Job interview tips
Impress in a job interview
1 The recruiters are on the same side as you
They want you to be fabulous. Recruitment interviews are costly, time-consuming and reasonably dull. They’re desperate for you to press all their buttons and tick all their boxes. Assume they will begin by liking you and that this “liking” will continue until you prove them wrong.
2 Remember, you could be on show before you actually get to the interview room.
It’s not unheard of for your prospective boss to be crossing reception or travelling the lift.
3 They already know a great deal from your application.
Now they want to see if you’re normal, and will mesh with them and the existing team. Choose your outfit to suit the job. They’re looking to see how you might handle work place scenarios. Expect a little role-play or hypothetical questions.
4 The more interviews you do, the better you should get.
Only your emotional response will scupper your chances. If you start to get demotivated and discover a talent for self-loathing, the chances are this will show in your body language. Instead, use each interview as experience. Practise makes perfect!
5 An interview is your chance to shine, but it’s not your chance to hog the limelight.
You have two ears, a brain and one mouth. Use them in roughly that proportion. Listen – think – talk. Your interviewers will be keen to discover your capacity for learning, understanding and taking instructions. There are very few interviews where the objective is to book someone with verbal diarrhoea. And listen to the question. I’ve been in the situation where you ask one question and the interviewee answers something else. You’d be amazed how often this happens.
The Body Language Bible by Judi James (Vermilion, £8.99), is out now.
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Readers can save 25% off Judi’s new book, You’re Hired! Interview: Tips
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