You already know the classics when getting ready for an interview – look smart, get ready for the most common questions and try to have an answer for every potential question. With all these, you still seem to fail interviews on jobs that you would actually love. All in all, here are a few professional tips that will help you smash your potential career with a great interview.
Nonverbal communication is just as important
Sure, your verbal communication will work wonders in an interview – you need to be clear, concise and straightforward. But on the same note, most people overlook the nonverbal communication – small things that will help the interviewer remember you. Basically, this is how you stand out in the crowd.
It all starts with a firm handshake. It does not mean that you need to squash the interviewer’s hand, but make sure your hand is not loose. It shows lack of confidence. Talking about confidence, you also need to practice a straight pose. Make eye contact all the time and avoid looking down or up – especially when thinking about your next answer.
Too much talk can ruin the interview
You probably imagine that giving simple and direct answers is not necessarily a good idea, yet it can be. After all, telling the interviewer more than they need to know might be a serious mistake. In other words, you could talk yourself out of the job, so measure your words carefully and get ready ahead of time.
Such mistakes tend to occur when you fail to prepare upfront. Read the job description very carefully and match the right skills and experience to it. Everything else is irrelevant. Even if you are not fully prepared for this interview, you still need to avoid getting into small details, as you could make mistakes that will cost you the job.
Being too familiar is contraindicated
Most people will naturally try to be friendly and pleasant. But at the end of the day, an interview is a business meeting. You are not there to make new friends. The level of familiarity must be carefully measured and kept under control. Even if you feel comfortable around the interviewer, keep things professional.
As a general rule of thumb, you must mimic the interviewer’s level of familiarity. Sure, good energy is a must. Enthusiasm is just as important. It is perfectly normal to ask questions, but do not forget your actual position – you are just a candidate looking for that job and not a close friend.
Answer questions correctly
Even if you think you are actually answering questions, maybe you are not. For instance, it is not unusual to be asked about particular situations from your previous jobs. At this point, the interviewer is asking behavioral questions. The potential employer tries to figure out what kind of behavior you have in certain circumstances.
Get your potential examples ready upfront. Interviewers are quite specific. A general answer will not do you any favors. Fail to answer correctly and you will miss the chance to underline your abilities and skills – regardless of how many details you provide. The answer must be clear and concise.
Ask your questions
The interviewer may provide lots of details about the company, pay, responsibilities and so on. Perhaps you have also taken your time to learn more about the company. When asked if you have any questions, go ahead and ask – even if you do not have any. Not asking questions is a terrible mistake. This is why knowing how to prepare for an interview is essential.
You need to ask questions and prove interest in what is going on within the company. Come up with more potential questions to ask – just in case the interviewer covers most topics. You do need to have a few questions, so get everything ready upfront. You can also come up with quick questions by paying attention to what you are asked in the interview – simply ask for additional details.
Bottom line, these five tips are almost always overlooked by job seekers. Some of them make sense. Others may need a bit of training. You do have to get ready accordingly and perhaps write everything down before memorizing it. Imagine the interview and all the questions you might get and you should have no issues at all.