Talk the talk
The perfect answers to interview questions won’t get you hired if the interviewer is asleep. This is your wakeup call. Use it wisely.
1. Name names
Do you have a name-deflecting brain? If you said, “Not when I have an interview” then congratulations — you are correct. Remembering an interviewer’s name is almost as important as remembering your own. Use that precious information to your advantage. Hypnotize the interviewer with the sweet sound of their own name during the interview (without being over-bearing). They will be more attentive and know that you care about relationships.
2. Keep it clean
How you speak at home is your business as long as certain habits don’t slip out in the office. Vulgar language and curse words act as strong red flags against you in an interview. Either learn self-control or pretend you’re at church with your grandma — whatever works.
3. Stay on tempo
Silence is not the enemy. It’s ok to collect your thoughts for a second. What you don’t want to do is speak too quickly and loudly while rambling on without making a clear point. On the other hand, speaking too slowly, quietly, or mumbled will lead to the same result — wasting an opportunity to impress your interviewer.
4. Be memorable
There’s a difference between being professional and being a hollow shell of a human being. Shocker, I know. If your potential employer didn’t care about who you are, they would’ve just made their decision based on your resume. Believe it or not, interviewers have other things to do and are often very bored during an interview, so don’t waste their time.
During initial introductions, spend a few minutes exploring common interests. You can ask where the interviewer is from or mention something interesting you did recently. People like people that are like them. Show personality, make an impression, and stand out.
5. Interview the interviewer
Are you ready for the big guns? The questions you ask about the position and company can score you major points. First of all, if you ask the interviewer about their opinions, you get more honest answers and build your relationship with him or her. Your questions also reveal your priorities, interest in the position, knowledge, and preparedness. Use these examples to ask golden questions:
What have you liked best about working here? (You’re interested enough to visualize yourself working there)Would you say that you’re goals are focused more on branding, reach, SEO, or something else? (You are knowledgeable about marketing)Are you friends with your coworkers? (You value relationships at work)Have you found it to be true that this company values honesty? (You prepared by researching the company)
In the end, the interviewer is looking for a future coworker. So, if you help them enjoy the interview, you prove that they’d enjoy working with you on a long-term basis.
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