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DURING THE INTERVIEW

Even with your preparation to rest upon, you can still expect nervous tension. You’re on the spot. It’s natural to feel a little uneasy. The employer knows that, having experienced the same thing himself. It doesn’t have to mess up your interview. Proceed, and as you do, keep these tips in mind.

First impressions count. Be on time and look sharp. The employer is already employed and has the luxury of being late. You don’t. Tardiness will be taken as a sure sign that you will always be late for work. Dress, at the least, as you would if you were on the job, and probably a step or two higher than that. It’s almost impossible to err on the conservative side and easy to go astray by being too casual. If you are a bit over-dressed, the worst that will happen is that the employer will assume you are trying to impress her. Is that bad?

Start strong. As stressed above, research proves that it’s important to begin on the most positive note possible. Be on the alert for that predictable open-ended, beginning question, “Tell me about yourself.” Don’t interpret it as an icebreaker. It’s the real thing. The interview has begun. Trot out your main strength and its proof. Get the flying start you want.

Send the right behavioural signals. Let’s not belabour what pop psychology has already beaten to death. To the greatest degree possible, relax and be yourself. Aim for a demeanour that is attentive but moderate. You don’t want to look like you’re ready for a nap, but you also don’t need military posture. If you normally use hand gestures, go ahead. Just don’t flap around like a seagull. Establish eye contact to show self-confidence.

Communicate carefully. Since we all know that interviews are all about us talking, we are quick to rush in and fill any silence with our words, whether or not we’ve decided what we want to say. Often, to the listener our words sound like gobbledygook. It figures. How can you be clear when you aren’t organized? Take your time. If you need clarification, ask for it. It’s okay to pause, reflect, and get your act together before you start talking.

If you know you speak with an accent that others sometimes find difficult to decipher, you’ll naturally want to do your very best to speak as clearly and intelligibly as you can. Be especially alert for speaking too softly or too rapidly. Adjust you pace and your volume accordingly. If necessary, ask if you were understood.

Appear enthusiastic. Projecting low energy or being flat in your voice or demeanour can be devastating. These impressions are drawn from your expression and your tone of voice more than the words you utter. If you know that you tend to have low affect or speak in a monotone, it’s advisable to use a little trick. Raise your eyebrows when talking. It may sound silly, but our voices tend to follow our expression and raised eyebrows put liveliness into your voice. Try it. A smile here and there is nice, too.

Participate, don’t dominate. Let the employer set the tempo. In most cases, that won’t be a problem. The interview will move briskly along and you’ll be surprised when it has ended. You can expect to do at least half of the talking. Some, though, may be torturously slow. The employer will plod and pause and hem and haw. Don’t let it rattle you. Your task remains the same. Make a good impression by settling in for a rather tedious pace. Perhaps the most difficult situation is the employer who converts the interview into a monologue. It’s awkward, but you need to occasionally find a way to interrupt the droning and make a few points of your own. Look for pauses and use “That reminds me…” beginnings for your own comments. Mostly, though, you can expect to do a lot of listening.

Ask questions. At some point in the interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions. Count on it. You look disinterested if you don’t, so prepare specific questions for each interview. Some of these questions can be general but others should reflect the research you did on the company.

You can always begin a question with the line, “I noticed on your website…” or “Your annual report indicated that…” and then ask for an elaboration. The point won’t be missed.




Use the closing. The closing minutes of the interview are kind of a wrap-up. Don’t ask about salary. Never leave an interview with an uneasy “I wish I had said…” feeling. If there were omissions, get them in now. Likewise, never leave an interview without knowing when you can expect to hear from the employer. Most will make a point of telling you, but if they don’t, ask. The best way to end your interview is the same way you started it. While shaking hands, thank the employer for the interview, reiterate your interest in the position and cite your primary qualification as a reminder of how good an employee you would be. If you weren’t offered a business card, ask for one.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Hiring decisions can be hair-splitting exercises. Often, the employer must make a tough choice between two or more closely matched candidates. Give yourself the edge after the interview.

Keep notes. As soon as you can after the interview, jot down some notes to yourself. Record the date of the interview. If you didn’t get a business card, make sure you have the correct spelling of the interviewer’s name. If it is a tricky pronunciation, write it out phonetically as well. What are your impressions of how the interview went? Did you learn something new and important about the employer? What is to happen next and when? Were there any weak spots or points that you failed to make? Keep these important notes in an orderly fashion. You need to stay organized and have this information at your fingertips. Scribbling upon little pieces of paper that get lost in the laundry won’t work.

Write a thank you note. It’s standard advice, but only about ten percent of all job seekers follow it. That’s precisely why you should. A few well-phrased words of gratitude, as well as a reaffirmation of your interest, can make your interview – and you – more memorable. Unless you’re specifically asked to correspond by e-mail, it’s best to send this note through the postal service. If you omitted something important from your interview or didn’t adequately bolster one of your points with a pertinent specific, you can briefly include it in this note. Send the note within 24 hours of the interview.

Stay in pursuit. If the interviewer suggested that you take additional steps such as completing applications, visiting branch offices, calling later, or talking to others, take the advice seriously. It was given for a reason and if you ignore it, it could cost you the offer.

Don’t wait too long. Employers don’t always live up to their own best intentions. If you were told you would hear by the end of the week and you haven’t, give the employer a reminder call. It’s reasonable and will underscore your interest. Usually, you’ll simply be told that the decision is still under consideration and be given a revised timeline. Go back to waiting, and after the new deadline has passed, if you still haven’t heard, call again. During such calls, you may get disappointing news. “Sorry, we should have gotten to you earlier, but we hired someone else for the position yesterday.” That’s tough and it will hurt, but it’s still news you need to hear.

A FEW SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Telephone Interviews. Sometimes an employer may ask to interview you by phone. Sure, this takes away the obvious advantages of going face to face, but, on the other hand, it gives you a couple of advantages, too. Pick a time and place that maximizes your comfort and privacy. Make sure you will be in a quiet setting. Schedule your phone interview carefully, avoiding times or situations when you might become hurried or interrupted.

If the employer calls without warning and you don’t have these conditions in place, politely explain that and ask to arrange a different call. You won’t have to sit in one of those uncomfortable hard-back chairs. And you can be equipped with notes. Keep these simple, you won’t want to be shuffling through papers, looking for your prepared answer to a question. Having a few helpful reminders on hand – points you want to be sure to make – can give you a boost.

Don’t short-change yourself in preparing for a telephone interview. You should take exactly the same steps as you would for any other interview.

Video Interviews. Talking to a camera can be taxing. Subconsciously, we are always looking for signals and reinforcement from our listener. Often, an expression or body language tells us if we are being understood or if we are successfully making our points. To be without that instant reinforcement and direction hurts. To the degree that you can, do your very best to remember that you are talking to a person. It might even help to envision someone if the situation is not a live, two-way video interview. If your career centre offers practice videotaped interviewing sessions, take advantage of them. If not, you may want to try it on your own just to get comfortable with the process.

Group Interviews. Interviewing panels or committees are commonly used in government, education, and social service agencies. You might find the prospect of facing a group of interviewers intimidating, but don’t confuse this process with the “Grand Inquisition.” Consider it an advantage. With more people in the room, everything doesn’t rest upon the reactions and judgement of one person. Although you may not click with everyone, your chances of finding an advocate within the group are reasonably good.

The most important thing to remember in such situations is to address every person in the room. They are all there to be a part of the hiring decision and if you seem to be talking with the highest ranking person or the friendliest face, you run the risk of offending someone else, losing their vote. From time to time, visually scan the room, making eye contact with even the most silent or foreboding members of the group.

NO FAILURES, JUST LESSONS

Well, that’s probably stretching it a bit. You will blow some interviews. You are human. But even when you are clicking and doing it all right, you won’t always come out on the right side of that hair-splitting decision. Let there be no doubt about it, even in the best of economic times, rejection is a nearly inevitable part of the interviewing process. Not everyone loves us. Toughen up and live with it. Your success rate multiplies with persistence. Try to learn from problems you encounter. Work on questions that give you a tough time. At your next interview, remember to work in those items that you wished you had said in the last interview. With outstanding preparation and a little practice, interviewing can be fun.