I enjoy when friends and soon-to-be-friends reach out for insight or advice. With the application for lululemon athletica’s summer internship program now open and underway, I am getting more and more of the same question: “Do you have any tips or insights for me for my interview?”
Disclaimer: not working with the company right now means that these are my own personal tips that may be outdated and just as useful as tips received from your Grandma.
(Grandmas are usually wise and/or crazy – so I’m ok with that.)
- Be clear about your vision and goals. Invest energy into getting real with yourself about who you want to be, what lights you up, and how you want to impact the world. Then write your goals. If you know you want to start your own company in 3 years, write that down instead of writing goals you think the recruiter would be looking for.
- Wear your power outfit. That’s the outfit you reach for that helps you feel like your best self. Mine usually involves a vest, graphic tee, dark jeans, and my sweetest kicks. If yours is a suit, a workout outfit, or a neon jumpsuit – wear that.
- Be honest about what you’re not great at or prefer not doing. Making excel spreadsheets? Working alone? Delivering presentations? Drawing? Watching YouTube videos? Instead of turning these into a positive or an “opportunity to work on,” try owning the fact that you don’t like it. (My energy and commitment dwindle when I am working alone, on a project no one cares about. That’s not an “opportunity for me to work on.” That’s what I get when I’m not honest about how I like to work.)
- Authentically communicate the important stories of your life. That time you went backpacking across Europe. When you and your team executed the best event of the year. When your leadership failed and you needed to shift something about how you worked with others. When you completed your first triathlon or yoga class. When you didn’t achieve an important goal in your life. When you fell in love. (The real juicy bits they could be looking for is what you learned from these moments.)
- Be ready for anything. The recruiters I know like to surprise (and delight).
- Ignore everyone’s advice and be your totally rad self instead.
Read #6 again.
Mediocrity is playing by broken rules, living your life by someone else’s standards, and restricting your self-expression in order to fit in. Show the company that is elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness that you’ve got some gusto to add to the fire by being truly, authentically you.
Give yourself permission to be great. And then totally rock their world.
Pick of the Post: Hey Ocean – Make A New Dance Up
6 comments
1 ping
Anil N. Singh says:
March 21, 2012 at 1:54 pm (UTC -7)
Wicked post! Thanks so much for sharing your insights. This will definitely help WHEN I score an interview SSC. Better bust out my neon jumpsuit…
Matt Corker says:
March 21, 2012 at 7:54 pm (UTC -7)
Awesome. Love the commitment!
Rebecca says:
March 26, 2012 at 5:34 pm (UTC -7)
Read from a coffee shop in Toronto, mid interview tour. Loved it! Needed it! So ready to keep doing epic shit! Thanks Matt:)
Tierney Rocky says:
April 5, 2012 at 6:23 pm (UTC -7)
Thanks for posting this, Matt! It was super helpful, and I’m sure much more relevant than anything my Grandma would have told me!
Matt Corker says:
April 5, 2012 at 9:19 pm (UTC -7)
Glad this was helpful… and that your Grandma doesn’t read my blog.
Matt Corker says:
April 5, 2012 at 9:20 pm (UTC -7)
Heck yes! I hope your interviews went well Rebecca!
The Top 10 Posts of 2012 » Matt Corker says:
January 1, 2013 at 2:41 pm (UTC -7)
[...] Advice For Your lululemon athletica Interview: greatness attracts greatness. #gowowthem [...]