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5 reasons why you should always take the interview (even if you’re not looking for a job)

Written by Nuskha Semaun on 22 August 2022 for Graduates

Maybe you’re comfortable where you are and you don’t want to be looking over the proverbial fence. Maybe you’re afraid of change, of stepping out of your comfort zone (even though we all know that’s where the magic happens). Maybe you’re afraid of jumping from the frying pan into the fire and ending up being worse off. Maybe you don’t really believe in your abilities, and you feel interviewing would be a waste of everybody’s time. Maybe you’re not all that excited about the job you’re invited to interview for.

All of these might be reasons not to take an interview. But we’re here to tell you: even if you’re not looking for a new job, it’s always a good idea to go on interviews, and here are 5 reasons why

#1 It’s always a good idea to practice your skills

Some people just have a natural charisma, they ooze self-confidence, they walk into a room and own it. Luckily, we’re not all like that. Think of taking an interview you’re not all that excited about as an opportunity to practice your skills and to better prepare yourself for when your dream job comes along.

Maybe you’ll be met with interview questions you weren’t expecting and you end up with your foot in your mouth. Next time this won’t happen to you – you’ll know what to say if the question comes up again! Interviewing, like piano-playing, is a skill that you sharpen by practicing and learning from your mistakes.

 

 

The more interview styles and questions you’re exposed to, the more prepared you’ll be when you finally land that awesome meeting with your dream company. And then when they call to offer you the job, you’ll be glad you got so good at interviewing thanks to all the practise you had.

#2 You might feel a spark you weren’t expecting

You can’t judge a position by a job description. Maybe you’ll go to in an interview thinking: this is going to be boring, it’s not going to be for me, and you might end up in a supercool environment with great people, an atmosphere where you feel right at home, and a more exciting job content than you were expecting. If you had turned down the interview, you would have never found this hidden gem!

Take our consultant Tom for example. At first, he thought he wanted to work for a large consultancy firm, a big name in the industry. Exellys had only just set foot on Dutch ground, we weren’t a well-known name there at all. But he took the interview, loved our start-uppy vibe, and hasn’t regretted for a single day that he decided to join us!

Of course, not all of them are going to be gems. And while you’re dragging yourself to these interviews you’re not excited about, you’ll think you’d rather be sitting outside having a drink, or watching tv, or doing literally just about anything else. But if you treat these hours as a learning opportunity – and you’ll always learn something! – then it’s never going to be a waste of time. Who knows, you might even walk out of there with a dream job you weren’t expecting.

#3 It’s a good way to expand your network

Interviewing is a good way to make connections. Even if you don’t get the job, or you decide not to take it, if you’ve blown away a hiring manager or made connection at an interesting company, you might reap the benefits later on. You never know when they might have a role that’s better suited to your interests and ambitions, or when they move to a different company that you’re keen to be working for. They might even introduce you to someone else in their network.

 

 

Interviewing is also a good way to get inside information. You find out what other employers are paying, which skills they are particularly interested in, and you can use that information to your advantage. To negotiate a pay raise with your current employer, or to take a class in order to acquire the skills that will make you stand out in today’s job market.

#4 Being invited is never a mistake

Maybe you don’t want to attend a job interview because you don’t think you’re qualified and you’ll end up wasting everybody’s time. But recruiters are trained professionals. If they’ve invited you to come speak with them, it’s never a mistake.

Keep in mind that your combination of experience, talents and skills is unique and more important than the requirements on a checklist. Maybe you have no experience with a certain tool, but you’ve demonstrated to be a fast learner. Maybe you don’t have the requested 5 years’ experience, but you’ve excelled in your role for two years and that’s enough.

Humility is a virtue, but don’t overdo it. Don’t take yourself out of the running. Go in and have a talk, even if you don’t get the job, you’ll always learn something.

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#5 Keep in mind that things can change

Maybe you love where you are right now. The boss is great, your colleagues are fun, you might be performing well and getting positive feedback and lots of appreciation. But keep in mind that things can change. Maybe your boss leaves and you end up with a manager that you don’t connect with. Maybe your favourite co-worker gets laid off and you no longer have fun at work. Maybe the company needs to downsize and you need to go.

It’s always a good idea to keep your options open and keep your interviewing skills on point. You never know when you’re going to need it, and you never know when you might come across an opportunity you can’t pass up.

About Exellys

Exellys is a Tech Talent Incubator. We match ambitious companies with the finest tech talent. Are you ready to drive the innovations of tomorrow? Ready to make an impact and become a future-fit digital leader?

Whether you are a graduate or (young) professional, Exellys will unlock your full potential by guiding you to a challenging work environment that perfectly matches your personality, expectations and ambitions.

On top of that, you are enrolled in one of our very own training and coaching programs (based on your personal and professional ambition and experience). This means that, while working as an Exellys consultant, we are helping you to bridge your ambition to excellence.

Through intensive training and coaching, you’ll gain the essential skills, competencies and knowledge necessary to become the highly effective professional you aim to be. Become an Exellyst and get in touch with us today!