The resume gets your foot in the door, but the interview is what will ultimately land you the job. Having success during the interview process begins with understanding that every company has their own process, and each company uses interviews for different reasons. In some companies, you will only speak to the human resources representative until you have reached the point of a final interview, while in other companies every stakeholder gets involved in the process from the very beginning.
Some hiring managers are interviewing you to gauge your personality and how you react to certain questions, while others are more interested in confirming the information on your resume. There are many pieces of advice that can be given about the interview process, but ultimately there are only a few pieces of wisdom that can be universally applied to the process regardless of the company you are interviewing with. Even organisations with unique interview procedures still look for the basics, and if you want to land any job then you must first master the basics of the interview process.
The first rule of interviewing is to relax and remain confident. Everyone gets a bit nervous right before an interview, but remember that there was something about your qualifications that caused the company to be interested in speaking with you directly. They are as interested in speaking to you as you are in speaking to them. More than likely they will not be nervous when the interview begins, so you should not be nervous either. Draw confidence from the fact that you are there because you were selected to be there and not from some random lottery, and you can proceed through the entire process confident and relaxed.
One of the sure signs of nerves and perhaps an indicator of a lack of confidence is the tendency to ramble when answering a question. It is important in an interview to only answer the question you are being asked. You do not know where the interviewer is headed with their line of questioning; so do not attempt to lead them in any direction by giving more information than they have asked for. Allow the interviewer to stay in control of the interview by only giving them the information they have asked for, and they will keep the interview flowing at a comfortable pace.
Always have a printed copy of your resume and references with you when you arrive for your interview. It may be true that the interviewers have made several copies of your resume prior to your arrival, but it is also possible that one of the hiring managers you will be speaking with did not get a copy. You also do not know the company’s interviewing procedure, so it is best to be prepared to present your references at the conclusion of the interview to allow the process of qualifying you for employment, to move along as quickly as possible.
Prior to going to your interview, sit in front of a mirror and practice the way you would like to sit. You want to look professional, but you do not want to look frightened. You want to add an element of being casual, but you do not want to seem disinterested or lazy. Your body language is important in an interview, and it all begins with your posture and the way you sit. Practice how you will answer questions in front of a mirror and see how then you are ready to move on to the interview.
Most companies will inspire their employees to show a bit of their personality at work either by allowing one day a week for casual clothing or allowing employees to decorate their work areas within reason. However, the time to show your personality is not at the interview. The notion that you need to show them a little bit of yourself to get the job is incorrect, and showing too much personality can more than likely lose you the job. You want the company to see your professional side; the side they will get that will produce results for them. The side that shows your personal preferences and quirks can come after you have already signed the offer letter and are assigned a desk.
Do you freeze during behavioural based job interviews?
Or do you say too much, too little, or go into way too much detail?
A story is told of an information technology professional who wanted to demonstrate “execution skills” during a behavioural interview. He went into such detail on how he implemented certain financial software programs and processes, and got so bogged down in the details about the implementation, that he never described the results. Without the results, you have told the interviewer nothing!
Many people can’t relate incidents or accomplishments comfortably. It feels like boasting. And yet it could make all the difference to your interview success.
- Never recount a story where the final result was not a success or where you looked inefficient
- Stop and gather your thoughts before speaking. In the nervousness of the moment, it could be easy to launch into a less than flattering or badly told story.
- After you tell your tale ask for feedback: “Is this the kind of example you were looking for, or would you like a different example”
- Realise that examples can also include personality traits and level of commitment to the role
- Don’t be afraid to say that you can’t think of anything at that time. Better than calling up an unsuitable example
- Prepare and practice – prepare and practice.