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Whilst this is super-encouraging news for many, hunting for the right job and doing a really good interview, takes time and care. Just hearing the word ‘interview’ can strike fear into even the strongest of hearts. After all, nobody enjoys a good grilling! A great CV may help you get an interview but it’s your performance AT that interview that will help you land the job.
Here are 5 sure-fire ways to help you prepare, present a positive impression, and come across as a serious contender.
1. Do your research
Go through the job description and highlight he key responsibilities of that job, Maybe things like motivating team members, solving problems, growing sales, managing a budget and so on – think of examples of when you’ve demonstrated these skills.
Be ready to talk about your knowledge, experience, abilities and skills. Have at least three strong points about yourself that you can directly relate to the company - and in particular to the job on offer.
Knowing that you’ve done your homework and that your answers relate to the role for which you are applying will make a big difference to you appearing confident, switched-on and professional.
Also, make note of the questions that you want to ask the interviewer or any points you’d like them to clarify. Remember: a job interview has two sides: you are also making a choice (if successful) about whether the new job is the right one for you.
2. Body language
It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Studies suggest that 60-70% of human communication is non-verbal, in other words body language.
Your interview is actually made of two conversations at the same time, one with words and the other with the non-verbal cues which you give off.
The key point here is that your subtle body language will influence more of the interviewer’s overall impression of you than your CV or what you actually say in the interview.
Do during the interview, it’s really important to keep a natural upright position, look alert and maintain regular eye contact. Keep your palms facing up and open to suggest honesty. Use your hands to express yourself and lean forward a little when making a point.
When gesturing with your hands, always keep then above the desk and below your collarbone – any higher and you will appear frantic! It’s fine to sit about a foot away from the table so that your gestures are visible.
In particular, avoid crossing your arms (defensive), putting your hands near your face when speaking (lying or unsure), talking to the floor (confidence), slouching in your seat (disinterest) and fidgeting excessively (nerves).
3. Build rapport
Rapport can be defined as a ‘positive emotional connection.’ It’s essentially about encouraging someone to like you.
Rapport can be extremely useful in an interview situation – we’re all drawn to people who are similar to us – an interviewer is far more likely to appoint someone they like on a personal level rather than someone they dislike.
So really connect with our interviewer and show a sincere interest in a person not just the organisation. How long have they been in their role? What do they like most about working here?
We all love the sound of our own name and a powerful technique is to drop their name occasionally into conversation (just don’t overdo it!). For example:-
“Well, Marie to answer that, I’d say...”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you MR Willis”
Listen carefully to the actual words that your interviewers used when asking you a question and use some of those words in your answers. For example:-
Interviewer: “it’s a bit pressurised around here some days. How would you handle that?”
You: “I’ve worked in a very busy, pressurise office at XYZ and learned to manage it by…”
Very subtle mirroring (so that it isn’t noticed) of the interviewers’ mannerisms, posture, energy levels and voice tone, will unconsciously make them feel that you are fully engaged with them. For example, if they rest their chin on their hand, cross their legs, lean back slightly in their chair, you could briefly do the same. Equally you could mirror the pitch, pace and volume of their voice.
4. Be concise
Don’t waffle! Your preparation should have already primed you to think about the questions you’re likely to be asked in relation to the job role and how your experience matched with this. So make sure you just have some concise and relevant answers for these.
The more time you waste rambling answers the more you’ll switch off the interviewer (lose that rapport) and the less time the interviewer will have to really find out about you.
Expect the unexpected – your interviewer may try to catch you off guard with a killer question. It’s impossible to plan for every question such as ‘How would your colleagues describe you?’ but try to appear relaxed and in control. Ask the interviewer to repeat their question if necessary, but do not evade it,
Answer all the questions succinctly and fully – even if you need a few moments’ silence to collect your thoughts. It is always better to ask for a second to think about your answer rather than to speak instantly and regret it afterwards.
Think twice before guessing! If you’re asked a question to which you simply don’t know the answer, be honest about it, the interviewer will probably appreciate your honesty and may even ask you to have a go at answering it anyway.
5. End strongly
Final impressions are lasting impressions!
By this point, the interviewer needs to have no doubts in their mind that you fit the bill. The final impression you must make is significant in reinforcing the positive messages you have sent throughout the interview process. Ending the interview gives you a final opportunity to let the interviewer know why you are the right candidate for the job.
Normally near the end, you’ll be asked by the interviewer is you’ve got any questions for them. This is a great chance to shine out and demonstrate your knowledge of the job, company or industry. For instance, you could maybe refer to an article about the industry and ask for their opinion about it and how they think it might affect their business –rather than asking the usual standard questions asked by everyone else.
There’s an art to asking your own questions but also some rules. You want to keep things positive here and focus on ways in which you can contribute to the company, rather than what you can get from it. Avoid asking about salary and benefits at this point. You’ll have plenty of time to cover that once they’ve made you an offer! Now is the time to make sure that offer actually comes.
Make sure you ask the interviewer if there is anything else they need to ask you about – this demonstrates your confidence – and gives a poor interviewer one final chance to ask the question they’ve forgotten or maybe check their understanding of something you said earlier.
Is there anything else you would like to know about me?
This is a hugely important question. Listen carefully to the interviewer’s response. The answer could be priceless because it directs you to areas where you may need to reinforce what you have to offer.
Don’t be afraid to ask about timescales – when can you expect to hear if you’ve been successful or not?
It’s always better to choose rather than to be chosen! Tell the interviewer why you are interested in the company and job opportunity. Ask them for a business card and follow it up promptly by sending a “thank you” email or letter saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and how interested you are. Take the opportunity to detail the added value that you will bring.
In the end, gather your belongings calmly, stand smoothly, smile, give good eye contact and shake hands after the interview is over. Be respectful and thank the interviewer for their time. Exchange the necessary pleasantries and leave, chin up.
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