Ep. 36 – Interview Stories: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly with Jonathan Mackenzie

Today we are joined by Jonathan Mackenzie, Apply Yourself COO, who you’ve heard about before in his introduction in Episode 30! Jonathan is back on the podcast with us to talk about interviews – the good, the bad, and the ugly. From contentious interviewers to workplace drama, we share our own stories about our interview experiences, lessons learned, and skills gained while navigating through various interview processes.

Here are some key takeaways this episode: 

  • As interviewees, we are interviewing the potential employer just as much as they are interviewing us. We have to consider specific factors during the interview preparation and process itself, such as the tone of the interview, the workplace culture, the rate of turnover, and so much more. 
  • It’s so crucial to set boundaries for yourself in the workplace, no matter your position, because your time and efforts are important and they matter. 
  • As employers, we need to show up to interviews as representing the company, organization, or firm just as well as you want the interviewee to represent themselves during the interview. 
  • Throughout the interview process and beyond, you have to build the skills to be able to showcase and stay true to yourself, the value that you bring, and the significance of your experiences. 
  • Everything happens for a reason. The bad interview experiences offer lessons learned and make way for more opportunities later down the line, so keep calm and persevere. You will find the right workplace for you, with colleagues who will support you and who you can support, too. 

If you want to share your own interview experiences, or ask any questions about applications and advancement, and connect with us at Apply Yourself: The Advancement Spot, you can email me personally at hello@applyyourselfglobal.com. You can DM Jonathan directly at jonathan@applyyourselfglobal.com. You can also DM us on Instagram @applyyourselfglobal –  We’re always here to support you in any interview process!    

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Resources and links mentioned in this episode: 

Episode 27: HR Recruitment With Olessia Lapina

Episode 30: Apply Yourself Is Growing! Meet Jonathan, Our New COO!