Interview 101- Game On: Level Up Your Interview Game with Self-Recording

In today's competitive job market, every candidate needs every possible advantage. Tom Jackson, author of the Hidden Job Market, devoted two pages in the middle of his cornerstone book to one sentence.

“It is not the most qualified candidate that gets the job, but the person most qualified at job-getting.”

In my opinion, no truer words have ever been spoken. The simple truth is you can be the best candidate and still not get the job. How is this possible? Interviewing is a skill. The better and more practiced you are at interviewing, the better your chances of success.

A practiced, well-informed, thoughtful, composed candidate can outperform a highly qualified Nervous Nellie.

One powerful tool that can significantly boost your interview performance is setting up your phone or video recorder and watching yourself answer common interview questions like “tell me about yourself,” or “tell me about a time you failed,” or “tell me about your greatest accomplishment.”

If you have not been doing this, you will likely find this exercise most revealing.

You will be able to see what the interviewer sees, and the recording can help you modify your answers, facial expressions, body language, voice tone, and so much more.

Here's why recording yourself is so beneficial for job hunters:

Identify and Improve Non-Verbal Cues:

• Body Language: Watching yourself speak can reveal distracting habits like excessive hand gestures, picking imaginary lint off your pants, fidgeting, or poor posture. You can then consciously adjust your body language to appear more confident and engaged. ?
• Eye Contact: Recording yourself helps you become more aware of where your eyes are focused. Maintaining eye contact with the camera (simulating eye contact with the interviewer) is crucial for building rapport. ?
• Facial Expressions: Observe your facial expressions. Is there a readiness to smile? Do you appear enthusiastic and engaged? Do your facial expressions align with what you are saying?

Communication Refinement

• Are you clear and concise? Watching yourself speak allows you to identify areas where you use filler words ("um," "like") or fail to articulate your thoughts clearly. ?
• Do you have the right pace and tone? Are you speaking too quickly or too slowly? Is your voice monotone or engaging? How about the volume? Storytelling: Practice crafting compelling but concise narratives that showcase your skills and experiences. Some people share too much detail and are not good storytellers.

If you observe this in your recordings or know this to be true, you must go out of your way to tell brief and concise stories that make the point without providing too much unnecessary information.

Boost Your Confidence:

• Practice Makes Perfect: By practicing your responses and watching yourself improve, you can build confidence and reduce interview anxiety.
• Improved Delivery: Rehearsing with the camera helps you get comfortable with an interview format and allows you to practice delivering your answers smoothly and naturally.

Personalized Feedback:

• Self-Reflection: Analyzing your own performance provides valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses.
• Feedback from Others: Share your recordings with trusted friends, family members, or career counselors for constructive feedback.

By embracing interview recording, you can enhance your communication skills, build confidence, and significantly increase your chances of interview success. Going back to Tom Jackson’s quote, why not be the person best qualified at job-getting?

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