Show up prepared. How you show up can matter almost as much as the content you provide. Send an agenda in advance that reflects that (1) focuses on high priority items (2) efficiently allows your boss to “unblock” things that may be in your way and (3) leaves room for you to get feedback

Balance listing out everything you’ve been working on and focus more on the impact of the work itself. For example, if you were in charge of signing up 100 new users that week, use the meeting to say how many people you signed up and which channels were most successful rather than just listing out every single partner you emailed, especially if most of them didn’t yield much. You want to focus on the information that is most important to your manager!

Specifically bring up where you’ve progressed in areas you were told to work on. Let’s say that in your previous check-in, your manager told you that you need to improve one of the Excel documents you managed. Use the following check-in to demonstrate that you not only took the feedback, but share the steps you took to improve and share your progress!

Ask smart questions. It isn’t just about showing off all that you have done, check-ins are a great space to demonstrate your critical thinking and deeper understanding of the work. Having thoughtful, smart questions are a way to point to that AND get the answers you need to do great work.

Focusing on what you lack vs. what you bring to the table: Rather than saying “I know I don’t have the direct experience you are looking for", lead with “here’s how this work would make me great for the job.”

Being unnecessarily long-winded: This is a very easy trap to fall into. Candidates will often spend too long answering an interview question, and often focus on the least impactful parts of their story (e.g. focusing on the story set-up vs. the specific actions taken).

Lack of specifics or enthusiasm. Look, we all know the reality is that we live in a world where we just need an income sometimes. I’m not saying you have to go into an interview and pretend that the job is your calling in life. But if someone asks “what made you apply for this job?” and your response is simply “I saw it on my LinkedIn”… you are doing yourself a major disservice. Try emphasizing something about the actual role or company that seems relevant or compelling!