Interviewing is often an exercise that is fraught. You thread the needle between selling yourself and your achievements, but you are also humble and self-aware. Say too much and it’s unlike you. Say too little and if you have the skills, people ask. Remember that the interviewer hasn’t done your job in your company and they can’t read your mind. So instead of just listing everything you did at your last job, talk about the value your work added to the team, product or company.
And be genuine. While the interview’s pressure can make it difficult to be yourself, try to shake off your nerves. The connection you establish with your interviewer can have a great impact. So, would you like to nail your next interview? Read on for five of the most common errors I saw when interviewing hundreds of Facebook candidates.
Unprepared:
During an interview for a role in the Facebook Marketplace team:
Interviewer: What do you think about the experience of the marketplace?
Candidate: I never used it. I’d understand if the product was a business service, but it’s a consumer product. It takes a short amount of time and money to buy or sell something on Marketplace.
The lesson: By not bothering to familiarize yourself with the product or the space, the interviewer remains wondering whether you even want the job, since you didn’t put the time to test the experience.
Appearing Apathetic:
Interviewer: What makes you want to work on Facebook during an interview on Facebook for a role in product management?
Candidate: I was reached by a recruiter, so I thought I would come in.
The interviewer has invested his energy and passion in his company and wants to hire someone with the same commitment and excitement. It’s an instant turn off to hear you say you don’t really have a particular interest in your company.
The lesson: If you’re not sure about your interest, say you’re excited about learning more than giving a half-hearted answer.
Focusing on the interviewer of wrong things:
What do you want in your next role?
Candidate: Increase my scope and manage a larger set of products.
Scope and impact go together. You can grow your influence by proving yourself. Interviewers want to work with someone who is humble and willing to learn, not someone who sees the job as a step towards something else.
The lesson: Explain how you want to promote the company and the team, not yourself. Show yourself as a team player by explaining how you have managed projects successfully to the end.
Inspired Trait 