Prep like a chef for your interviews
Improve your job interviewing skills. Think like a chef.
My husband (then boyfriend) and I owned a restaurant and catering business forever ago. The restaurant was even ranked “Top Hole in the Wall” by Atlanta Magazine. It is the hardest work I’ve ever done. The work is physically rough on the body. The pressure is intense. The hours are wild. Customers are tough because food is such a personal experience. Hiring is a revolving door. And while it’s luxurious to be surrounded by fresh, premium ingredients, I never want to eat a salmon filet ever again.
Food is such a feature in all of our lives, and food phrases surround us in the office.
“That business is on the chopping block.”
“Let me stew on that.”
“He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.”
“We need to spice this up.”
“They are the cream of the crop.”
Because we experience the world through food, I want to share the 5 foundational cooking skills that will make you a better job interviewer. Stick with me.
Sauteeing–saute literally means “to jump,” to use a tossing motion that ensures the food cooks quickly and evenly on all sides. We need to saute in our interviews. If you’re long-winded in your answers, you’ll stay on a topic too long. The interviewer won’t have time to explore your qualifications evenly. You’ll leave yourself undercooked in some areas, and overcooked in others. Think about sauteeing in that interview so there’s time to share a platter of your experiences.
Roasting–roasting cooks food at a high temperature in the oven or over an open flame, usually uncovered. We should expect to roast a little bit in our interviews. Expect to be exposed a little bit when asked uncomfortable questions. How long have you been out of work? Should I be concerned that you’ve moved around a lot? Why do you want to leave your current company? What worries you most about this role? Expect roasting questions. Be prepared to baste in them.
Blanching–when we blanch, we briefly submerge produce in boiling water and then immediately cool it. This method deactivates the enzymes that erode color, flavor, and texture. As you move from interview to interview, think about the concept of blanching. Job hunting can bring exhausting, frustrating, drawn out ups and downs. After every interview (the boiling), you must find ways to deactivate the enzymes, to cool down, to stay fresh and energetic and positive for the process. If you’re just moving from boiling to boiling, it’ll show.
Emulsification–an emulsion is a combination of ingredients that typically don’t mix easily, like oil and vinegar. When combined in an emulsion, they raise the bar. In interviews, show how you emulsify. Tell stories about cross-functional collaboration, influence, decision-making, conflict management, metrics, talent development. Supreme business outcomes are a result of emulsification.
Knife Skills–just like cutting in the kitchen, it takes great skill and precision to shape the right stories and anticipate the Q&A. Consider foundational knife skills for inspiration:
Slice–provide a few examples at a high level to show your breadth (think about sharing slices of different fruits to give the interviewer a taste)
Dice–go into one example providing meatier detail to show your depth (think of sharing a few chunks of crispy apple)
Mince–share the small details that show your deep technical expertise, but be careful. If you aren’t sure that the audience wants all that detail, Mincing could make your experience sound like mush (think applesauce), in the weeds and not strategic
If you’re hungry for that next best move, give your preparation the attention it requires. A coach can help.
