There are many things that you can do that can take away some of the pressure during a job interview. The way that you behave is one of the most important elements. It is not all in the words that come out of your mouth, but it often has a lot to do with the mannerisms that you use.
Interviewers are not just wondering if you’re skilled enough for the job, they’re often wondering if you would fit in nicely with your co-workers. Your personality is also a big part of your job interview and may make all the difference. Here are some of the little things that you should pay especially close attention to during a job interview.
You don’t want to be chewing gum or breath mints during your interview. You also do not want to speak in slang during your interview either. It’s unprofessional and rude.
Showing Confidence
You can’t enter into an interview with a defeatist attitude. You also can’t mope or exude too much placidity in your manner. It’s not inviting, and doesn’t give the impression of a person that you may want to face every day.
Be sure of your abilities without appearing too cocky or narcissistic. You want to let you interviewer know that you’re equipped to perform well at your job, without alienating other workers. You should point out your accomplishments in your field whilst remaining somewhat humble.
List your accomplishments in a matter of fact manner without going into too much detail. I know this sounds repetitive, but you can never get this point out too strongly. Understand that body language also plays a large part in exuding confidence to others. Try to sit straight. Practice good posture, and keep your head upwards.
Keeping a Positive Attitude
You must always try to smile and keep a positive outlook during your interview. If you hear something that doesn’t sound good to you, try not to frown and look disgruntled, just keep a slight smile on your face until it’s time for you to say something. Then approach your interviewer with your questions or concerns when the time is appropriate.
Maintaining Eye Contact
Keeping eye contact with your interviewer is a very important factor, especially when one of you is speaking to the other. If you’re looking around the room or at the items on the interviewer’s desk, you’ll appear uninterested. Just imagine what you’d be thinking if you were speaking to him and he was looking all over the room. You’d probably think that you already lost the interview.
Your Body Language
We have touched on this a little bit but you should mind some of the common errors that many people make when they are speaking to others.
I have listed some of the common things that you should avoid when sitting through an interview:
• Avoid fidgeting whilst speaking to your interviewer. It shows a lack of self-confidence.
• Avoid speaking whilst using overly expressive hand gestures. It’s distracting.
• Avoid biting your lips in between your sentences. It gives the impression that you’re making things up.
• Don’t sit with your arms crossed because it makes you appear stand-offish.
• Don’t shrug your shoulders when asked a question that you’re unsure of. Take a second to think of your response. Shrugging your shoulders gives the impression that you do not know the answer.
• Do not answer with nods and head shakes. Use words to answer questions.
• Try to get plenty of sleep the night before the interview. You do not want to yawn in front of the interviewer. He’ll think that you are expressing boredom.
In many cases, acing an interview is very much like making a sale, only instead of a product, you are marketing yourself. It's important to go into the interview knowing as much about the company you are applying to as possible in order to confidently present your skills and experience in an engaging and relevent way. Learning about your potential employer can give you an edge on other interview candidates so profound, it's like having a list of insurance sales leads in your back pocket.
Now learn more about Making a Good First Impression.
