Interviewing Skills that Will Land the Job

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Interviewing skills to land the job.  Right...you're thinking.  No doubt you have read many articles boasting about skills you need to land the job via the interviewing process.  However, I will tell you that I personally know someone who has excellent interviewing skills and most of the time lands the job. I have never seen anyone else get jobs so quickly.  Of course, that doesn't mean she accepts all of the offers.  Nevertheless, here are a few of her secrets she shared with me:

• Check out the company's web site before your interview. Read the "About Us" page. Sometimes the interviewer will ask you about what you know about the company. They are usually impressed if you can bring out an interesting fact or two.
  
• If it is an area of work or products you are not familiar with, then "Google" or "You Tube" away! You may be asked something about the nature of the business.
  
• Adjust your approach to the interviewer. You are usually told to be yourself. To a degree that is true. However, is the interviewer on the conservative side or are they blessed with a good sense of humor? Respond accordingly.
  
• Check out the reception area or the office you may be working around or in. What do the pictures tell you? Are there funny sayings on the wall? Are there family pictures on the desks? Observing the area around you, that is if you are not ushered to a barren conference room, will tell you a lot about the company atmosphere and the people running it. As such, relate in your conversation to something you have observed. For example, maybe you observed they like golf or fishing. If you like outdoor activities too, then let them know.  Pick familiar things to touch on in your conversation.

These techniques actually work. Incorporate one or all of the bullet points...and don't forget to relax before and during the interview. 

Sharpen Your Interviewing Skills

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Oh the joys of going on a new job interview.  You know--the sweating palms and racing heart.  Can you prepare in a way that may shave off some of the fear and lack of confidence?  Yes.  Here is a link to a free video with additional training and information that may help you.  There are some great testimonials by people that have applied the advice in the video.  Let me know if this video helps you personally. The video is by Deniz Sasal. Here is the Landing Interviews Video.

Why I Deliberately Botched My Job Interview

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Yes, over the years I have deliberately botched a few of my interviews. Perhaps you are wondering why would I do that. The answer is simple. I could tell within a few minutes of exposure to the office setting and/or interviewers that it was a bad fit all around. There is a bit more, however, to this explanation.

An interview is a two-way street. While a prospective employer is giving you the scrutiny of a lifetime, you should be checking them out to see how they line up with your criteria of a suitable employer.  Here are some things you should consider early on in the interview:

• Does the employer or designated representative have good communication skills that will allow you to express yourself? 
• Is this an employer that has rigid rules or do they appear to be reasonable in what they are asking. Listen carefully and read between the lines.  Life experience may  help you pick up on this.
• Does the interviewer have good eye contact?
• Does the interviewer smile?  And, do they have a sense of humor?
• Probably the most important thing you can pick up on is the atmosphere of the office or company space you see or are exposed to before the interview.  A silent environment with little employee expression may at times denote the employer runs a "tight ship."

Obviously, no employer is perfect; nor, is there going to be a perfect environment.  The question  that you must ask yourself is whether or not you will be happy and comfortable working for the prospective employer. Will you feel like a square being shoved into a circle? If it appears the fit isn't there--then most likely it's not.

There are plenty of jobs with the right fit.  Life is just too short to pigeonhole yourself into a tight jacket every day.  Your time and skills are valuable.  Have self-worth in YOU.  Not all employers are equal.  That's why I threw some interviews.

Perhaps it's the rascal in me.  I couldn't help myself. Over the years I ran into some of the nastiest people conducting interviews.  I knew immediately that I could never work in their space. So, throwing the interview was easy.  How?  Say what's on your mind, be the authority, and ask a lot of questions about the company, the job, the employee/employer relationships...you get the picture.  It's easy...

That being said, don't give up finding your "fit." There are great employers that will appreciate you and what you bring to their company.  Just remember when you find them, don't throw the interview!