You have gotten through to the interview, so congratulations! You have done all your preparation and been through the company’s website so many times that you know it by heart. You have prepared everything very carefully, chosen the right outfit and you have prepared for all eventualities for getting there on time. But how do you actually do the interview to show off your strengths and make the best possible impact so that they must give you the job? Here are 8 hacks to make you stand out.
1. Make a positive first impression.
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” —Harlan Hogan
Did you know that some companies now ask their front of house staff to report on the way candidates introduce themselves when they arrive for the interview? Courtesy always pays off. Once you are inside the room, the main thing to remember is that you need to make eye contact, shake hands confidently and also smile. You have to make sure that you do not mumble or speak indistinctly. You cannot imagine a mumbler getting on the short list, can you?
2. Don’t dominate the conversation.
As someone has remarked, the interview is a dialogue, not a monologue. Whatever you do, do not go flat out to impress by talking too much and dominating the interview. You need to find out how the interviewers view the company and what their goals are. That can often be very illuminating and can guide you when answering their questions.
3. Use the STAR method.
When you use this in answering questions, it is a great way to ensure that nothing gets left out. Start with the situation (S), then move on to the task (T). Talk about the action (A) you took which should be the dominant element and finish off with the result (R). They might ask you how you dealt with a problem when time was running out. You could give details of when your company had to give a presentation on a new product to industry leaders. The person who was to do this got stuck in a traffic jam. You had to find a replacement and you got some extra time by asking for a later time slot. You were able to find someone else and it went well. The original speaker was able to arrive for questions and useful contacts were made.
4. Be transparent about your weaknesses.
They always ask that question about your greatest weakness. If you respond by saying that you are just not on the same wavelength as those who don’t bring passion, dedication and diligence to the job, then nobody will believe you. No one is perfect and what they want to know is what happened and what you learned from a failure. Or perhaps they are homing in on some weakness you have as regards character and how you have dealt with that. You may be very impatient with less dedicated colleagues but you can only make an impact by saying how you deal with that in the workplace. Talk about the strategies you use to overcome any weakness so that it is always part of your development.
5. Be positive about your previous work experience.
The message you want to get across is that you are on a learning curve and that difficult working conditions have actually helped you overcome some problems and made you more aware of certain issues. Once you start going on about all the negative aspects and criticizing people openly, then you can be sure that you are not going to be on the hire list. You are just confirming that you are indiscreet and perhaps, even worse, a whiner.
6. Ask searching questions.
When you are asked if you have any questions, forget all those rather trivial ones about sick pay, holidays, salary and bonuses. This is what all the other candidates are going to ask about. You are not going to fall into that trap. Why not find out what the company wants from you and what they expect you to achieve in the first three months? These opportunities may come up during the interview, rather than at the end. Whenever you get a chance to ask a question, use it to make yourself stand out. Ask them what they think the company will look like in a year’s time as regards their products, marketing, revenues or teams or whatever is relevant. Try asking them what you will need to concentrate on if you are to make the impact they want in the first three months. You could also find out what are the main challenges this position will need to solve in the long term.
7. Show your passion and energy.
Most candidates are on a spectrum from the very shy to the show off. But what will really make you stand out is your ability to actually convey the passion and the energy you have for various parts of your work, your skills sets and your achievements. Yes, you can be modest about these but show that these are steps on the ladder. A great way to stand out is to show enthusiasm, confidence, energy and passion for the job. A dull, negative or passive person will never get the job.
8. Showcase your work.
It is not enough to actually say what you have done or what you organized. You need to have these things with you if they are relevant to the interview. If they ask you about what role you had in a fundraising event, why not actually show them the invitations, publicity, and other relevant documents? This is why it is so important to have these in your portfolio with you. You can whip them out at a moment’s notice. You have to ensure that they are all easily labelled and that there is no fumbling.
Follow these techniques to make sure that you are going to be noticed and that you make a positive impact. If you do, your chances of getting the job will be much better.
Featured photo credit: Last thoughts during the interview/Matthew Hurst via flickr.com
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