Here’s a fun little experiment to try: go search on Google for tips on how to land a great job, or things to remember to be successful when searching and interviewing for a job. You’ll quickly find that there are plenty of articles written about this topic, but they’re all pretty much the same with their suggestions: dress well, rehearse your answers to the common interview questions, and, my personal favorite, make sure you ask these questions. 

And we wonder why turnover rates are so high in this country.

Total workplace turnover in the United States has been steadily growing year-over-year, and in 2019, that number ended up being 19.3%, meaning nearly one in five workers left their job during those 12 months. Since 2014, that statistic has ballooned by over 20%. So now we have to take a step back and ask, what is causing this? 

There are obviously a variety of factors that come into play with turnover. Sometimes, it’s the company culture and the you would rather find somewhere else to work. Sometimes, it’s just not a good fit, and your new employer simply has to let you go. Most often, though, it’s a combination of factors, and a major contributing factor starts with the first stage of the game: the interview process.

Land The Job You’ll Love by Remembering These Tips During The Interview Process

• Remember: You Have Just As Much Power As The Interviewer. This is a fact that many job seekers often forget about. Yes, the company is interviewing you to see if you’d be a good fit for the position, but you’re also, essentially, interviewing them to see if they’d be a good fit for you. It’s human nature to hate rejection, so when you have a potential employer actually wanting you to work for them, it’s easy to get caught up in the emotions that go along with being wanted. But don’t forget that there are two sides to this coin, and in order for you to be happy in life, you’re going to need to enjoy this job. Make sure the company is a good fit for you—that’s way more important than just selling yourself as a great candidate.
• Be Yourself—Unapologetically. Going back to that aforementioned Google search, there’s a lot of suggestions that no only tell you how you should dress, but how you should act during the interview, especially in the manner that you answer questions. Now I don’t know about you, but putting on a mask and being a different version of myself during the interview process seems like the first step down a miserable hallway in the future. Be yourself! Show them who you really are, because if you don’t, there’s two ways that this is going to end up if you eventually do end up with the job: 1.) you’ll have to put on that “other version” of you each and every day, or 2.) your authentic side will come out, and could make the employer question hiring you. The best strategy in life, whether professionally or personally, is to be honest. 
• Make the Decision for YOU. Many job searchers feel pressure from external sources during the whole process. Whether it’s your parents pressuring you to fulfill their vision of you, or society in general having these “expectations” for you, chances are you’re going to feel the need to not let them down. However, you should never sacrifice your own happiness to fulfil the expectations of others. Because at the end of the day, the only person whose happiness matters is yours, and where you work plays a significant factor of that happiness. 
• Ask Insiders About The Company. One great thing about all of the technology at our disposal is that we’re more connected than ever. If you’re interviewing for a position, I can almost guarantee that you are somehow connected with a current employee there—whether it be directly, or a friend of a friend. Somehow, some way, you can get access to talk to that person, so do it! Ask them to be honest and give you feedback on what type of place it is to work, what the culture’s like, and anything else that is going to be an important part of your happiness when working there.

Never forget that maintaining happiness within your job is a two way street: not only do you have to enjoy what you’re doing, but you also have to enjoy where you’re doing it. When it comes to a company’s culture, chances are there isn’t going to be much change from when you start, so make sure you fully vet the organization before deciding to work there. 

And if you do accept the job and realize that, internally, the company is a mess, don’t be afraid to admit you made a mistake. Typically organizations have probationary periods for new hires to make sure he/she is a good fit for the company. That’s also your opportunity to gauge whether the company is a good fit for you.