Interviews
most interviewers have made their mind up in the first few moments...
Have you ever noticed how much a job interview has in common with a first date? In both cases you’re trying to convince someone that you’re just the one for them. There are differences, of course, like 70% of the sexual attraction between dating couples is subconsciously related to smell! But just like a date, you should still try to enjoy an interview, because if you can, you’re much more likely to get the job.
The most surprising thing is that in both cases the outcome is usually decided within the first few minutes. You may find this hard to believe, but research shows that most interviewers have made their mind up in those first moments, after which all the questions and so on are just used to add weight to the decision. Important ‘first impression’ makers? Sustained eye contact, a warm smile, good posture, and introducing yourself in a relaxed and confident manner. Just like on a date!
So what are the ‘critical success factors’ that will maximise your chances?
Well first of all there’s no point even turning up if you haven’t done your research properly. Just like on a date, if your background, education and interests don’t match, the chances of success are pretty slim aren’t they? So it is with a job. If your skills, education, experience and style aren’t right, you’re not going to get on well, even if you do get the job. So start by making good choices. Don’t apply for everything in the newspapers, just because it’s there. Pro-actively decide what’s right for you and go for the jobs where the fit is pretty good. Think about their lifestyle implications, your career goals, and the kinds of people and environments that you prefer. Most people don’t spend nearly enough time thinking about themselves when they’re job-hunting.
You put a lot of time and effort into your style and reputation when it come to attracting a possible date, don’t you? Well it’s the same with a job application. You must match the style and mind set of your target company. So the elegance and presentation of your application matter a lot more than content. Because you’ve got about 10 seconds of the assessor’s quality eyeball time before your application starts on its way to the bin.
So if the company is large, international and formal, your application letter and CV must match their expectations. Perfect wording, perfect grammar and spelling, perfect layout. And keep it tight. Style is everything, so if you’re not sure how, get professional advice. A perfect presentation is worth paying for. The application letter must also say the right things about you. Mirror the advertisement and make sure you address their selection criteria. Talk about your achievements and not your qualifications! After all, a date will ask ‘has this guy DONE anything, or is he all mouth’? It’s exactly the same with your application.
And so to the interview!
Let’s start with the basics. Get there early! No excuse is good enough for being late. You MUST arrive on time. If it means getting somewhere an hour early because you’re not sure about the traffic, do it! You can always find a coffee-shop where you can wait. Arrive about 10 minutes ahead of your appointment, inform the receptionist of your arrival and select a chair where you can sit upright and alert. Try to suss out the feel of the organisation from the way people behave, posters, ‘waiting room magazines’ and stuff.
Do your homework ahead of time. Understand what the job involves, how it fits into the overall organisation and contributes to the success of the company. How would your background and talents improve it? Make sure you know everything it’s reasonable for you to know about the organisation before you arrive. Who’s who, especially the boss. What the organisation does. Its origins. Type and number of employees. Recent news reports. Their financials if it’s a public company. Don’t be forced to admit that you know little or nothing about them!
And above all, know how they dress.
Don’t laugh. Every organisation has a dress code, usually unwritten. And you’d better know all about it for your interview. After all you think seriously about what to wear for a date don’t you? The first impression you want your potential employers to get is that you understand business life, and can be trusted to represent them to people outside the company. It also encourages the interviewer to take you and what you say seriously.
Aim to dress just a little better than the salary you are expecting, and smarter than you would for a working day in the job itself. Dressing a little above your station is not pretentious. It’s sensible. The only way they can imagine you in the company is to visualise you there. Give them a helping hand by looking right, and sleek. Good interns do this all the time, looking as if they are on a salary even if they are only wearing a well ironed shirt from the sale rack.
Decide what to wear well before the day of your interview. Get your stuff cleaned or repaired if necessary. If it’s new, wear it at least once before your interview. Make sure that all the buttons and zips work. You don’t want to have to give your clothes a second thought as you go to the interview.
Work hard on your initial impression. Practice those first few opening words and social pleasantries. Like ‘chat-up lines’ they set the scene in your favour. Think about how you sit. What is your position and expression saying about you? What do you do with your hands? Aim to mirror the ‘body language’ of your interviewer: if he sits forward, you do too. If she’s relaxed, subtly match her style.
Above all, are you saying, subliminally, that you are the right person for the job? Confident, self assured, in control. Making good eye contact, alert and looking confident, even if you don’t feel it! To build a good rapport you should listen closely, speak clearly, and show by gestures and facial expressions that you are receptive to the interviewer’s thoughts and questions.
And believe it or not, interviewers do want to hire you. So be positive. And be yourself. But present your highs and not the lows, the enthusiasms and not the doubts. It’s natural to feel nervous before an interview, but you can reduce it by controlling stress. Get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, allow plenty of time, find the loo when you arrive! Exchange a few polite words with someone, a waitress, receptionist, secretary, whoever, just before the interview. It will relax you and get your brain in gear.
Assume you’re being watched from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, so create a good impression with everyone you meet, and smile! If you’re being interviewed by more than one person, include all of them when you are answering questions. Even if one person is doing most of the talking, it’s polite and professional to maintain eye contact with everyone.
Listen to the questions, answer them as honestly as possible, and don’t bluff. And don’t be tempted for one moment to slag off a previous boss or job. You may be right, but choose something else to talk about! Along with cold, fishy, handshakes and being too pushy about money, this is a huge turn off for an interviewer. Be genuinely enthusiastic and make a point of truly enjoying the whole process from beginning to end, it’s not often we get a chance to talk about ourselves to someone who really wants to know! Your enjoyment will communicate self-assurance to the interviewer. So have fun, and soon you’ll be the one getting the job!