How can you make a lasting impression in an interview?

Interviews can be stressful for some professionals and one key thing to always remember is that the stakes re high but you MUST persuade.Remember that making a lasting impression is not just about yoir qualifications but also your interpersonal skills,your enthusiasm and how well you can showcase that you fit into the comoany culture. Dont forget to dress the part and to wear your smile always.

Before going to any interview- Learn how to answer the most important question: Why should we hire you? Don't go if you don't have a very good and persuasive answer!

Project Managers need to tell the story of their projects from largest to smallest through all 5 phases of the project lifecycle and be proud of your accomplishments!

Preparation like everything is very important, but you can also look to use the job spec as a way to anticipate questions. But to start with make sure you use either a STAR (Situation, Task, Action & Result) or SOAR (Situation, Obstacle, Action Result) method to plan examples to help answer questions. This will also allow you to focus your thinking with questions you are likely to be asked and plan time to respond, ideally you don't want to take to long in responding. Getting a list of questions to prepare against is easy (search online) but creating simple clear and well constructed answers will help you feel confident going into the interview. Also, don't forget an interview is 2-way, so prepare some questions to ask as well.

Honestly there are a million things I could say on this topic but if I had to pick 1 it would have to be. Learn to personality flex. The candidates I see that have the most denials are those that are too confident or under confident. There are a lot of people that will say "I do not like interviews because it feels like I am lying and I wont sell myself. I do not feel like I should have to." OR you get the over confident types that will respond "Oh I know I am good. I am the best interviewer ever I have an amazing personality". With either one of these Mock interviews will be crucial and applying self actualization. Candidates can do this by taking internal inventory and practicing common interview questions with others.

Look up and research the company's Mission Statement and Value Propositions what they stand for; be ready with salient points how your values are also aligned with theirs corporately. Nothing impresses an interviewer more than an interviewee expressing knowledge and insights behind the company's ethos and, their presence on the market/within the industry which one can easily access on their website along with press statements about latest initiatives and trending. Read up their business pages too, on LinkedIn. Definitely go above and beyond with your preps. You want to be overly prepared to present the best version of yourself rather than being less informed. Above all, be honest and be yourself.

Every company has a "Mission". When asked "why this company?" always speak to the mission. Every company publishes its mission on the corporate web site.

I always tell my clients that they should know the company better than the interviewer does. That way they can weave that knowledge into all of their interview answers and really demonstrate their "fit" for that job and that company.

When researching a company ahead of an interview look to use all the resources you can to prepare: 1. Company site 2. LinkedIn profile (company & person) 3. Glassdoor 4. Public news services 5. Sector relevant publications 6. Social sites for comments on the company (Facebook, X etc.) If you know the competition then gather similar intelligence. If you don't know the sector or competitors then using companies also viewed from LinkedIn as a way to start to review the competition/sector. Consider developing a SWOT review on the company to have a clear overview on them. This will also allow you to create questions for the interview.

Go to the company web site read about them Look at their career page Read their press releases See their forecast and trends in their vertical Know your interviewers look at their linkedin profile and see their background Look at people in that firm to see their backgrounds and uniqueness Be in the moment and ever ready

One thing I have found extremely helpful when coaching individuals for interviews is to remember you truly only get one chance to make a strong first impression. Make sure your professional dress reflects the fact that you are taking the interview seriously, and that you feel confident in your skills and abilities. Having something in your personal appearance (colorful necklace or a small interesting pin to the lapel) that allows the interviewer to remember you in a positive way, never hurts either.

First impression is the best impression Be at your best in a professional way No fancy dresses or lavish perfumes Dress professionally Show your enthusiasm and confidence in your responses, walk, gait Be smiling and approachable Wear your positive gear in your facial expression

First impression matters and you want to look the part for the role that you have applied for. It means dressing professionally for the interview. When in doubt, research what the company working culture is like to get a sense. It is always safer to be slightly overdressed rather than feeling like we're underdressed. Know that dressing appropriately is being respectful to the organisation and interviewer presenting yourself confidently and positively. Last but not least, take care to pay attention to some deportment i.e. walking confidently to greet the interviewer at a F2F or sitting posture and eye contact on virtual i.e. Teams or Zoom.

I always checked in with our person at the front desk on how a job candidate treated them when they arrived. It says a lot about the job seeker by how they treat each and every employee they encounter. I started my career as a receptionist, later became a recruiter and now a coach. The receptionist is key in the process.

Over the years I have heard stories about candidates not being polite to staff or on their phone talking loudly while waiting for the interview. Sometimes being courteous is waiting quietly, being respectful of the employees, and thanking people.

Being on time is a must Punctuality is respected Think you have an appointment with God and behave accordingly Be courteous to everyone you meet from lobby receptionist to the coordinator and thankful Use simple polite words Leave a positive lasting impression

It is so, so important not to be late for an interview because that would surely leave a poor impression. Avoid being undone by unforeseen exigencies i.e. commuting delays or poor online connectivity etc. You want to have some buffer just in case… For in-person or face-to-face interviews, arriving 20mins to half-an-hour prior gives you plenty of time to settle down and calm nerves. For virtual interviews, I’d log-in 20mins earlier than the appointed time to ensure that the links/meeting credentials and connectivity are in order. Being punctual is a clear sign of dependability and respect for the interviewer; you’d want to be able to score that “easy” point for yourself.

STAR or SOAR is a great framework for creating good examples of the work you have previously done. Using an excel worksheet (or similar) you can start to construct good examples in an easy to find format - also allowing you to add to them when you are in your new role. Situation - Describe the Situation. Obstacles - Describe the Obstacles you faced. Actions - List the Actions you took. Results - Describe the results you helped obtain and the benefits to your employer.

STAR and SOAR are great methods Explain with case studies But be brief and impactful Answer with humility not ego Showcase what you are bringing to the table And How you can add value to the team Explain your achievements to show your skill not boast about them Give positive feedback about previous employers

When appropriate, add another R for reflection. What did you learn from that experience? Self-awareness and perseverance make a lasting impression.

Another great way to enhance the STAR method is to add an M if possible (STAR-M). Displaying the results of your work always improves your potential value to employers but if you can take it one step further and add specific, measurable, metrics will also help. For instance, how much money did you your actions save a company? Did you improve efficiency and if so by what percent? Enhancing your results with measurable outcomes enhances your answers and shows that you are aware of the impact you had in a company or organization.

The lasting impression on me of those I have interviewed are the people that I built the best rapport with. Rapport is building mutual trust. This can be tricky if you are being interviewed by a panel of people! However, you can get a good indication of the culture of the organisation by speaking with people who have or currently work there. This can give you an idea of "how they do things round here" and help you think about the things that could be looked on more favourably and therefore help with rapport building. For example, you find out the HM supports Arsenal, so you make sure you know where they are on the table and if they won their last game. Interviews are also to decide if you want to work there. Ask insightful questions!

Hacer preguntas inteligentes al final de la entrevista nos va a diferenciar del resto de candidaturas. Es importante aprovechar este momento para mostrar no sólo interés por formar parte de la empresa si no para confirmar que encajamos en la cultura de la organización. Asimismo es clave realizar preguntas que muestren que estamos alineados con los objetivos estratégicos y que estamos orientados a la consecución de los resultados. Realizar preguntas encaminadas a lograr mantener un ambiente de trabajo saludable es esencial para marcar la diferencia. Para realizar preguntas inteligentes es importante que realicemos previamente una investigación exhaustiva de la empresa, para conocer su misión, visión y valores. Así como sus necesidades.

I'll add to describing START or SOAR, with, leave out saying "but" and substitute "and", and "I just...", and "kinda/sorta"- use your adult words.

Asking thoughtful questions can set you apart from the other candidates. You can help yourself by preparing a list of insightful knowledge, skill and attribute (KSA) questions about expectations accompanying the role, discover more about the company mission and values, asking about the team and working culture etc. It shows your genuine interest and engagement and, your desire to learn more about the organisation as you look to fit in. Some examples are: What are measurable milestones during my first 3-6mths on the job? What is the company culture like? What are some of the vibes or team dynamics working with my team-mates?

Think twice before saying nothing. If you are asked a question that you simply do not know the answer to, be honest about it and explain that if you were to answer it you would be taking a punt on it. The interviewer will probably appreciate your honesty and may even ask you to have a go at answering it anyway.

I was interviewing an employee who was being considered for a promotion into a role where he would be one of my direct reports. As the interview was coming to a close he asked if I had time for one more question. I said sure go ahead. He then asked a pretty bold, memorable question that I certainly haven't forgotten. He proceeded with, "What can I do in this role that will help you receive an outstanding rating on your next performance review?"

Treat the interview like a conversation. Remember that you are as important a part of this interview as is the interviewer. There are typically only three types of questions that you will be asked and if you can feel comfortable questioning what is being asked of you, you will always be able to answer the question. For example, if a friend asked you a question and you were not clear what they asked you, you might say “I’m not quite sure what you just asked me “. Treat the interview like a conversation. Be your professional self. Do not be afraid to ask the interviewer to qualify what it is they are asking you. Most people think that’s a bad thing to do, but when an interviewer can see your authenticity, that will work in your favor.

In many instances we don't say thank you enough... we should work on breaking that bad habit, be greatful to others, say thank you more often... it is always a great feeling when we thank those least expecting a thank you!

Not many send a thank you e-note after the interview. But this is a way to reaffirm your interest or offer up an example or short explanation about a point that you forgot.