|
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES
So, you’ve finally made it to the interview. Hopefully you’ve prepared
adequately and can tackle even the most challenging and battle-hardy
interviewer. Remaining confident about your preparation and ability to
impress the interviewer is important. The last thing you want is to
get nervous and fall to pieces.
First Impressions
Although a professional interviewer will strive to get a thorough idea
of your skills and personality before making a judgement, the reality
is that almost everyone makes an initial opinion of a stranger within
the first five minutes of meeting them.
From the moment you enter
the building, you should think of yourself as a potential employee. Be
polite to everyone you meet from the receptionist onwards because it’s
possible that anyone you meet could be asked whether or not they liked
you!
The best advice is to try
to remain calm and confident with a firm (but not wrist-crushing)
handshake, remembering to make eye contact. Putting the interviewer at
ease by being down-to-earth whilst remaining business-like, always
gets you off to a good start. Sometimes it’s a good idea to have a few
conversation openers handy, such as commenting favourably on the
premises, to help break the silence.
Before you sit down
Here’s a few important things to consider. It’s a good idea to ask for
a glass of water, you’re going to be doing a lot of talking. Make sure
you’re seated comfortably in a position where you can easily address
all the interviewers. Above all make sure you remember the names of
your interviewers, this means paying particular attention to them when
you are first introduced, and taking note of their various roles.
The first few minutes
According to research, employers’ impressions are made in the
following way:
• Body language and image (70%)
• Tone of voice (20%)
• What you say (10%)
The way you walk into a room and sit down is very crucial, it can set
the tone for the entire interview and if you make a bad start it can
be an uphill struggle to recover lost ground. So try to avoid
slouching, or sitting defensively with your arms and legs crossed.
A well-trained interviewer
will usually break the ice by opening the interview with a few vague
questions such as “did you find the place ok?” etc. Sit back and allow
them to direct the course of the interview and don’t be too anxious to
prove yourself right away. Remember your preparation and await the
ideal moments to impress upon them your key selling points.
Profiles
It’s a good idea to create a profile of your unique selling points.
You cannot dictate what sort questions you will be asked, but you can
repeatedly weave these details into your answers.
You should try to have two clear profiles, a personal profile and a
business profile. Here are two examples.
Personal Profile:
I am an ambitious, organised and highly-motivated individual who is
goal driven and excels at building long-term customer relationships.
My ability to manage people is shown by winning the national sales
manager’s award for outstanding team performance. Occasionally I am
intolerant of incompetence. After hours I enjoy fitness and
recreational volleyball.
Business Profile:
I am an experienced sales professional with five years specific
experience in the automotive industry, specialising in corporate
fleets. I have the ability to diversify into LDVs and commercial
vehicle sales, with strong product knowledge, and a particularly good
understanding of market trends, and competitors. I am also confident
that I can direct a regional team.
Additional techniques
Strengthening your case with a presentation or portfolio may be a good
idea, particularly if it is a creative job vacancy. But unless doing a
presentation is a required part of the interview, do check that this
is agreeable to the interviewer.
 |
