A recruiters advice on interviewing

Interviewing can sometimes be nerve racking especially early on in your career, but make sure you stick to these golden rules and you will find the whole procedure more enjoyable and essentially more successful. 

Rule 1: Think “fit.” 

The interview is as much for you to determine if the company is the right fit for you as for the company to decide if you are the right fit for them.

Rule 2: Impressions matter. 

Be on time, not too early either. Be professional and conservative in your appearance. Watch the length of the skirt and the cut of the blouse. Shirts should be pressed, neat and should fit you. Your care about yourself is a statement about the care of your work.

Rule 3. Be positive, upbeat, optimistic and congenial. 

Notice details around you to ask about to start a casual conversation; this helps both parties relax. Be human and work first to connect to the interviewer as a person.

Rule 4. Have three great questions ready to ask to show that you want to fully understand how you can make a significant difference in the company. 

This also ensures that if you feel an uncomfortable pause, you have a question ready to keep the conversation moving. Here are my suggestions:

1. How do you feel the current market is affecting business?

2. What do your employees like most about working here? What do your employees find most challenging about working here?

3. How are employees held accountable for making a difference in their jobs?

Rule 5: Focus on your value. 

Interviews are the time for you to give more details about what you are great at and how you add value. Don’t be shy about your ability to make a difference. Be sure you can quantify your impact; give details about how you improved things, invented things, saved the company money, brought a team together more, etc. The more you can focus the interview around your value, the more the hiring company will see that they need you.

Rule 6: Be confident, not arrogant. 

There is a fine line between being confident and sure of your abilities, and starting every sentence with “I.” Confidence is what they want to see in an interview and if you are applying for a job that uses what you are good at, and you are passionate about doing, you will be confident. If you interview for jobs that don’t match your interests, talents and passions, you will find that you have to make yourself sound greater and more “extraordinary.” This is what makes you sound arrogant. So, be casual and confident. Go into the interview knowing you are a good fit for the job and will be able to make a big difference. Don’t be humble. Don’t be arrogant. Be confident.

Rule 7: Make sure you know all the facts. 

Be sure you know the expectations, pay rate, working conditions, benefits, and any specific details of the job; confirm your understanding of the details of the position during your interview. This not only ensures you are well informed so you can make a good decision about accepting or not accepting the job, but it also shows theinterviewer that you have done your homework to understand the company and are ensuring your understanding is accurate and complete. This shows focus, conscientiousness and commitment – all attributes needed in any position.

Rule 8: Look for common ground. 

There are studies out that support that we connect best to people who share similar interests or attributes with us. As you approach your interview, notice pictures, objects, awards and other things that first give you information about the interviewer, but also help you see areas about which you both can connect. If you both have coached soccer, lived in a section of a city, drive a certain car, etc…you have some commonality. This makes the interview more personal and more comfortable for both.

Rule 9: Remember the power of body language. Your communication message comes through in three elements:

1. Verbal – what you say (the words you choose).

2. Vocal – how you say what you say (inflection, volume, intonation).

3. Visual – what you look like (body language).

Okay, here is what is really important. Your message comes through each of these elements in different percentages (which means some of the elements of communication are more important than others). Only 7% of your message comes through in your verbal (words), 38% comes through in your vocal (intonation) and 55% comes through in your visual (body language). That means what you look like, your facial expressions, how you sit, how you shake hands all convey more of your real message than what you say and how you say it. This is because what you really feel is conveyed to your 53 facial muscles without any “editing.” 

When it comes to the words we choose and the way we say things, we can edit and control our delivery. So watch your body language. If the interviewer describes a the hours of the job and you hate working second shift, you may say “fine” but your face will convey that hours are not fine. You may actually roll your eyes or shake your head as you say fine. The interviewer believes your body language more than your spoken language.

The same works in the reverse. When your body language is excited, interested and engaged, it creates a greater impression than just if your language and tone is upbeat and positive. So get excited about your interview – it will show.

Rule 10: Have fun. 

Now not many people think that interviews are fun but think for a minute about how differently you feel and act when you are stressed and when you are having fun. Which showcases the better you? Then shouldn’t you look to find a way to be relaxed, be casual, be conversation and be human? And when you act this way, you will find the interviewer (if they weren’t wise enough to act this way from the start) will join you. And for fun I mean be focused but casual. Ask questions about how the workplace has a good time. Ask questions about what the interviewer does for fun when he/she is not working. Share what hobbies you have because your hobbies show your passions. Not only does this give the interviewer more information about you (and good information), but when you talk about the things you love to do, you get more energized, more relaxed and more confident. These are the attributes they need to see in the interview. Warning – stay away from sharing jokes unless you are great at it. Most jokes backfire. But fun isn’t always about jokes.

Remember – be sincere, honest and human. Show what you are great at. Be confident in your abilities. Speak from the heart. Find out the facts. Be sure you fit for them and they fit for you. Then, once hired, blow them away with your great performance. Good luck. Be great.