Interview Tips - Beyond the Usual
By Stephanie Clark
Books abound on how to answer specific resume questions, from the
absurd – if you were a fruit, what would you be?, to the mundane – tell
us about a time when you provided excellent customer service, and to
the sublime – could you share with us what motivates you, what you are
passionate about, and how these relate to this position? However, you
will find little information on the following topics, all of which
impact the interview’s outcome.
Using Your Imagination
Take a lesson from sports professionals with this popular technique:
spend some time visioning. In this exercise, you “see” yourself in the
interview, as if watching a movie. You envision yourself handling the
interview questions with ease, behaving professionally, and exuding
charm, wit, and intelligence. This technique is effective in enhancing
athletic performance and it can help to improve interview performance
as well.
Managing Your Attitude
Some people approach interview questions with suspicion, perceiving
every question as a ploy to eliminate them from the position candidacy.
While it is true that most candidates must be eliminated, why assume it
is you? Instead, be positive and remind yourself, “Here’s another
opportunity for me to shine, to share how I can do this job better than
the others, and to show how I am perfect for this job.”
Calming Your Nerves
If you are landing interviews, but getting no offers, perhaps your nerves are getting in the way. Here are three nerve-calming strategies:
- Prepare. Most interview questions are behavioural, and it is the job-hunter’s duty to read, research, rack her brain, and prepare answers to typical questions. Being prepared will relieve most of the fear.
- Breathe. Relax your vocal chords with a few deep-breathing exercises. One example: breathe in, and while exhaling, quietly utter “la-la-la” for the entire exhalation. Another example: inhale deeply, hold it for the count of four, and then exhale slowly. This technique makes optimal use of the oxygen you’ve inhaled. (It is also effective for a restful night before your interview.)
- Eat bananas. If you tend to be the nervous type, visit your local health food store for a suitable product that provides instant relief from those pesky jitters. Or eat a banana; potassium naturally promotes relaxation as well!
- Get unstuck. Here’s a singer’s trick for the “dry mouth” symptom of nervousness: spread a tiny bit of petroleum jelly, or even lip gloss over your teeth. This will prevent your lips from sticking to your teeth as you speak – a very embarrassing nervous symptom!
Using Your Voice
We all know someone who could benefit from vocal coaching. Common speech afflictions include nasal or whiny tones, and boring or rapid fire delivery.
Be proactive: ask friends and family for honest input, or record yourself speaking.
Establishing a Connection
Looking for new employment has many sales parallels. Establishing a connection is the first of three steps to a successful sale. The second step is to sell the company, and the third, to sell the product. A job hunter could be seen as the company/product rolled into one.
Borrow this sales strategy in your job search; find a connection
with a potential employer and begin establishing a relationship to land
the sale—or job in this case.
Communicate a relaxed presence with a well-modulated voice and a friendly demeanor, and without a doubt you will come across as a confident, knowledgeable, relationship-builder and great communicator…in short, an outstanding candidate.
Stephanie Clark, Owner of New Leaf Resumes, www.newleafresumes.ca. is an Award-winning Certified Resume and Interview Strategist. Stephanie’s work has been published in Joyce Laine Kennedy's "Cover Letters for Dummies, 3rd Edition," and in Louise Kursmark’s 2008 “Directory of Professional Resume Writers" and is a featured contributor to The Waterloo Region Record's "Careers Weekly" column.
