Be Bold, Be Bright, Be Brilliant: How to Interview like an Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur pitches her big idea to a group of investors. In a matter of only ten minutes, she raises enough capital to kick-start her tech firm, and she does this from a group of strangers. So as you go into an interview, take some tips from an entrepreneur to pitch yourself to get hired. Here's how to interview like an entrepreneur.

1. You are pitching You. What can your vision do to benefit the firm where you are interviewing? Think about what you bring to the table and what your skills and know-how can do to fit in and improve the organization?
2. Tell a Story. A good investment pitch will do what a good interview will; it tells a story. This will include your past performance with your successes highlighted. From each experience, include what skills you gleaned from it and relate those skills to the organization where you are interviewing. Case in Point: Your marketing degree prepared you to balance social media marketing with traditional marketing in a way that can most cost-effectively advance your employer-to-be. Your job as marketing intern at XYZ, Inc. taught you to work as a team. You headed up the company’s big website launch, which attracts over 1,000 hits a month, which converts to a 20% increase in new clients. These skills can help the company because you demonstrate leadership, as well as the ability to work in a team. You can run on a tight budget because you can maximize marketing for results. You noticed that your interviewer’s website could use some improvements, and you have the capability to do so.
3. What Makes you Different. An entrepreneur will discuss her competition in her pitch. She will tell her investors why her model will win out and why they should back her in the race. Although you shouldn’t bash the other job candidates, you can discuss what makes you uniquely qualified for the position. Key memorable facts will make you stand out.
4. Be Prepared to Discuss “Funding.” When pitching, an entrepreneur will clearly lay out her funding needs. At the interview stage, your interviewer may ask you what salary you are anticipating. If so, be prepared to discuss a salary you would be comfortable with and emphasize why you are worth that compensation level.

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