Great interviews arise from careful groundwork. You can ace your next interview if you
SIBU BABU
interview if you
1. Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the state from
which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate. You'll need
to quiet the negative self chatter in your head through meditation or
visualization prior to sitting down in the meeting. You'll focus on the
present moment and will be less apt to experience lapses in
concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation.
2. Act spontaneous, but be well prepared. Be your authentic self,
professional yet real. Engage in true conversation with your
interviewer, resting on the preparation you did prior to coming to the
meeting. Conduct several trial runs with another person simulating the
interview before it actually occurs. It's the same as anticipating the
questions you'll be asked on a final exam.
3. Set goals for the interview. It is your job to leave the meeting
feeling secure that the interviewer knows as much as he or she possibly
can about your skills, abilities, experience and achievements. If you
sense there are misconceptions, clear them up before leaving. If the
interviewer doesn't get around to asking you important questions, pose
them yourself (diplomatically) and answer them. Don't leave the meeting
without getting your own questions answered so that you have a clear
idea of what you would be getting yourself into. If possible, try to
get further interviews, especially with other key players.
4. Know the question behind the question. Ultimately, every question
boils down to, "Why should we hire you?" Be sure you answer that
completely. If there is a question about your meeting deadlines,
consider whether the interviewer is probing delicately about your
personal life, careful not to ask you whether your family
responsibilities will interfere with your work. Find away to address
fears if you sense they are present.
5. Follow up with an effective "thank you" letter. Don't write this
letter lightly. It is another opportunity to market yourself. Find some
areas discussed in the meeting and expand upon them in your letter.
Writing a letter after a meeting is a very minimum. Standing out among
the other candidates will occur if you thoughtfully consider this
follow up letter as an additional interview in which you get to do all
the talking. Propose useful ideas that demonstrate your added value to
the team.
6. Consider the interviewer's agenda. Much is on the shoulders of the
interviewer. He or she has the responsibility of hiring the right
candidate. Your ability to do the job will need to be justified. "Are
there additional pluses here?" "Will this person fit the culture of
this organization?" These as well as other questions will be heavily on
the interviewer's mind. Find ways to demonstrate your qualities above
and beyond just doing the job.
7. Expect to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." This is a
pet question of prepared and even unprepared interviewers. Everything
you include should answer the question, "Why should we hire you?"
Carefully prepare your answer to include examples of achievements from
your work life that closely match the elements of the job before you.
Obviously, you'll want to know as much about the job description as you
can before you respond to the question.
8. Watch those nonverbal clues. Experts estimate that words express
only 30% to 35% of what people actually communicate; facial expressions
and body movements and actions convey the rest. Make and keep eye
contact. Walk and sit with a confident air. Lean toward an interviewer
to show interest and enthusiasm. Speak with a well-modulated voice that
supports appropriate excitement for the opportunity before you.
9. Be smart about money questions. Don't fall into the trap of telling
the interviewer your financial expectations. You may be asking for too
little or too much money and in each case ruin your chances of being
offered the job. Instead, ask what salary range the job falls in.
Attempt to postpone a money discussion until you have a better
understanding of the scope of responsibilities of the job.
10. Don't hang out your dirty laundry. Be careful not to bare your soul
and tell tales that are inappropriate or beyond the scope of the
interview. State your previous experience in the most positive terms.
Even if you disagreed with a former employer, express your enthusiasm
for earlier situations as much as you can. Whenever you speak
negatively about another person or situation in which you were directly
involved, you run the risk (early in the relationship) of appearing
like a troubled person who may have difficulty working with others.
Closing the interview
1. If you are interested in the position, let the interviewer know. If
you feel the position is attractive and you want it, be a good
salesperson and say something like: "I'm very impressed with what I've
seen here today; your company, its products and the people I've met. I
am confident I could do an excellent job in the position you've
described to me." The interviewer will be impressed with your
enthusiasm.
2. Don't be too discouraged if no immediate commitment is made. The
interviewer will probably want to communicate with other people in the
company or possibly interview more candidates before making a decision.
3. If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and
that you have already been rejected, don't let your discouragement
show. Once in a while an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you
may seem to discourage you as a way of testing your reaction.
4. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. If you
have answered the two questions-- "Why are you interested in this
position?" and "What can you offer?"-- you have done all you can.