We naturally panic when facing an interview even if it is our 5th time in a 12-year career. That is kinda good because that means we want that job and cannot afford to slip up. Believe me you, most times than not these days, it is not about how much you know the stuff that you are going to be hired for but your nature and personality that matter more. There are going to be at least a dozen out of 100 that are going to have similar skills. Now how do they chose the last 3 they want ? They’ll probably look at your confidence, maybe check team-play, or sometimes your sense of humor.
Before we begin let me point out these things that are an absolute must. Have a clean, yet descriptive CV, know about the company and prepare for these basic questions like “Tell me about yourself”, “What’s your weakness ?” and “Explain how you would be an asset to the organization”. Now you are in the zone. Let’s have a look at these other 5 things to try out when facing an interview so that you land the job.
1. Discover ways to look confident and here’s a couple:
Before an interview, imagine that you and the interview have been friends / partners for years. Your comfort will read as confidence and security. And you will seem to belong in their life. Next would be: Wearing proper clothes with a dash of a fashion statement will be like perfume to people. So go for it and look like you are good at charming people too. It truly is the ‘small’ things that make or break your interview. Don’t leave anything to chance.
2. Get in depth in a topic likely to be asked about (look in your possible job description) :
Example: If you’re interviewing with oGogle, here’s two ways to answer: “What’s Google’s biggest opportunity in the next 5 years?”
Weak: “I think wearable technology will be big because Google Glass and Apple Watch represent a new trend that shows…”
Strong: “Call me geeky, but I was listening to Google’s quarterly earnings call and was blown away by the fact that display advertising hit over $5 billion in the past few years. Therefore, I think that…”
Neither answer is wrong, but the latter says much more. It shows you’ve done your homework and give answers rooted in data.
3. Ask the right questions:
Every interview will come to this step. So preparing for it only makes sense. Drop this one for instance : Are There Professional Development Opportunities?”. The answer will quickly tell you if and how much the organization invests in its employees. In general, a company with a good-sized professional development budget likes to help its employees grow—and promote from within. Another one would be : “What’s a Challenge You Think I’ll Face in This Role?”. You are now using the situation to your advantage. But just do not ask unnecessary ones at all.
4. Wait for a joke:
When people laugh in a group, they instinctively have warmer feelings towards others. This is biology for you. Having a good sense of humor reduces stress, helps you cope with pain, creates empathy in social situations, and can even improve your odds of finding a job. This can be a double edged sword so don’t bring it up, rather use the words of the interviewer. Make it short and effective.
5. Be ready for a ridiculous question :
This has all to do with problem-solving in unfamiliar situations. These are designed not to check whether you have the correct answer but rather your creativity, patience or troubleshooting abilities. For example: How many traffic lights are there in Florida ? Unprepared souls would lose their color immediately. A good guesstimate or process of thinking is what they are looking for. If you know roughly how big Florida is then you can guess the number of lights in a square mile and then conclude with the final answer. Loud thinking might also help.