
of person that people want on their team who's going
to add value and be good to work with every day.
Those but people forget that and they think it's like
a test and every question they get they wreck their
brain what's the right answer, and they lose their personality
(03:57):
and they become more like an autonomic time.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, that's fascinating and it makes so much sense, but
it is also intimidating. Does that mean I have to
make the person that's interviewing me like me beyond of
just being qualified for the job.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Everyone who's on the interview is presumed to be qualified
for the job. That's why you got brought in for
the interview, because your resume or the reference that somebody
referred for you suggests that you do the job. Now
is how do you do the job? What is it
going to be like to work with you while you're
(04:39):
getting the job done? And that's really what the interview
is all about, and that's why you have to be
able to explain to someone not just what's on your resume,
but how you went about working with others accomplishing those tasks,
how you dealt with difficult situations and challenges, so that
they can get a sense of the person that they're
working with, not the piece of paper and the bullet
(05:01):
points that are on it.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Let's get to the second question here. I was offered
a job, which I accepted and resigned from my current position.
Now my new employer has rescinded the job offer, saying
they are on a hiring freeze. My current employer won't
allow me to stay?
Speaker 2 (05:22):
What are my rights?
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Uh? That is an excruciatingly difficult situation, And it happens.
It happens. It's a terrible situation. You know that you
just never know what is going on at the company
you're you're interviewing with, and there may be a change
(05:46):
in leadership, there may be a financial disclosure. It happens.
You don't really you don't have a right to stay
in your job if you've resigned in your your current
employer has accepted your resignation, and you can't force someone
to put you on the payroll into a job if
(06:07):
they can't afford it. The most you can do is
plead with that new employer to at least give you
some period of time. You can get a lawyer to
see if there's a verbal contract where they might be
committed to paying you for a period of time. But
that's about the best you're going to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, it's a horrible situation.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
And explain to me unemployment compensation at that point, because
you weren't let go, or you weren't fired, you resigned
and then you went to find another job and you
couldn't find it. You don't qualify, right.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Actually, there are so many exceptions for being awarded unemployment,
and this would be one of them. This would be
a likely scenario that the Unemployment Division would say, and
you can challenge it if they deny you. But this
is one of those situations where you're very likely to
be awarded.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Unemployment, I imagine.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And you tell me if I'm wrong that You've conducted
a lot of job interviews.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I've been at it a long time, Larry, okay, tens
of thousands.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Can you share with us a couple of the worst
and why they were so bad? Maybe just one?
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Well, I've had people cry because they went into the
interview having just been told that their partner was breaking
up with them. I've had people proposition me, oh wow.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's a good interview. Did they get the job? They
did not know?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
That's a bad one. And I've had people I've had
people who who are so nervous that they start cursing
at themselves for how badly they are.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
We can end with that one, and that's the top
for that's the best. Greg gian Grande, thank you so much.
Career advice expert. Check them out at codegreg dot com.
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