“The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.”

I love using quotes to help make a point and I frequently share this one, which is attributed to the U.S. Navy SEALs, when preparing my clients for interviews.  It’s also one I wish someone had shared with me before my first on-campus interview as a graduate student at Michigan State University.

Dressed in my brand new business suit and feeling upbeat, I confidently greeted the corporate recruiter and took my seat.  After a few moments exchanging pleasantries, I was soon over my head and being battered about like a sailor on the doomed ship S.S. Central America!

What happened?  Very simply, I overlooked a critical and universal ingredient for success in virtually all endeavors – adequate preparation.  While I had thoroughly researched the company, I had not anticipated and prepared how to respond to some basic interviewing questions.  As a result, I was simply unable to offer thoughtful, concise and impactful responses.  I guess I thought a combination of spontaneity and charm would be enough to ace the interview.  I was badly mistaken.

After I blew the interview, I drafted a long list of possible questions and spent countless hours developing and practicing my answers.  Throughout my career, I have used this same approach and studied for every interview with the same focus and diligence as if it were a final exam.

Thank goodness I was only a college kid interviewing for a job and not a Navy SEAL in battle.

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