10 ways to Easily Improve Your Interview Skills:

May 18, 2012 - PRLog -- 10 ways to Easily Improve Your Interview Skills:

While interviewing can be a nerve-racking experience, it can also be your chance to shine!  Before an interview, people often forget that the reason they were called in for the interview in the first place, is because the hiring partner/human resource department believes they are a good candidate for the position. People are busy, and Human Resource staff members surely do not want to waste their time interviewing people they do not believe have a solid shot at the position. Usually, if you do not get the position, a large part of it was because of how well – or not so well – you interviewed.

Effective interview skills are developed over-time. They usually come from a mix of training and practice. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your next interview:

1.   Research the Company:  In today’s internet age, it takes no time at all to research a company’s history, mission statement, and objective. In fact, since it is so easy to obtain this information, it is now expected that you know about the company before your interview. Think of this question as a “gimmee.”  Here is what I mean: When you sit down for the interview, usually within the first 3-questions, you will be asked, “So, what do you know about us.” If you provide a solid response, which you can easily practice at home, you will automatically comes across as confident and prepared – 2 main factors employers consider when deciding who to hire. This will impress upon the interviewer that you are ready, and it will provide him or her with a sense of confidence in your ability – which may also reduce the length of the interview.

2.   Research the Interviewer: When you receive the call for the interview, or email, usually you are so happy, you are not paying as much attention as you should. It is very important to get the name of interviewer, if at all possible. That way, you will know what kind of person you are meeting with. Is he or she on Facebook smoking a cigarette, chugging a beer, or sitting in the park playing chess? Interviews are games of strategy; the more you know about your interviewer, the more you can use it to your advantage. As Gordon Gecko stated in the original Wall Street “The most important commodity I know of is information.”

3.   Know Your Resume/Prepare answers to Questions: I cannot stress this enough. I am sure  while some of you have perfect career histories, many of you do not. Know the holes in your resume, and make sure you have solid answers in response to them. Note: It is NEVER advised that you lie on an interview.  But, that does not mean you have to provide a 3-minute dissertation about why you were unemployed for a period of time. ALWAYS turn it positive. For example: “So what were you doing during this 8 month period?” If you were looking for a job but were unsuccessful, you might say, “I was considering my career options and preparing a strategy for the future.” or “I was researching different companies more carefully before committing to another organization.” They may know you simply could not land a job, but an interview is more about your presentation of material more than anything else.

I will never forget, I was talking to a client, and I asked him how his recent interview went. He said it was fine until the interviewer asked him why the GPA was not listed on the resume. The reason was simple: it was below 3.0, BUT he had stellar experience and extra-curricular activities. We practiced the response, “I feel my additional activities better reflect my skills, interests, and passion for this position than my grades do.”  Instead, he clammed up and said “Because my grades are bad.” Later, he admitted he had not practiced the response at all and turned stone during the interview.

Needless to say, he never heard back from this job (though he did end getting hired for a company he was excited about). The point is, practice makes perfect, so practice you responses!  

These are a few tips to help you prepare for your next interview.