The Key to Interview Success - From Both Ends

#ShoryuWill Newsletter #9 By William Zhang

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What This Edition Will Cover:

• How to Build Rapport Through Shared Interests and Empathy (For both interviewers and interviewees)
• What to Do to Showcase Value and Enthusiasm (From both sides of the table)
• How to Maintain Warmth and Personal Connection
• Tech and Tools to Help You Prepare and Improve Interviews
• 3 Book Recommendations to Improve Interview Success
• 1-2-3 Punch to Elevate Your Interview Game (For interviewers and interviewees)

Whether you're interviewing for your dream job or assessing a new team member, the key to success lies in building rapport. It’s not just about answering or asking the right questions—it's about making that genuine connection that turns an interview into a conversation. Let’s explore how both sides can achieve that.

The Common Problem and Why It is Important:

Interviewee’s Perspective: As a candidate, it’s easy to focus solely on giving the "perfect" answers, but what often gets missed is the connection with the interviewer. Without building rapport, you risk being forgotten, even if you have the right qualifications.

Interviewer’s Perspective: For interviewers, the challenge lies in seeing beyond the candidate's resume. You may have limited time to assess not just their technical abilities but how well they will fit into your team. Without a real connection, it’s hard to gauge their cultural fit, which can result in hiring someone who doesn’t integrate well into the team.

Why It’s Important: At its core, an interview is about trust. Both the interviewer and the interviewee need to trust that they are making the right decision. Rapport plays a significant role in establishing that trust, creating a more engaging and productive conversation.

Proof of Concept:

Example from Both Sides: When Sundar Pichai (Google CEO) interviewed for Google, the interview wasn’t just about technical skills. His interviewers noticed how he engaged with them on a human level—his calm demeanor, thoughtful responses, and ability to connect his ideas to the company’s future resonated with the panel. On his side, Sundar researched the interviewers, asked insightful questions, and made the conversation feel collaborative rather than transactional. This connection helped him stand out and eventually become Google’s CEO.

For interviewers, this is a reminder that great hires often come from those who not only meet the technical requirements but also make you feel like they belong in your team. For candidates, it shows that research, curiosity, and engaging with the interviewer can make a lasting impression.

Where We Went Wrong:

Common Mistakes (From Both Perspectives):

• Talking Too Much or Too Little: Interviewee: Over-explaining can overwhelm your interviewer, while being too brief can make you seem disengaged. Interviewer: Rushing through the interview or dominating the conversation can prevent candidates from opening up.
• Failing to Research the Company or Candidate: Interviewee: Not knowing enough about the company or the role shows a lack of preparation. Interviewer: Not reading the candidate's resume thoroughly or missing out on key details makes the conversation feel impersonal.
• Being Too Focused on Yourself: Interviewee: Concentrating solely on your own needs (salary, benefits) without showing interest in the company’s goals can come across as selfish. Interviewer: Focusing too much on what you need from the candidate without asking how they’d fit into your culture can seem dismissive.
• Not Asking Thoughtful Questions: Interviewee: Skipping the opportunity to ask insightful questions shows a lack of engagement. Interviewer: Missing out on follow-up questions or only sticking to technical queries can prevent deeper connections.

Why the Problem Was Challenging to Resolve:

Both Perspectives: The interview process is often rushed. Candidates feel nervous and try to balance selling themselves with staying true to who they are. Interviewers are juggling schedules and may feel pressured to evaluate quickly. Add to this the natural tension of meeting someone new, and it becomes easy to miss the mark on building rapport. Human factors—like nerves, time constraints, and pressure—make it difficult to relax into a genuine conversation.

Why It’s Easier to Resolve Now:

Access to Resources on Both Sides:

• Interviewee: You have more tools than ever to prepare. Platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn allow you to research your interviewer, while mock interview tools help you practice.
• Interviewer: With tools like Palantir’s Chatbot, Loom and resume screening software, you can streamline the process, freeing up more time to focus on engaging the candidate.
• Practice Tools and Feedback: Mock interview tools like InterviewStream provide both sides with the opportunity to simulate real interviews and receive feedback on body language, tone, and pacing.
• Awareness of Mistakes: There’s an abundance of articles and videos that outline common interview mistakes and how to avoid them. Both interviewers and interviewees can learn to recognize and correct these issues before the interview.

The New Thing That Makes It Solvable at Low Cost but High Returns:

For example, Palantir’s Interview Chatbot : For interviewers, the chatbot can simulate real interview scenarios, offering feedback on how engaging your questions are and how well you’re connecting with the candidate. It’s a tool that helps you shift from transactional interviews to conversational ones. For interviewees, it helps by preparing you to answer difficult questions, practice your tone, and learn to ask thoughtful questions. It’s a low-cost solution that increases your confidence and ability to connect.

Click the link below, and type in the Chatbot: interview me for a site inspection role (or any role you are applying for) to start your interview.

What Knowledge, Experience, and Network You’re Missing (and How to Fulfill It):

Interviewee’s Perspective:

1. Understanding Body Language: Often, candidates don’t realise how their non-verbal cues impact their interviews. From eye contact to posture, mastering these details can elevate your interview presence.
2. Asking Better Questions: Many candidates fail to ask insightful questions. Research the company’s latest initiatives, projects, or challenges to show you’ve done your homework and care about their future.

Interviewer’s Perspective:

1. Building Empathy: To create a more open conversation, it’s essential to approach interviews with empathy. Instead of sticking to a rigid format, engage the candidate by listening and reflecting back on what they’ve said.
2. Engaging Conversation: Try asking open-ended questions like, "Tell me about a challenge you faced in a previous job, and how you handled it." This will help foster more in-depth discussions.

How to Fulfill It Step-by-Step (For Both Interviewer and Interviewee):

1. Preparation is Key: Interviewee: Research the company, and interviewer, and prepare thoughtful questions that show your curiosity about their culture and challenges. Interviewer: Review the candidate’s resume thoroughly, and find areas where you can dig deeper into their experience to create a more engaging conversation.
2. Practice Makes Perfect: Interviewee: Use tools like InterviewStream or Palantir’s Chatbot to simulate interviews and receive feedback. Practice answering and asking questions with confidence. Interviewer: Practice interviewing with a colleague to refine your ability to build rapport and ask insightful, open-ended questions.
3. Stay Open and Curious: Interviewee: Listen carefully during the interview and respond thoughtfully. Show interest in the interviewer’s experiences and insights. Interviewer: Engage in active listening and reflect back what the candidate has said, demonstrating that you value their input.
4. Follow-Up Thoughtfully: Interviewee: After the interview, send a personalized follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time and referencing a specific point from the conversation. Interviewer: Follow up with candidates who stood out, providing them with feedback or additional information that could help them feel more engaged in the hiring process.

Final Words:

Whether you’re on the interviewer’s side or the interviewee’s, building rapport is critical to a successful interview. It’s not just about technical skills or ticking boxes—it’s about forming a connection. The tools are out there, the information is accessible, and with a little preparation, both sides can turn an interview into a meaningful conversation.

3 Book Recommendations (For Both Interviewers and Interviewees):

1. "Crucial Conversations" by Kerry Patterson – A masterclass in navigating high-stakes conversations and building rapport.
2. "The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success" by Steven J. Stein and Howard E. Book – A practical guide on how emotional intelligence impacts personal and professional success, with insights on how to apply EQ in interviews to improve communication and rapport.
3. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie – A timeless guide on how to make genuine connections.

1-2-3 Punch (For Both Perspectives):

1 Quote: “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” – James Humes

2 Questions:

• How can I make this interview feel more like a conversation?
• What can I do to make the other person feel comfortable and valued?

3 Actions:

• Make a conscious effort to listen more than you speak.
• Prepare two thoughtful questions that spark meaningful discussion.
• Take a moment to reflect on body language—yours and the other person’s—and adjust to create a more open atmosphere.

Reminder to Subscribe:

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Your friend,

William Zhang