Mastering the Art of First Impressions: How to Start an Interview Strong

/ Communication, Development, Human Resources, Job Interviews, Personal Development / By Obi

The seasoned interviewer or not, you have to master the art of making a great first impression if you want your interview to get off on the right foot.?

Especially in a competitive job market, there are hardly any occasions for second chances to create that strong first impression with an interview. Advanced preparation will ensure that the first few moments of an interview set a positive tone for what may come next, helping to shape how your interviewer perceives you. Successfully interviewing is about understanding the subtleties of how you look, talk, and behave.?

As a seasoned pro or someone just beginning to navigate the job market, it is so important to know some of the fundamentals when thinking about how you should interview. Hi people, here comes the long-awaited blog on how to crack any interview covering strategies including one being the STAR method and the other the SAR technique along with some additional tips like maintaining posture during an interview. You will finally know how to conduct yourself in an interview, what you should wear and how to speak in an interview.?

How to Ace an Interview??

Performing well in an interview is not just about answering questions correctly, you need to come across as the best person for the role. The key to interviewing well is first, preparation. Know the Company, Know What You Are Applying For, and Be Ready to Discuss How Your Experience Matches the Job?

6 Strategies to Nail Your Interview?

• Know the Job: Read through the job description before your interview. Understand what skills and experiences one must have and be ready to explain how you fit these requirements.?
• Prepare Common Questions: Know a few basic questions of interview type that you might be asked and prepare well. Be Brief and Specific?
• Dress to impress: This is part of your first impression How to dress for the role and company culture. To be on the safe side, always over-dress but avoid looking like you tried too hard.?
• Being on time — is one of the most important characteristics of great interview behavior. Plan to be there at a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes early, wherever you apply, and display that the interviewer appreciates your time.?
• If you need more help on preparing for an interview using the mental stuff, check out Master Your Mind Coaching. Where we work together to make sure that you walk into any impending interviews with confidence and clarity in how to tackle it.?
• Interviewing…The STAR Method?
• STAR is a very effective way to answer behavioral interview questions (for example: tell me about a time when…) which are meant to determine how you responded in past situations. It is an acronym meaning Situation, Task, Action, and Result which provides a way to deliver your experiences in this structured method.?

How to Use the STAR Method:?

SITUATION: You can start by describing the situation or challenge you faced in your work. Give an example that is approx. two lines long for the interviewer to understand where you are coming from when using this method:?

TASK: Describe the action you took to Filter your results Task Tell us what role or project helped to qualify this experience. What was your role??

ACTION: Describe what you did to respond to the situation. In this part, talk about what you did — showcasing your abilities and level of skill.?

RESULT: Conclude with what all happened. Be as specific with the results of your work as you can to demonstrate what success looks like.?

The STAR technique helps you highlight your problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork skills — three of the key behaviors that employers assess in an interview.?

What is the SAR Technique??

Just like the STAR approach, this haply applies to a technique called SAR (situation-action-result) which you can use for answering behavioral questions during an interview. A little more simplified than STAR, but effective.?

Understanding the SAR Technique:?

• Example of situation: Describe a specific event that took place in your previous job / academic life.?
• Action: Include your actions but communicate what you did to address this problem. Highlight how you help solve this pain point.?
• Outcome — The outcome of your behaviors… what did you do next and how did it have a positive benefit on the situation or assisting in obtaining results??
• The SAR method works if you want to be clear and direct together with your solutions. A great tool for showing good interview behavior with a concrete example of what to focus on.?

What Are Interview Behaviors??

The other side of the coin is your interview behavior — be it in body language, how you greet on being introduced, or after that one-liners. Good manners in an interview can set you apart and increase your chances of being hired.?

• Attain Purpose Examples of Good Interview Behavior?
• Maintain A Positive Attitude: Keeping a positive attitude during the interview sets you out as excited and interested.?
• Active Listening: Fully process different things that the interviewer says and be at peace with them all before you make any response. The level of respect and teaching fullness to his/her questions.?
• Confidence: Feel confident discussing the experiences and capabilities you bring to the table without sounding arrogant. Being confident is by far the most important thing when convincing your interviewer that you are The Person for this job.?
• Etiquette: Gotta have good interview manners Be polite, thank the interviewer for their time, and appreciate that they took you in an interview.?
• If you need a more in-depth overhaul of your interview manners and are struggling to change some behaviors during an interview then this is most likely the best solution for you.?

Behavioral Interview Technique?

The behavioral interview is a style of questioning that asks applicants to more thoroughly explain past behaviors and experiences. What they all assume is that the best predictor of future behavior, so far as a human being goes (which their systems do not take into account), IS PAST BEHAVIOR. The purpose of this test is to ascertain whether the person has the skills and behaviors required for future success in that position.?

Common Scenario of Behavioral Interviews?

• Situational Questions: Interviewers will ask you how you handled certain situations in previous roles. We all have common behavioral interview questions but they tend to start with “Tell me about a time when … …” or “Can you provide an example of..”.?
• Behavioral Interviews: The likelihood of soft-skills questions in a behavioral interview is high such as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. Not only skills that are required for any job role, but they are often the differentiator between successful applicants and those who have applied.?
• STAR and SAR Methods: STAR & SAR methods as explained earlier are very important strategies to prepare your responses to behavioral questions.?
• Learning how to approach behavioral interview questions is important as it allows you to show employers what they want in an interview. If you prepare examples before the interview of your experience using these methods in past experiences, it will show that despite whatever may be thrown at you with this job — well, I got this.?

What your body says to employers in an interview?

Though it can be very subtle, your body language speaks volumes and is one of the most vital non-verbal forms of communication that will shape an interviewer’s opinion. The way you sit, move your hands, look others directly in the eye, and use facial expressions are all components that indicate who you are.?

Body Language Tips For A Positive Signal?

• Eye Contact: Keeping eye contact conveys confidence and engagement in the conversation. Do not keep looking and making the interviewer uneasy.?
• Good posture = Non-verbal confidence & listening This will make you look uninterested. · Don’t slouch?
• Here is another good tip: Some Hand Gesturing — to help with emphasis; however, do not go overboard…. All your movements should be smooth and controlled.?
• Authentic Smile: An authentic smile irrespective of whether it’s positive or negative will help create a connection as seen to be approachable and friendly.?
• Your body language during an interview matters nearly as much as what you say. This is one of the main points in interview etiquette that will result in a good impression.?

Conclusion?

Job seekers looking to succeed in the competitive job market of today must master not just the art, but also the science behind their interview behaviors. Making a Good First Impression to Using the STAR / SAR techniques well — It dictates how you should behave in an interview. You can be the perfect candidate for an ideal role just by working on good interview manners, body language, and behavioral-based interview techniques.?

Remember, preparation is key. Use resources such as Master Your Mind Coaching to gain interview skills and grow your confidence. Assuming you approach these tips with the proper attitude, it will equip you to breeze through your next interview and start building that dream career.