When you get a job interview, you have hope that you’re one stop away from getting a job. The last thing you want is to get that call or letter afterwards that thank you but say you were not successful. To help you avoid that latter outcome, here are some tips to help improve your interview performance & your chances of a good outcome.
Storyteller: One of the biggest mistakes candidates make in the job interview is to treat the interview as a question & answer session. While you are answering questions, you should not treat it as such. You need to treat it as a conversation. Tell stories about your experiences and skills that relate to the job. Think about your conversations with your friends etc……how you are usually discussing topics and answering questions. This is similar to how you want your interview to flow but, staying within the formal structure of the interview. Interviewers remember the candidates whose interviews flowed like a conversation.
Your Role: Most interviewees don’t understand their role in the job interview. Most think they are there to get the job. Well you’re wrong. Yes that is the outcome you want but your role in the interview is to show/demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate for the role & a good fit for the company. It’s also for you to assess to see if the company & job role are ideal for you before committing & investing your time.
Don’t Beg: One thing that can convince an interviewer you not right for the job role is neediness or being desperate for the job. Don’t think you’ll be hired just because you show how much you need the job. If you want the job, believe in yourself and show confidence.
No Waffling: Have you ever been in an interview where you thought that you need to the fill the silence with something? A lot of interviewees feel that silence is a bad thing in the interview, so they need to fill it, most times with irrelevant information. The best approach in the job interview is to stick to the points. No interviewer wants to hear you waffling on. Waffling on is the best approach to bore the interviewer and losing their interest. Don’t try to fill the silence, it’s not always a bad sign.
Remember Boundaries: During interviews candidates can at times become too informal either because they miss-read the interviewer’s kindness at the start of their interview or the conversation is going well. Nothing kills your chances than being too friendly with the interviewer. Remember that there are rules and boundaries you must follow. No matter what, you must always be professional and formal.
No Emotions: We are all emotional people and they are with us every day. With that said, we know that we have to keep emotions out of certain roles. The job interview is one of them. Candidates must remember that the interview is not the place for you to discuss your personal life/problems or to lose your temper if you feel challenged. Keep control and stay professional. Some questions are there to challenge you so be prepared.
Show You’re Invested: You want to stand out, then show the interviewer that you really want the job. One way of demonstrating this is to ask questions about the role and company. Have questions prepared to ask. Asking nothing or little about the role will not impress the interviewer and will leave them with the impression you are not invested or interested
Storyteller: One of the biggest mistakes candidates make in the job interview is to treat the interview as a question & answer session. While you are answering questions, you should not treat it as such. You need to treat it as a conversation. Tell stories about your experiences and skills that relate to the job. Think about your conversations with your friends etc……how you are usually discussing topics and answering questions. This is similar to how you want your interview to flow but, staying within the formal structure of the interview. Interviewers remember the candidates whose interviews flowed like a conversation.
Your Role: Most interviewees don’t understand their role in the job interview. Most think they are there to get the job. Well you’re wrong. Yes that is the outcome you want but your role in the interview is to show/demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate for the role & a good fit for the company. It’s also for you to assess to see if the company & job role are ideal for you before committing & investing your time.
Don’t Beg: One thing that can convince an interviewer you not right for the job role is neediness or being desperate for the job. Don’t think you’ll be hired just because you show how much you need the job. If you want the job, believe in yourself and show confidence.
No Waffling: Have you ever been in an interview where you thought that you need to the fill the silence with something? A lot of interviewees feel that silence is a bad thing in the interview, so they need to fill it, most times with irrelevant information. The best approach in the job interview is to stick to the points. No interviewer wants to hear you waffling on. Waffling on is the best approach to bore the interviewer and losing their interest. Don’t try to fill the silence, it’s not always a bad sign.
Remember Boundaries: During interviews candidates can at times become too informal either because they miss-read the interviewer’s kindness at the start of their interview or the conversation is going well. Nothing kills your chances than being too friendly with the interviewer. Remember that there are rules and boundaries you must follow. No matter what, you must always be professional and formal.
No Emotions: We are all emotional people and they are with us every day. With that said, we know that we have to keep emotions out of certain roles. The job interview is one of them. Candidates must remember that the interview is not the place for you to discuss your personal life/problems or to lose your temper if you feel challenged. Keep control and stay professional. Some questions are there to challenge you so be prepared.
Show You’re Invested: You want to stand out, then show the interviewer that you really want the job. One way of demonstrating this is to ask questions about the role and company. Have questions prepared to ask. Asking nothing or little about the role will not impress the interviewer and will leave them with the impression you are not invested or interested