• Selma Mouloudj faced layoffs at Meta and a sales startup before landing a job at Salesforce.
• She navigated the competitive market in between by attending networking events and using LinkedIn.
• Mouloudj's six strategies for standing out in Big Tech also include negotiating every offer.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Selma Mouloudj, an account executive at Salesforce in Dublin. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I received a project management job offer from Meta in 2021 while I was living in London. I relocated to Dublin to accept the position in February 2022.

In 2023, I was affected by the global layoffs and lost my job. I had to start over. Even after just a short time at Meta, I had difficulty imagining working elsewhere.

I knew I needed to find work

After trying to run my own e-learning business for six months, I realized the corporate world was more for me, so I started my job search again.

This led me to a sales startup in Ireland, but again, I was affected by another layoff. I was in that same position, uncertain about what to do next.

I remember thinking, If I'm going to be laid off again, it should at least be at a Big Tech company because then I'll be offered a package.

Through these layoffs, I realized how difficult the job market was and how competitive things can become when budget cuts occur. Everyone is competing for the same roles, which means you really need to find ways to stand out.

I landed at Salesforce after interviewing around Big Tech

I interviewed at Google, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest before ultimately landing my current job at Salesforce.

The layoffs taught me a lot, but landing jobs at Meta and Salesforce and interviewing at some of the biggest tech companies in the world also gave me valuable insight.

If you want to stand out in Big Tech I recommend these six things.

1. Quantify your résumé

One of the biggest ways to make your résumé stand out in Big Tech is by using quantifiable metrics.

Instead of simply listing responsibilities, highlight your impact with data: "I drove growth by 40% in this region" or "I worked on the French market and achieved 115% of my quota."

Always quantify and measure your success, and then showcase it. Big Tech companies prioritize numbers and data. If your résumé lacks measurable results, they'll move on to the next candidate.

2. Attend networking events

One of the most important lessons I learned when job hunting in Big Tech was how valuable networking is.

Most of the interviews I've landed have come from networking events, including my job at Salesforce. When I interviewed at Google, I got the interview because of a friend I made at a networking event, and when I interviewed at Pinterest, that was a networking connection, too.

Networking events give you direct access to hiring managers, who might connect you with recruiters. Sometimes this connection can even help you bypass the initial screening call, moving you straight to the interview and technical test.

If you get it, you get it. If you don't, you try again. If you can make a good impression, the hiring teams may contact you later and say, "We have a position open, and we think you would be a good fit."

3. Build relationships online

You can also network online but that still means building relationships with the person you would like to have a job with, not just DMing them once. Don't head over to LinkedIn, slip into someone's DMS, and say, "Do you have opportunities? Can I work with you?"

Instead, engage with leaders you want to work with, comment on their posts, and try to engage in conversations before asking for help.

When you're in a position where you can ask someone for help, and you find a job you're interested in, send the job ID and politely ask if they'd be willing to refer you. Big Tech companies offer employees a bonus for successful referrals — so if I refer you and you get hired, I get a bonus.

4. Never stop interviewing

When you're job seeking, never stop interviewing — even if you feel confident about an offer.

Before joining Salesforce, I received two job offers — one from Salesforce and another. I ultimately chose the best offer.

There were also times when I made it to the final round of an interview, only for the company to enter a hiring freeze. Or once, a company came back and said they accidentally miscounted their head count and really couldn't afford to hire after all.

When things like this happen, it's helpful to have a Plan B or to have your name out there with more than one company.

5. Follow up, but not desperately

When I was younger, I didn't have the emotional intelligence I needed. When I got rejected from a job I wanted, I would email the hiring manager and say, "Oh, my God. I really wanted this job."

I've since learned not to make yourself desperate. Instead, after interviewing for a job, I simply send a thank-you note.

If I wasn't told when I would hear back, I would wait roughly five business days before sending a short follow-up email about our conversation.

6. Negotiate, and always know your worth

Job interviews are great for getting your foot in the door, but once you've proven yourself and they make you an offer, negotiate.

If I had known better at 25, I would've negotiated more. Negotiation isn't just about salary — you can also discuss perks like remote work options, education plans, or certifications to help advance your career. Some tech employees pursue MBAs or certifications while working, and it's always worth asking about these opportunities.

Another area to consider is volunteer work. At Salesforce, employees receive volunteer paid time off — seven days of paid leave to support a cause or charity.

My advice to anyone interviewing in Big Tech is this: If you get an offer, push back. Say, "This is what I want." Even a 10% salary increase is a win. Never settle for the first offer— instead, always know your worth, and don't be afraid to ask for it.

• Akshay Phadké has gone through countless interview rounds as a candidate and faced numerous rejections.
• Reflecting on his experiences, he shares the 3 interview strategies he wishes he'd known earlier.
• He recommends showcasing personality, demonstrating clear communication, and evaluating company fit.

Akshay Phadké has had what many would consider a successful career in tech. He turned an internship at Ericsson into a full-time software engineering job in 2016, landed a role at Microsoft in 2019, and transitioned into the startup world as a senior software engineer in 2021.

But the 32-year-old told Business Insider that he's also had his fair share of failures. He's gone through countless interview rounds at dozens of companies, and while some of those led to job offers, such as at 23&Me and Wayfair, others ended in disappointment.

In 2019, before he landed his role at Microsoft, Phadké was rejected by Meta, Amazon, Dropbox, and Yelp after multiple rounds of on-site interviews.

He can't say for sure why he was rejected after making it so deep into the process, as companies generally don't share feedback and at most will offer informal high-level notes, he said. But based on his experience of his performances in each process and informal feedback he received, he has some thoughts on why he may not have made the cut.

Learning from his rejections

With Meta, Phadké feels he did well in the technical rounds but identified a possible interview misstep. "Their informal feedback was that I could have done a better job of demonstrating 'product sense' in the round where I was asked to design a feature on the Facebook platform in terms of technical architecture, execution, and rollout, and measuring success and adoption," he said.

He found his Amazon interview process "a bit chaotic" — he applied for multiple roles within the company and worked with different tech recruiters — and says he didn't do as well as he would've liked in one of the coding rounds. And in his Dropbox interview process, Phadké believes that he didn't perform well on one of the technical interviews.

Through it all, Phadké's big takeaway is this: "Rejections are a part of the interview process," he said. "You learn a lot from rejections as opposed to wins, and you shouldn't let them discourage you or make you feel lesser."

Hindsight is 20/20, but in Phadké's case, it's also fortified with ample experience; in addition to his many interviews as a candidate, he has also since sat on the other side of the table as a technical interviewer many times.

Here are three interview strategies he knows now that he wishes he had known back then.

1. Recognize that people aren't going to hire you just because you write good code.

Tech industry candidates should avoid being overly focused only on the technical aspects of the job, Phadké said, and should be sure to let their human side show.

"Your interviewers are your peers, and may potentially be teammates or people you work closely with," he said. "They're also trying to understand what kind of person you are, what you're looking for, what motivates you, and if they see themselves working well with you."

With this in mind, Phadké advises talking about your life outside work during any dedicated windows of time before and after the technical and behavioral assessments.

"You shouldn't pass on those opportunities to let your personality shine," he said.

2. Prioritize clear communication, even in the technical rounds.

The soft skill of communicating clearly is an obvious requirement for the behavioral interview rounds, but Phadké stressed that it applies equally to the technical rounds.

"It's poor form to just be typing away silently for the duration of the interview," he said.

Instead, he advised candidates to ask clarifying questions, check if it's safe to make certain assumptions, go through a few examples, and discuss the solution at a high level before attempting to code.

"Even while coding, explaining what's going on will help everyone stay on the same page," Phadké said. "It's also easy to overdo it, so be concise and don't ramble."

Listening is another underrated part of communication skills tested by the hiring committee.

"Interviewers might mention certain nuances to the problem, or offer hints if you are stuck, or encourage you to think of a better approach," Phadké said. "It's crucial to demonstrate your receptiveness to these inputs by acknowledging them."

Beyond verbal communication, candidates also communicate with their code, he added.

"A well-structured solution — with thoughtful comments that help readers follow along without a lot of copy/pasting and furious rewriting — communicates clarity of thought," he said.

3. Approach the interview as a two-way street.

One of the most powerful lessons Phadké has learned is that interviewing isn't just for the employer to grill you, but for you to evaluate the team and company for fit as well.

"Your interviewers are trying to see if you have the required technical skills and if you'd be a good fit within the company," Phadké said. "It's also your opportunity to determine if this role will allow you to meet your career goals."

He now views interviews as conversations in which he, as a candidate, has some element of control. This mindset shift has helped reduce his interview anxiety so he can present the best version of himself.

He added that candidates shouldn't hesitate to politely and firmly ask tough but meaningful questions around the company's financial health, product vision and roadmap, culture, and challenges.

"As your interviewers are trying to get signals from your interview performance, the strength of their responses should give you a better idea whether this opportunity is worth investing in," Phadké said.

Do you have a story to share about landing a job at — or getting rejected from — a Big Tech company? Contact this editor, Jane Zhang, at [email protected].

• Illegal interview questions can still be asked due to lack of training or intentional bias.
• Questions about age, marital status, and religion should not be asked during job interviews.
• Candidates should redirect the focus to their qualifications and report persistent illegal inquiries.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leigh Henderson, the 43-year-old CEO of HRManifesto in San Antonio. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In the US, there are many questions employers cannot legally ask during a job interview, but that doesn't mean they don't.

As someone who worked in HR for nearly 20 years and now runs HRManifesto, a community on TikTok, I've seen it happen. I'd argue that anyone who has ever been through an interview has probably been asked an illegal question at least once.

When this happens, it's often due to a lack of interviewer training. On the other hand, some interviewers intentionally ask these questions to get the hire they want. Either way, these questions are illegal and have no place in a job interview.

Here are five big ones and what to do if they come up.

1. What's your age?

Believe it or not, it's illegal to ask interviewees, "How old are you?" or "What year were you born?"

Some interviewers ask these questions because they think you look young. They might say, "Are you even old enough to work?" These questions can be used to belittle an interviewee, and the interviewer may wrongly associate looking young with being inexperienced.

For an older interviewee, it could be asked out of concern that the applicant won't be able to keep up with technology, a fast-paced environment, or fit into a younger company culture.

Now, employers can ask how many years of relevant professional experience a candidate has. Focusing on your work history is a legal and common part of hiring. Candidates should feel comfortable sharing their experience in relation to the role.

If asked directly about your age, you can gracefully redirect by saying, "I prefer to focus on my qualifications and the value I bring to this role. I have X years of experience directly related to this position, including (key skills or relevant achievements). I'd be happy to elaborate on them."

Before an interview, you can counter age discrimination by removing your birth date and graduation year from your résumé.

2. Are you married?

It's not only illegal to ask about marital status, but interviewers should also avoid such questions since they're personal.

An interviewer might wonder whether they need to pay the candidate what they're worth, assuming they have a working spouse who could support them. Or, they may worry that the candidate will be distracted by things like dating, a big wedding, a honeymoon, and eventually, children.

The best response is to politely but firmly refocus the conversation on your qualifications. For example: "I prefer to keep my personal life private, but I'd love to discuss how my skills and experience align with the needs of this role." Something like this will set a boundary while maintaining a professional tone.

3. Do you have kids?

This one strikes a chord because I've been asked, "Oh, do you have kids?" in an interview myself.

An employer might ask this to gauge how much time someone can dedicate to the office. They might not want to hire someone with commitments outside work.

Other interviewers may ask to make small talk at the beginning of an interview, but they must be careful. While it can be easy to slip up, it's still illegal, and small talk should stick to neutral topics like the weather. As the interviewee, it's not illegal for you to offer the information yourself.

4. Where are you from?

Questions like "Where are you from? Where is your accent from? What's your first language? Do you speak English at home?" are off-limits, and there's no reason to ask.

Sometimes, an employer might see a difficult-to-pronounce name and ask about it when making small talk. Again, small talk isn't an excuse. This can be especially tricky since it may seem conversational, but it can also easily become inappropriate if it hints at ethnicity or national origin.

A strong response would be: "I'm excited about the opportunity to work here and would love to focus on my professional background, which includes (relevant experience). I'm happy to answer any questions about how I can contribute to your team."

This redirects the conversation while avoiding personal disclosure.

5. What's your religion?

Religion is protected. An interviewer can't ask, "Do you go to church?" Usually, this wouldn't come up on the interviewer's end.

A candidate might ask the interviewer, "What holidays are covered?" or "Do you do floating holidays?" The interviewer can answer about company holidays.

If a company asks you any of these questions, it's a huge red flag. When faced with inappropriate or illegal questions during an interview, the key is to stay calm, professional, and confident while gently steering the conversation back to your qualifications and value.

If the questions become persistent, uncomfortable, or discriminatory, candidates should document the incident and consider whether to report it to HR, escalate it within the company, or file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The bottom line is your skills, experience, and qualifications matter — not personal details that have no bearing on your ability to do the job.

• Business Insider asked an etiquette expert about the mistakes people make during job interviews.
• Many people forget to research the company and clean up their social-media pages beforehand.
• Arriving on time and sending a thank-you note are easy ways to make a good impression.

For many, job interviews can be a nerve-racking experience. Even with proper preparation, it's common to struggle with this important step in the hiring process.

To help you avoid common mistakes, Business Insider asked business-etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore about the things candidates should avoid doing during an interview. Here's what she said.

Not coming prepared for the interview

Whitmore told BI that a simple but common mistake candidates make is arriving to the interview unprepared.

"Most people don't do the proper research about the company. We have so many resources to use, including LinkedIn, websites, and social media," she said. "There's no excuse for you to go into an interview and not know about the company and something about who might be interviewing you."

Whitmore also said it's important to ask the interviewer questions tailored specifically to the company.

Dressing too casually or overlooking small details

According to Whitmore, dressing too casually is another common mistake she sees interviewees make.

"Very rarely do we see someone overdressed for a job interview," she said. "They oftentimes don't put a lot of thought into the details, like the color of their belt or that their shoes are matching their outfit."

Whitmore told BI that even when candidates do wear suits, they may overlook other key details, like forgetting to cut off the tags or not cutting open the vents in the back.

"Why would an employer want to hire someone who doesn't pay attention to the details?" Whitmore said.

Forgetting to put their best foot forward on social media

Before stepping into a job interview, it's important to consider how you're presenting yourself online, especially since Whitmore said the first thing an employer will likely do is Google you.

"They'll look at all your social-media pages. They'll look at what you eat, what you drink, what you wear, who you hang out with, what your lifestyle is — and they make judgments," she told BI.

For that reason, Whitmore suggested adjusting your privacy settings and cleaning up your social-media presence to eliminate anything that could be used against you.

Using filler words, profanity, or slang

When in a job interview, Whitmore told BI that candidates should never use inappropriate language, such as profanity, slang, or terminology the employer might not understand.

She also said to be cautious of filler words and phrases such as "like" or "um" to avoid muddling the conversation.

Whitmore suggested recording yourself before the interview or practicing ahead of time to ensure you're speaking clearly and precisely.

Having your camera off during a virtual interview

One mistake to avoid in virtual interviews is refusing to turn on your camera.

Candidates may choose to keep their cameras off for a number of reasons, such as being worried about making eye contact or feeling uncomfortable with face-to-face interaction. However, Whitmore said keeping the camera on is a good idea so the employer can see your facial expressions.

She added that candidates should be wary of what their background looks like and make sure their room appears tidy.

"If you just have to have a blank wall, that's better than a huge distraction. But I definitely recommend that you put a little thought into your background," she said.

Arriving late to the interview

"Showing up late for an interview is a huge no-no," Whitmore said. "I've always said when you're on time, you're still late. You should show up early."

Arriving early ensures you have enough time to find parking or the meeting room. Whitmore added that doing so also allows you to use the restroom and gain your composure before the interview starts.

Not sending a thank-you note

Sending a thank-you note is an important step in the interview process.

"I go overboard. I send a thank-you email and a thank-you note because this is an opportunity for you to get into the employer's eyes at least twice," Whitmore told BI.

Be sure to follow up within 24 hours of the interview and personalize the note.

"Address the person by name. Tell them why you enjoyed the interview and why you would be a good candidate," Whitmore said.

If you're feeling stuck, she suggested writing out a note and using ChatGPT to polish it.

• Exhibiting red flags in a job interview can be an easy way to lose out on advancing to the next stage.
• But on the flip side, there are green flags that can help set you apart and boost your chances.
• We asked 6 recruiting professionals for the green flags they look for in candidates during job interviews.

The start of the year is usually one of the busiest times for hiring as many companies have finalized their new budgets.

If you're brushing up on your interview skills right about now, BI spoke with several current and former recruiters for the traits they say always make a good first impression.

Here are the green flags they like to see in job candidates:

Demonstrating accountability

"Self-reflection, accountability, and confidence in themselves and their work," are green flags to Lauren Monroe, who leads the creative practice group at Aquent, a staffing agency for creative, marketing, and design roles.

A personalized touch also helps. Monroe recalls one candidate who "studied the job description and prepared success stories and examples for every responsibility" to share in the interview. As the cherry on top, the candidate "created a fun animation using the company's logo and added it to their email signature" in their thank-you note.

A clear pitch

Tessa White, a former head HR chief, is the CEO of The Job Doctor and author of "The Unspoken Truths for Career Success."

"When a candidate comes in and is clear on how they can help the company, and why they are a fit, it's refreshing," she says. "I often tell people, if you don't know what your value proposition is, I guarantee you the company won't know."

Mentoring others

Kyle Samuels, who leads executive search agency Creative Talent Endeavors after 20 years in senior-level executive recruiting, looks for candidates with "a history of coaching and mentoring others" because this shows they "want the organization as a whole to operate at a high level."

Enthusiasm for the job

Amri Celeste, a recruitment manager and interview coach, watches for applicants who show passion and enthusiasm for the job.

"When a candidate is particularly enthusiastic or excited about a role, the hiring manager will often be enthusiastic and excited about the candidate," she says. "It's one of the most common pieces of positive feedback I receive from managers about candidates."

Having prepared "clear examples of any achievements and duties mentioned on a résumé" ticks off another box on the candidate checklist, she adds.

Asking thoughtful questions

Marissa Morrison, VP of people at ZipRecruiter, says well-thought-out questions reflect "interest, enthusiasm, and a deeper understanding of the position."

"For example, asking about how they'd be expected to use AI or a certain new technology in the role in a job interview can be a way to demonstrate that you're up to date with current trends and willing to embrace new technologies to creatively solve problems, drive value, and support your work," she says.

An upbeat attitude

"Having a positive attitude, showing enthusiasm for the role, and being engaged during your interview can help set you apart from the competition," Amy Garefis, chief people officer at ZipRecruiter. "In my experience, it is often the tiebreaker for me between candidates with similar skills or professional experience."

• One of the most common job interview questions can also seem like one of the hardest to answer.
• The simply phrased "Tell me about yourself," can lead to sprawling answers.
• An ex-MBA admissions director shared a common mistake people make — and how they should answer instead.

For as common an interview question as it is, it can still trip up a lot of job candidates.

"Tell me about yourself."

One of recruiters' favorite questions, the simple prompt can be daunting because many candidates may try to squeeze too much of their professional experience and qualifications into their answers.

Thomas Caleel, former director of MBA admissions and financial aid at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, told Business Insider there is an effective approach to framing your answer to the question in both an academic or job interview context.

"Being able to clarify a question and re-frame it in a way that is respectful to the interviewer and shows that you can think and act under pressure, is, to me at least, a valuable skill in both the academic and corporate worlds," Caleel told BI.

Caleel talked more about the open-ended question on a recent episode of his "Admittedly" podcast.

"Most people when you ask them tell me about yourself, they will start to talk, and they will ramble and ramble and ramble," he said. "What happens is you lose your interviewer, like 30 seconds into that interview response, the interviewer's eyes glaze over, they kind of look at you and they're like, 'Oh my gosh.'"

So how exactly should you tackle the question?

Caleel recommends breaking your answer down into parts and posing a question back to the interviewer.

"What I say to do and what I think you should do instead is say 'Love to tell you about myself. There are three main areas that I'm involved in: academics, extracurricular activities, and sports (or volunteering.) Which one would you like to start with first?'" he told the podcast.

Compared to the common mistake candidates make of talking at their interviewer, this approach gets the interviewer's attention by making them "an active participant" in the conversation, Caleel said.

"By involving the interviewer in the conversation, you draw them in, you invest them in your answers instead of boring them with just a torrent of words," he added.

As a former admissions director, Caleel's advice is geared toward students applying to colleges — job candidates probably won't be talking much about academics or extracurriculars. However, for those applying to jobs, you might use as categories leadership, teamwork, and directly relevant experience, he told BI.

Regardless of the type of interview, his key point is "to try to engage the interviewer and set a more dynamic tone," he added.

Career experts also suggest highlighting some career accomplishments and focusing on the parallels and transferrable skills between your past experience and the position at stake when answering "Tell me about yourself." They say to try not to spend too long on this one question and aim to cap your response at around a minute.

"In my experience, candidates who can think on their feet, who are not cowed by the process and can remain genuine and engaged with the interviewer, usually fare well," Caleel told BI.

• The labor market is softening, and it might be harder to get a job compared to the past.
• Business Insider talked to job experts about why applicants might struggle to get hired for a role.
• A poorly organized résumé or not learning about a company during interview prep could be issues.

If you're not hearing back after applying for jobs, you may need to make some changes to your résumé, interview prep, or search strategy.

A cooler labor market means it could be harder to find a job now than a couple of years ago. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows there were 1.1 job openings per unemployed person this past October, the latest month with data, compared to 1.3 job openings per unemployed person a year earlier.

Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor with ResumeBuilder.com, said she thinks "people aren't necessarily as prepared when they enter a job search today" because they may think the job market is the same as it was many years ago.

But for job seekers who are struggling, there are ways you can try to improve your odds. Below are some things that you may want to change if you aren't landing a job.

You are sending out way too many résumés

One issue could be you're sending out a bunch of résumés, including for jobs you don't even want or for jobs where you don't have the desired experience. Haller suggested having most of what an employer is looking for before applying to the role.

"I would prefer people to not send out 800 résumés just throwing spaghetti against the wall," Haller said. "That's when you hear from people, 'It's a horrible market, and I can't get a job.'"

Gabrielle Davis, a career trends expert at Indeed, told Business Insider people should first consider the things that matter to them in a job beyond a paycheck, such as the benefits and whether it's remote, instead of first applying to many roles.

"I think that when job seekers function from maybe a place of slight panic, they don't do that because they feel like, 'I just have to move fast because the market's moving fast. I have to get all the stuff in, and I'm just going to see what sticks,'" Davis said. "And that's not always really fruitful for them. So I think that it's better to take a much more intentional approach to the actual job search."

You are waiting too long to apply

OK, so you have decided to send out fewer résumés that are more focused on gigs you want. Now, don't wait too long to actually apply.

Haller said job seekers should reply to a job posting within 24 hours "to at least have a shot to be in the mix."

Haller said people come to her and say, "'Oh, I saw a job posting that I'm interested in.' And they take days, if not a week, to reply."

She added, "By the time they send their résumé out, that company's probably on final interviews."

You might need to reconsider the contents or format of your résumé

Six seconds. That's how long Haller said job seekers have "to capture somebody's attention by your résumé or by your profile."

Formatting could be important to consider when putting together a résumé in hopes of successfully landing work.

"You need to know how to create and format a résumé that works in today's job search process," Haller said, adding this "means the formatting should be cleaned, standardized, and easy to read."

Leanne Getz, vice president of tech staffing firm Experis's delivery channels, said the résumé should also be similar to things noted on a candidate's online profile, like on LinkedIn. She also said résumés should be accurate and be in their own words.

"We're seeing candidates utilizing certain AI tools to generate the résumé, and it's fine to use it to help guide or give you suggestions, but you want to be careful about having something like ChatGPT design your whole résumé," Getz said. "It's easy for recruiters to pick up on that. It doesn't seem authentic."

You are not considering your connections

There's more that can be done than uploading a résumé to a job application. Haller said job seekers may want to see who they can contact at the company beforehand.

Haller said, "The last thing you want to do is dump your résumé into" an applicant tracking system "if you have another way to make contact inside that company."

Getz noted people could consider who they may know at the place they're hoping to get a job when they are applying.

"It is often about the network and who you know, but it also is sometimes just a game of numbers," Getz said. "There are so many applicants. You have to just keep applying, be consistent, be persistent, be patient."

You are not doing sufficient prep for an interview

If you get the good news that an employer is interested in interviewing you, it's probably best to prepare for the interview with some research.

Haller said people should know the company's mission, why they even want to work for the employer, and prepare questions to ask during the interview.

"I've interviewed people as a hiring manager with people who have no idea what the company does or why they're even interested in a job," Haller said. "That's a waste of everybody's time."

Some helpful hints of what to say during the interview are in the job posting itself.

"The job posting tells you exactly what they're looking for," Haller said. "That's where your prep starts. So if you know what they're looking for, you want to prepare as many examples that you can about what they might ask in reference to what they're looking for in the person they hire."

Getz also talked about being prepared and other basics of interviewing. Getz said to make "sure that you're dressed professional, that you've prepared, that you've done your research on the company that you're interviewing with, that you have strong questions to ask, that you're prepared to answer behavioral style questions."

Don't do an interview from a car and eliminate any background noise, Getz also advised. Getz emphasized the basics of doing an interview because "it could be one of those minor, little things that knock you out of consideration that could have been overcome by simply being prepared, dressed for the interview."

Davis suggested preparing a few main points that you want to reiterate in every interview round. "If you're speaking to maybe two or three people at a company, just because you've spoken to the same people at one company doesn't always mean that they are sharing exactly what you've spoken about to their colleagues," Davis said.

She added those main points can help show your prep, and she said, "Any sign of preparedness to an employer means, OK, this person is showing up. They're here. They're taking it seriously."

You aren't sending a thank-you note, or you're following up too much

Davis said a handwritten thank-you note could be good if you did an in-person interview. Even if it was not an in-person interview, Davis said sending a simple thank-you note on the same day could be good.

Davis said the note should thank the person for their time and include something personal from the interview to show you were listening.

"I think that really goes a long way," Davis said. "And after that, it's kind out of your hands, so waiting to hear back from the recruiter or hiring manager and then going from there."

Getz said "to be cautious about how often you're following up" because you're not the only job candidate a hiring manager is talking to. She said people don't want to overdo their reach out, and it should be professional.

How long did it take you to find a job, or how long have you been unemployed? Reach out to this reporter to share your experience at [email protected].