I was helping a friend prepare for a job interview the other day and I was having trouble explaining how to bleed confidence without seeming cocky. It’s a skill that many people don’t have and it really makes you stand out if you can do it well. Needless to say it evolved into a discussion on what we felt were the most important aspects to convey during an interview, which I will now share.

There are many subtle tips and tricks that I’ll save for a post on how I approach an interview but I thought I’d give my “Three E’s to a successful interview.” There are three very important aspects that every employer is looking for during the application and interview process – Education, Experience, and Enthusiasm.

Keep in mind that by the time you land an interview, the employer is likely convinced that your Education and Experience are adequate to perform the duties of the job you’re applying for. What’s going to make you stand out is how you demonstrate your experience and education (as well as enthusiasm) in the interview.

Education:

For an entry level position in most industries, education is probably the least important of the three aspects. Of course, there is a certain threshold you need to meet – ie. Do you have a university degree, decent GPA, etc. but after that it really doesn’t matter if you scored an 80 in that course, or a 98 as so many more factors come into play.

Keep this in mind when entering an interview – when using examples or answers from your University days forget about boasting your GPA and instead focus on conveying how you learn new things and your ability to acquire them.

I do this in every interview. I focus on conveying my efficiency of learning new information and my “process” for studying, learning, etc. both formal learning and learning done outside of the classroom. This is extremely helpful if you’re applying for a position in a non-familiar industry, for example if you’re applying for a sales position or project manager in an industry that you haven’t studied or don’t have experience with. It can convince the interviewer that even though you don’t have a high knowledge of the specific industry, learning the new information involved won’t be a problem for you.

Experience:

It doesn’t take long after University that you start weighing your experience higher than your formal education. It is that moment when you realize that wearing your University ring doesn’t have the same pull as it used to (Seriously X-ers, there is a time for this, and flaunting your X-ring at 53 after 30 years of teaching isn’t impressing anyone, sorry. )

This category is very broad and includes more than just “work experience”, but there are a couple things I like to bring up. One quick thing to mention is that no matter what situation you talk about, make sure they know what it has done for you. Explain in detail how it has benefited you, and specifically how it has made you better at doing what you do.

Firstly, anything risky should be noted. If for no other reason than to impress. Have you taken an unpaid internship to further knowledge? Taken a 100% commission-based job because you believed in yourself? Got certified in sky-diving? Piloting? Scuba-diving? It’s really these activities that define you. Also, anything leadership-based. Have you started your own business? Organized a sports team/league? Captained your varsity team? Make sure you get into the details.

Enthusiasm:

This is definitely what will sway the decision, and rightfully so. You can’t really fake enthusiasm and motivation. It’s the reason why it can be so difficult to replace the founder-CEO of a startup: you can’t delegate motivation.

If you’re enthused, it will show. So my advice here is before your interview go get yourself excited about the position. Perhaps the pay is way over what you expected, the opportunity for advancement is excellent, it offers the ability to travel, or it’s in an industry that you love. Whatever your reason for getting excited just do it.

It’s also important here to learn about the company you’re applying to – what is there community involvement like, what does their organizational structure look like, etc. This will help show your enthusiasm.

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After participating in Dalhousie School of Business’ Tap the Talent this past September – during which I completed mini-interviews with 10 companies – I’ve taken more of an interest in how I actually interview. I may post some of my detailed notes on some of the tips and tricks I found were very successful some time down the road.