Interview pro tips

Interviews are stressful. Even if you're not in a desperate situation to find a job, they're anxiety producing. The first thing to remind yourself is that the employer knows you have the qualifications because they invited you for the interview! Phew, step one is done. You're already well on your way.

So what's the interview for? Sure, the employer will want to confirm that you know your stuff. But the main thing is they want to know if you're someone who is going to be pleasant and easy to work with. That is, can you get along with the boss and the team? 

But of course you can't just show up and throw glitter in the air and say, "so, this is me!" Although, if this has worked for you in the past, please let me know. 

How can you dazzle them as you show your personality? One easy way is to refer to someone by their name when you speak to them or answer a question. Don't overdo it, but if you can say a person's name once or twice it shows you're paying attention and develops a connection. 

As you prepare for the interview, choose 3 soft skills or qualities beyond qualifications that you want the employer to know about you by the time the interview ends. Then you want to prepare examples to commonly asked interview questions that will show the employer you have each one of those 3 qualities. For example, your answer to question X may showcase one of your chosen qualities and your answer to  question Y may showcase another of your chosen qualities. 

This will help you deliver during the interview, because a successful answer is specific. In most cases, you only want to give one example in your answer.

Remember that an interview is a dialogue. It's a two-way street; you need to evaluate them as much as they are checking you out. You need to figure out if it's the right match for you. Listen closely to what the interviewers ask, how they answer your questions, and watch their body language. It's usually not hard to read between the lines. Write down your impressions as soon after an interview as you can when it's still fresh in your mind. This will help you evaluate an offer when the time comes. 

Photo credit: Charles Deluvio