Article by Lee Biggins, Founder and CEO of CV-Library.
Congratulations! You spruced your CV, submitted your application, impressed the employer, and now you’ve landed yourself a job interview.
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking if you aren’t comfortable with ‘selling’ yourself. You may even be questioning if you should go to the interview or not. But believe it or not, being skilled in interviews is something you can learn.
Take a look at our comprehensive guide that will ensure you become a master of job interviews – virtual or not! – in 2022.
How to make a good first impression
In the first few seconds of meeting you, an interviewer will make a judgement, so it’s important to make sure it’s a positive first impression.
A crucial part of this is dressing for success, so before the interview, you should prepare a professional looking outfit and make sure you’re well groomed.
When you first meet with the interviewer, be sure to smile confidently and introduce yourself. Also, avoid being late as this not only makes a bad impression, but you also run the risk of turning up looking flustered.
How to research the employer before your interview
Pre-interview research is so important. If you’ve done your job interview preparation properly, you should be able to demonstrate your knowledge during the interview and impress your prospective employer.
Start by Googling the employer and checking out its website, social media profiles and other literature available online. You want to try and develop a solid picture of the company’s goals and what it stands for. Not only is this to prove to the employer that you know your stuff and are serious about joining the company, but also to help you devise any questions you might want to ask.
Selling your skills and abilities
Though this point may sound obvious, selling yourself is something that many find an uncomfortable task. Remember, the interview is your chance to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the job.
Recruiters see a job vacancy as a problem, a gap that needs to be filled, so you need to market yourself as the solution to their problem.
You should know your CV and the job description inside out. Use these documents to guide you through the interview, and pick examples of your experience or education that demonstrate why you’d be successful in the role.
Be sure to tailor each pitch to the job you’re applying for. Pick the examples that fit best with not only the role but also the company and its values.
Using the STAR method to answer interview questions
Once you’ve got to know your CV and the role you’re interviewing for, you must prepare for common interview questions.
It’s all very well claiming that you’re ‘a good leader’ or ‘a team player’, but that’s not the right way to answer an interview question in 2020.
Each time you reference one of your skills you should support it with an example to prove to the interviewer that your skills are genuine. A popular technique for illustrating your skills is the STAR method:
Situation: Give some context to the story you’re about to tell, outline where you were and why you were there.
Task: Describe what you were doing and if you faced any challenges whilst doing it.
Action: Then explain the actions you took to complete the task and how you tackled any challenges you faced.
Results: Finally, reveal the outcome, this should demonstrate your skills, what you achieved and also anything you learnt from the situation.
Keep this method in mind and come up with a few go-to examples you can use in the interview. If you’ve done your research, you should be able to tailor these examples more specifically to the role you’re applying for.
Improving your body language
Your body language will say a lot about you. Make sure you’re aware of how you’re presenting yourself and know how to make your body language work to your benefit.
Using your hands a lot when talking can make your stories more animated and aid communication, but be careful not to go overboard with your gestures. Also, avoid fidgeting and fiddling with things, like your pen or jewellery. While this might happen if you’re nervous, the interviewer may find your jitters distracting, so be mindful of your behaviour.
You want to look confident and professional, so avoid slouching in your chair, and try to smile and maintain eye contact with your interviewer too. If you’re taking part in a video call, try to set up your camera beforehand to make it seem as if you’re looking at your interviewer- this will give the impression of maintaining eye contact.
Dealing with nerves
If you’ve done all the correct job interview preparation and you’re feeling clued-up and confident, hopefully, you shouldn’t feel too nervous. This being said, interviews (especially if it’s for your dream job) can be a bit nerve-wracking. Therefore, learning how to control your nerves so they don’t get the better of you is an important step.
You should aim to come across as calm and confident, so be aware of your breathing throughout. If you begin to feel stressed, take a few subtle deep breaths.
Listen carefully to the interviewer so you don’t miss their questions, and focus on the answers you’ve prepared. If you build up a rapport with your interviewer, this can also help you to relax and feel more at ease around them.
Keep a calm head and try to rationalise your fears. Remember, you wouldn’t have been asked in for an interview if the company wasn’t interested in you and your CV. Control the pace of the conversation to give yourself time to answer clearly and calmly. Even though you may be nervous, you should avoid rushing through the interview.
Build rapport with your interviewer
One of the most successful job interview techniques is building rapport with your interviewer. There are several ways to make them like you as an individual, not just as another candidate.
Firstly, listen carefully to what your interviewer is saying. Mirror their phrases not only shows that you’re listening intently, but it also allows you to pick up on anything they might say about their hobbies or interests that you can refer to later in the interview or when you follow up.
Since you’ve researched the sector and latest trends before your interview, you can start more in-depth discussions about the industry or their company. You should also take this opportunity to ask them questions. These could be about the company as a whole or their role.
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through, and show your sense of humour and your interest in them as a person, not just an interviewer. After all, you hope to work with them.
By building rapport with your interviewer, you can enhance your chances of being memorable. Try to turn your interview into more of a conversation than a strict interview-style Q and A. Before you leave, let them know you’ve enjoyed talking with them and thank them for their time.
Ask your interviewer insightful questions
You should have prepared some questions before your job interview, and you shouldn’t underestimate what these questions could say about you as a candidate.
Asking intelligent questions is not only going to help you decide whether you are interested in the role, but it will also demonstrate to the interviewer that you’re interested and serious about the job. Asking questions about measuring future success and what’s expected of you will show you’re a forward thinker and keen to contribute to the success of the company.
Don’t dwell
Though it can be difficult, try not to dwell on things you wish you hadn’t said and instead reflect on the things that went well.
If you fumble your words slightly or struggle to explain yourself, ask to clarify what you meant and have another go. Avoid panicking that a silly mistake has immediately cost you your chance at the job. Everyone is human, and interviewers know that mistakes can happen, especially in a high-pressure situation. Stay confident and continue as if it never happened.
Don’t share too much
Of course, you’ll be sharing a lot of information about yourself; it’s a job interview after all. But be careful not to share unnecessary information.
You’ll certainly be talking about your previous jobs and your reason for leaving, but be sure that you don’t bad mouth your employers as this will make you look unprofessional. If you’re experiencing a hard time at work or in your private life, avoid sharing this during your interview. It may lead your prospective employer to doubt your commitment and attitude to work.
Make notes
There are a few things you should always take to a job interview, including a pen and paper to make notes. This isn’t make or break, but it could help to demonstrate your initiative and make you look enthusiastic about the role.
If you take a notepad with you, you can jot down any important information you’re given, or any questions you might think of during the interview. However, be careful not to let the notepad distract you, and certainly don’t end up doodling!
End your job interview on a positive note
Find out what the next steps are and when you can expect to hear back on the outcome of the interview. Once everything has been wrapped up, be sure to thank them for taking the time to meet with you and tell them that you look forward to hearing from them soon. Exit on a handshake and follow the interview up with a phone call or an email and make sure you ask for feedback.
Ultimately, if you practise interview questions, do your research, deliver your answers concisely and get some interesting conversations going, there’s no reason why a job interview can’t be a pleasant experience.
You can learn from every job interview you go to – even the failed attempts. Keep practising these techniques, and you can become a master of the 2022 job interview. Good luck!
