“To succeed, you will soon learn, as I did, the importance of a solid foundation in the basics of education – literacy, both verbal and numerical, and communication skills.” –Alan Greenspan
An interview is all about expressing yourself and enabling the recruiter to get acquainted to the skills you possess and the experience you have. But what can you possibly do to express yourself in the best way possible or, in other words, communicate effectively?
The bullet points below will guide you through some practical and significant details you need to keep in mind to polish your communication skills during an interview.
- Practice Non-verbal Communication: An interview is all about demonstrating confidence. Going by the old saying-“first impression is the last impression”, you’ll need to work on your non-verbal communication skills before entering the interview room. Make eye contact with your employer and try to connect with a firm handshake. This can mark a great beginning to your interview.
- Listen Carefully: Listening skills account for a major share of good communication skills. Right from the beginning, your interviewer will constantly be giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If at any instance you are not hearing, then and there you’ll miss out on the opportunity. Try and be observant to match the line of thought your interviewer is building on.
- Try Not Talking too much: Though, expressing yourself to the fullest is a quality every employer seeks in a job applicant, telling an employer more than they need to know might leave a negative impression. Absence of a focused preparation is quite conspicuous when you start rambling out of context. Prepare for the interview by thoroughly researching the industry, company, job, and even the individual(s) interviewing you. Answer what is being asked to satisfy your hiring manager.
- Use Appropriate Language: An interview is a formal evaluation to consider candidates for hire. Obviously, using slang or inappropriate words would be the last thing a recruiter would seek in an applicant. So, be aware of the words you are using and refrain from making any references to age, race, religion, politics etc.
- Don’t appear Desperate or Cocky: As soon as you adopt the ’please hire me’ approach, you lose your bet and hence the interest of the recruiter. It makes you appear less confident and desperate. Keep your cool and stay confident. If you think you can do the job, it’ll reflect in your confidence and the employer will end up believing it. The next thing you need to keep in mind is total abstinence from crossing the line and getting overconfident. Attitude is a major factor that determines your performance in the interview. Stay modest and put forth all your achievements politely.
- Ask Questions: As the interview will approach its end, the employer will give you a chance to ask questions. Having questions prepared will demonstrate your interest regarding the position and the company. It might also be the opportunity for you to find out whether or not it is the right place for you. The most logical and genuine questions would come from listening to the recruiter carefully. So pay attention and do not ask questions already answered in the interview or any published marketing materials from the company!
Enough said, by now you must have gained an insight regarding the things that will make you leave a positive impression on the interviewer and let you secure the job offer you want. All you need now is to stay prepared and stay confident, rest is going to fall in place by itself.
Author Bio: Anshuman Kukreti is a professional writer and a keen follower of the global job market. An engineer by qualification and an artist at heart, he writes on various topics relating to employment across the gulf.
