The big day has finally arrived, along with all the preparation and effort it takes to receive an invitation to interview. With the anticipation of a meeting also comes the reality of having to convince the interviewer that you are the right candidate for the job. Coming in with a few strategies beforehand will generate more interest and make you the most desirable candidate.
As a job candidate, you have two main objectives you must address during your interview: emphasize your contributions and share information needed for the interviewer to make a good decision. The following five strategies will help you impress the interviewer and reach your goals.
1. Be prepared. Conducting research ahead of time will boost your confidence and sense of control by developing knowledge about the company. The time you spend researching through online profiles and talking with your network will pay off when answering questions about your skill sets. To help you talk about your accomplishments, use a self-awareness exercise called an interview comparison sheet. An interview comparison sheet helps you prepare by matching your skills to the employer’s core competencies that are mentioned in the job description.
2. Listen to the questions. When the interview jitters hit often the first area affected is your listening skills. It is difficult to focus on the questions asked when your energy is being sent to how nervous you feel. It’s OK to clarify a question you don’t understand; trying to guess is likely to lead to mistakes. Make sure you are on the same page as the interviewer by paraphrasing the question and giving an example of how you used specific skills to address the employer’s need. Giving an answer to a different question asked sends a message that you lack understanding.
3. Choose your answers carefully. Candidates often assume the interviewer has thoroughly read their resume. With tight schedules managers frequently don’t have the time to read every accomplishment and will ask seemingly redundant questions about your skills obviously stated on your resume. Some decision-makers want to hear you talk about your resume and expand on your experience. It’s your responsibility to make sure the interviewer understands clearly your background and how your skills relate to their needs.
4. Take good notes. When a good exchange of information is flowing it can be difficult to remember everything discussed. Taking notes accomplishes two points; it sends a message that you care and helps you when following up with the interviewer. The key is not to dwell on capturing the details during your note taking, but to instead focus on the highlights. Taking notes should not be seen as a distraction in the dialogue but rather a way to show your professionalism in genuinely being interested in the interview.
5. Ask open-ended questions. Interviewers often judge candidates by the questions they ask during the interview. Questions serve a dual purpose as they help you determine if you want to work for the employer and helps increase your understanding of what the employer expects. Open-ended questions send a powerful message that you care about the employers needs and are genuinely interested in the position.
Using these five strategies will help you impress the interviewer and increase your chances of standing out from the competition. All of them require effort and time; however, the payoff in landing the job is worth it.
As a job candidate, how did you impress the interviewer and land the offer? As a hiring decision-maker, how do candidates impress you the most?
