10 Steps to a Successful Job Interview
Interviewing Techniques that Lead to Success in Landing a Job
Mar 31, 2009
Human resources professionals and hiring managers all have their stories about bizarre interviews where they simply couldn’t figure out what the job seeker was saying or why they were behaving a certain way. From overly-confident candidates to mumblers to ultra-casual job seekers, hiring managers have seen it all.
In order to be successful at getting that lucrative job offer, the candidate must learn effective interviewing techniques and how to best present him- or herself to the employer.
Effective Job Interviewing: Ten Steps to Interview Success
- Before the job interview, write down several success stories and list key job skills. Write down a few instances where these job skills were successfully employed.
- Perform some preliminary research on the company and learn about its products and services. Print out several pages of the company’s website and lay them out during the job interview. When asking the employer about the company, make notes in the margins of these printouts.
- Be clear and concise. When answering questions during the interview, don’t ramble on and get off track. Keep answers brief and to the point, yet at the same time conversational.
- Discuss strengths and job accomplishments. Throughout the job interview, mention a core set of key strengths several times. Include discussion on specific achievements. Be specific, citing three or more major accomplishments.
- Tie job skills and strengths into the company’s goals. Talk about how the candidate’s core set of strengths and job skills match the position and how they would benefit the company.
- Think like a member of the company’s team. When the candidate says something like, “As a member of the company’s team, (the candidate) would...,” it impresses the employer and displays the candidate’s enthusiasm and proactivity. However, the candidate should not overdo it and act like he or she already has the job.
- Ask the employer questions about the company and the requirements of the position. Toward the end of the job interview, the employer always asks whether the candidate has any questions. The answer should always be “yes,” and the candidate should be prepared with a list of questions to ask.
- Don’t be a one-sided robot. While the candidate should at all times be brief and concise, at the same time he or she should never be robotic or one-sided. Answer all the employer’s questions concisely, but make sure to keep a steady conversational flow going.
- Pay attention to body language. Do not fidget in the chair. Sit up straight, on the edge of the chair if need be. Do not gaze out the window or furrow the eyebrows at challenging questions. Maintain good eye contact and smile often.
- Wear modern clothing and an updated hairstyle. An updated look indicates to an employer a youthful appearance. Youth is associated with energy and vigor, which employers are attracted to. A youthful look along with a modicum of enthusiasm during the job interview can help increase the chances for landing the job.
Effective Job Interviewing: The Bottom Line
The key to a successful job interview is to be relaxed, yet professional.
When the job seeker performs initial research before the job interview, asks questions related to the duties of the position, expresses enthusiasm, ties strengths in with company goals, and smiles often, he or she may impress the employer enough to place the interviewee in the list of top candidates.
See related articles, “Questions to Ask During a Job Interview,” “How to Succeed in Any Type of Job Interview," and “How to Write a Resume.”
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