“When I review the LinkedIn of an interviewer, I get intimidated. They have such impressive backgrounds!”
One of my clients had an interview coming up, but was reluctant to view the person’s LinkedIn profile and learn more about them.
They didn’t want to feel intimidated by the interviewer’s background.
They didn’t want that person to see that they had viewed their profile.
We talked through the concerns, and I explained that it’s kind of expected that a candidate would look at your LinkedIn profile before meeting you. So, there’s no need to feel weird about that!
As far as feeling intimidated, again, there’s no need to feel that way. Really!
First, you should hope that your future coworkers have strong backgrounds. Otherwise, why would you want to work there? That’s a great sign you will be joining people you can learn something from.
Second, everyone writes their resumes and crafts their LinkedIn profiles to look their best. So, it should sound impressive! They are putting their best face forward. Note: You can do the same.
Finally, I guess I see it differently. I love meeting people who have impressive backgrounds. I’m happy for them and will honestly let them know I’m impressed by it. By the way, I’m not kissing up when I do this. What would be the point? I have no reason to do that (e.g., I’m not looking for a job). I have no ulterior motive. I see it as a kind thing to say when you genuinely mean it.
You should use every means possible to research your interview team. Leave no stone unturned.
Learn as much as you can about:
Their educational background.
Where they’ve worked, job titles, and tenure.
Who they’ve worked with before.
What they call out as notable achievements and activities.
What people say about them (e.g., check those recommendations).
What they say about others (e.g., recommendations they’ve written).
What they post on social media.
Any material from interviews, papers, panels, published research, etc.
Knowledge is power. The more you know about someone, the more you’ll understand what they care about and how to connect with them. It will help you tailor your interview answers and the questions you ask later.
Also, becoming more informed about these people will reduce your stress and anxiety when you finally meet them. They will look like a familiar face. If you've found videos or audio, you’ll even be familiar with how they speak and move as they talk.
Interviews are already stressful enough. Reducing unknowns helps reduce that anxiety!
Stack the deck in your favor. Research your interview team as much as possible.
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you become a more "Invincible You" so you can live your life on your terms instead of being controlled by someone else's rules. I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.