Maybe you were laid off, or finished your schooling, and here you are trying your best to secure that interview . After working your network, and exercising all your skills, you have an opportunity to show your stuff. How you you make the most of the interview opportunity?
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I have compiled a list of suggestions from at HBR article by David Silverman. Here goes:
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Dress appropriately. a business suit is appropriate. If you’re a man, wear a tie.
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Be prepared to be crisp in your responses. Do not waste the interviewees time. Rehearse if that will refine your delivery.
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Listen well. The most useful skill in sales is listening — and in an interview, you’re selling yourself.
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Ask questions. Have a few prepared questions ready to roll out.
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Show interest. This could also be called “sucking up.” When an interviewee doesn’t ask me anything about myself, she’s not just saying “I’ve got pride in my accomplishments and don’t need to pander to you.” She’s also showing me that she isn’t good at showing interest in other people. Which means she’s going to have a hard time politically in the company.
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Do your research. You can show the hiring manager that you took the time to learn something about the company.
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Answer the question you wish they’d asked.
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Be courteous to the interviewer’s support staff: secretaries, assistants.
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Use the interviewer’s name a least once in a response. “Well John, with my background in ….” or “Well, Mr. Jones, you should know …”
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Close the interview with a handshake and say something along the lines of: “I’m interested in working with XYZ and the team here.” (Ask for the sale!)
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When I’m interviewing, I want to know the candidates’ philosophy, their experience, their vision, and their ability to come up with concrete ideas. A good candidate will be able to demonstrate that they can picture themselves doing the job that we’re asking them to do.
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Take a thank you card with you and as soon as you leave the interview take 2 minutes to personally write a thank you, mention a positive part of the interview that the interviewer particularly bought in to or if something did not go so well its a chance to explain positively. Mail it immediately.
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