Creating a positive and effective impression during the job interview are key factors that applicants must remember when applying for a job. To increase your chances of getting that in demand position, here are a few stats and job interview tips to guide and keep you informed.
Job Interview Tips to Boost Your Hiring Chances
The perfect time for you to flaunt your skills is during the job interview. But how can you do it without sounding desperate? Hence, check these job interview hacks to learn how you can avoid this from happening.
1. Make a proper first impression.
The oldest trick in the book is to let the hiring manager sense your respect for them with a formal handshake. Also avoid job interview gestures that might distract the hiring manager. In particular, saying unnecessary greetings will only hurt your chances to get his/her attention and approval. Therefore, keep your mannerisms to yourself. No nail-biting. No collar scuffling. No nose picking.
2. Temper your humor.
To use humor rather to break the ice in a job interview may be effective. However, be careful with the comments you throw. Otherwise, your potential boss might misinterpret your joke. Remember, you’re there to impress and show your skills, not to make a fool of yourself.
3. Study the hiring manager’s facial expressions.
When a hiring manager spends more time looking over your resume than staring at you, something must be wrong. Read the hiring manager’s facial expressions. If he/she becomes disengaged in the conversation, turn it up a notch. Learn how to adapt during the interview and don’t keep the hiring manager saddled on his/her chair.
4. Balance your answers.
Another way to avoid overselling in a job interview is to answer questions with caution. Never use extreme terms such as, “completely awful” or “totally amazing” when describing your earlier work experience because hiring managers will find them unrealistic or unbalanced.
Point your discussion toward your work experience, so you won’t exaggerate your viewpoints.
5. Don’t badmouth your former employer.
Your grudge against your former employer or colleagues won’t help convince the recruiter to give you the job. In addition, playing the blame game will make you appear weak, desperate, and unable to manage or work with a team.
6. Avoid making excuses.
A job interview is an exercise in self-promotion, but it doesn’t mean you should cover up your gaps with excuses. To become defensive with your lack of skills will give your recruiter a reason to hire someone else. Besides, they won’t even add a cent to your personal issues.
7. Write out your strengths in mind.
A few days before the interview, write and recite your strengths, and rehearse them as if you’re already talking to the hiring manager. This practice won’t only help you remember the main highlights of your skills but will make you confident and calm.
8. Resist the urge to accept the offer too quickly.
One of the best tricks to avoid overselling yourself in a job interview is to appear “available” for other opportunities (even if you like the current offer). If your prospective employer makes an offer, thank him/her and ask if you can call back later that day. Don’t wait too long, though, because they may think you lack interest in the job.
9. Follow up once.
To be interested differs from being desperate. Follow up only once. State in your follow-up email how you enjoyed meeting with the interviewer, and that you’re still open for questions you didn’t discuss in the interview. If they won’t call or email you after two days or more, move on and look for another company.
10. End the interview by shaking the interviewer’s hand.
Conclude the interview by shaking the interviewer’s hand. Recognize that you’ve wasted his/her time asking questions. In contrast, shaking the interviewer’s hand will show you respect the time he/she invested in meeting you.
When you make yourself obvious to the hiring manager, you’ll be less desirable for the position. Therefore, avoid overselling yourself by following these wise job interviews tips. Practice the job interview dos and don’ts above, and you’ll walk out from it smiling.
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Sources: glassdoor.com | kellyservices.us | business.linkedin.com | web.jobvite.com | inc.com | lifescience.ie
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