By Dorcas Karuana,
Landing an interview invitation in itself is a cause for celebration, but this does not a guarantee you the job offer. One of the most important things you can do is make a positive impact at your first interview. This means you still have to go in there and impress them. If you make a good first impression, then the rest of the interview might also go well; however, if you don’t make a good first impression, then you will spend the rest of the interview trying to make up for your mistakes.
Standing out from other candidates in an interview session takes careful planning. Your personality doesn’t matter so much: whether you are shy, reserved, scared, nervous, confident, or outgoing. There is an art to making an impression during any face to face interaction that will create a lasting impact.
So what can you do to nail that job interview?
1. Be punctual for a job interview- An employer knows that if you can’t show up on time for a job interview, you can’t do it for work either. Therefore, leave early enough for your interview so you allow time for traffic. Make sure you know how to get to the location. Don’t be late, but don’t be too early. Arrive at least 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled interview. You don’t want to keep them waiting and you don’t want to rush them. It is likely that your interviewer won’t be ready for you until the scheduled time anyway.
2.Dress for Success- Depending on the nature/ type of interview; always look your best. Dress one step above the dress required for the job. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it a good one. Therefore, you must look professional, confident and competent. Remember, first impressions are formed when the interviewer first sees and greets you. If you look well put together, you give the impression that you take yourself seriously – not in a negative way, but in an I-can-be-relied-upon way.
3. Introduction- First impressions are lasting impressions. Introduce yourself properly and refer to your interviewer by name. When your visual message is positive the person you’ve just met will tend to assume that other aspects about you are equally positive. If your visual message is negative that prospective employer may not spend the time and effort to discover the talented person inside. Also, assess the personality of your interviewer and respond accordingly. Use positive, open body language.
4. Handshake & Eyes: Use a firm handshake and look your interviewer in the eyes. A firm handshake and direct eye contact conveys confidence. If you also smile while doing this, then it is a winning combination. This helps to communicate an energetic and honest image. People who introduce themselves in this way will create a favorable impression even before the first question is asked.
5. Smile- One thing that gives best impression about you is your smile. It is not that you smile only when you feel better. The reverse is also true! You start feeling better when you smile, even if it is a fake one. Your smile releases more endorphins, making you feel more comfortable. Smile often throughout the interview! Smile is contagious and even a frowning interviewer may start smiling in response to your smile.
6. Posture & Poise: When you enter the interview room, walk in with confidence – a quick stride, head up, and shoulders straight. When offered a chance to sit down, use the whole chair and don’t slouch, but sit with your back straight against the back of the chair without your legs crossed. Also, avoid sitting down and crossing your arms or yawning. Good posture will also send a message just as much as any answer you give to a particular question.
7. Body Language- Your body language can convey more than what your speech could convey. Actions like biting your nails, covering your mouth while talking, touching your face, tapping your fingers on the table etc show that you are nervous and feel insensitive. Sit erect and comfortable and rest your palms on your thighs while you are talking.
8. Be prepared for all types of interview questions- When asked a question, think about the question and pause before you answer. Be comfortable with a momentary silence during the thinking process and try to refrain from using “fillers” such as “um” or “uh.” If you just utter out whatever is top of mind, you might not answer the question, and worse, you might also say something that doesn’t make sense. Pausing and then offering a good answer is one way to maintain your poise in the interview.
9. Clarity of Message and short answers- If you think before you speak, you will have better responses. Further, if you have anticipated the likely questions, you might already have prepared answers. Whether you are speaking impromptu or relying on prepared responses, try to keep your answers short and to the point. Short, clear messages add to the image of success and confidence. If you ramble on and on with a convoluted response, then you convey convoluted thinking, not confidence. Use short, clear sentences to respond to questions.
10. Ask questions yourself- At the end of the interview, the interviewer asks if you have any questions. Use this opportunity to know more about the potential employer and make a good impression as well. But don’t ask questions about holidays or salary as it doesn’t show a good attitude during a job interview.
11. At the end of the interview- Be sure to say “thank-you” and show true appreciation. Make your last smile of the hour unforgettable! Don’t leave the interview room in a rush but take your time to smile and thank the interviewer. Follow interview etiquette by sending your interviewer a thank-you letter no more than 24 hours after the interview.
Dorcas is a Recruitment Officer. Corporate Staffing Services. email: dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke. Web address. www.corporatestaffing.co.ke
Over the holidays, I was at a conference where we heard a speaker discuss family issues. A recurring theme he talked about regarding so many things we deal with as families is that “it’s hard, but it’s good”!
In fact, he made some compelling arguments that many things are good because they’re hard. And that if they weren’t hard, they wouldn’t be particularly good. It’s because of the hard things we go through in life that we grow, learn, become stronger, develop character, endurance, and resilience. We don’t grow much when things are going smooth, and easy and we’re not challenged. Those times may be relaxing or
enjoyable in some ways, however, we don’t develop much in those circumstances.
The same is true in a job search. It’s not a set of circumstances that anyone wants to be thrown into. It’s very uncomfortable, stressful, and awkward for most people. However, it can be a time of great personal and professional development if viewed as the opportunity for growth that it is.
When most people are in a job, and things are going well, they don’t put time and energy into things that may make them more successful in the future. They don’t learn how to reach out to other professionals effectively, how to articulate their career objectives and the value they bring. They don’t spend time building a professional network, or developing and communicating transferable skills.
When they are forced to look for a new job, most people begin that learning process at that point. Statistically, the vast majority of people will be looking for new jobs a number of time during their career. How much easier that process becomes when they already have a thriving network of professionals they can connect to. How much more effective they are when they are practiced and polished at articulating their targets, their experience, and the value they bring. How much more quickly they land in a new career when they are able to effectively communicate how their skills and experience can be useful in other industries or fields.
Most job seekers begin that learning process once they are laid-off. Those critical skills are way outside of their comfort zone because they are not what they were practicing on a daily basis. The process is very hard for most people… but it’s good! It pushes them into developing skills that will be useful throughout their career.
It begins a process of building a network that will be valuable not just for their current job search, but for gaining resources that can be used in their next job, as well as a resource for their next career transition. That network will be most valuable if you are available and willing to be a resource to them in return. It begins a process of learning how to more effectively articulate their value to the marketplace which is as valuable in a job as it is in the process of looking for a job.
These things don’t come easily. And they are most often learned under the stresses of unemployment when they are needed immediately. However, the process can be invaluable, not just for the immediate need, but for the rest of your life. So as you walk through your job search, and feel the “hard” part… remember that it’s also very Good!
How To Improve Your Communication Skills.
How many times have you had one of those opportunity-lost-moments in your life? You have thoroughly prepared for that job interview, that date, that sales pitch and then one word or one sentence and you get this feeling at the pit of your stomach that you have ruined everything! Needless to say it does not take long for your worst fears to be confirmed.
When you prepare for that important moment what you are likely to do is to get all the information you can lay your hands on. This in itself is good, after all information is power. The problem comes in when we make the
assumption that information equals good communication skills. Any skill is developed through practice. The solution; make impressive and effective communication part of your lifestyle.
One thing that you need to understand about effective communication skills is that while some are born with them and some aren’t, almost anyone can learn them! Good communication is something that can be taught, and people who make the effort to learn all about this important skill come out much profited from the experience. You’ll find that with just a little bit of work, you’ll be able to streamline many things, both in terms of your work and your personal life.
Now if we keenly look at the above situations we realize that the one thing they have in common is high stress and nerves. More often than not when these two come into play we tend to OVER- Communicate. Meaning we try to communicate at what we think is a high level, be what we think is eloquent or some other self-deluding thing or another, eventually saying more than needs to be said.
We are nervous or fear leaving out a key detail.
We find something related to the information we’re providing that we feel is worth mentioning.
We try to sound intelligent or informed.
We try to show off our knowledge or expertise.
We don’t fully understand the level of detail the other person is interested in.
We’re trying to set the other person’s expectations a certain way before we provide them with the information
Our minds are wandering and our mouths are just following along.
Awareness is the biggest thing. Even catching yourself while or immediately after you over communicate is a huge step in the right direction. From there, think about your responses before you say them. Try to be precise and concise without sounding standoffish
Practice giving answers that are precise and to the point.
Be descriptive only if it’s relevant to the other person’s wants or interests.
Try stating the facts only. Avoid editorializing, exaggerating or sugar coating an answer.
If the question requires a one word answer then answer with one word. If the person needs more information, then they’ll ask for it. If you feel uncomfortable doing this, try giving the one word answer and then ask the other person if he or she would like to know more.
The writer is a Communications Officer. Communications Advantage Kenya.
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