How to Ace that Interview

I know there is a lot of advice out there on interviews.  From how to answer questions to what you should wear, there is all sorts of articles and advice out there.  After 13 years of interviewing people face to face on a daily basis, I still see candidates get it wrong and so I think there is room for another piece about this subject.  If it reaches one person and helps them secure their next opportunity then it’s worth it!

1. First Impressions Count. This encompasses everything from your hair cut, to your clothing, to your handshake.  It may be controversial to some, and I am big believer in individual identity, HOWEVER in an interview setting you have to think about what is more important – wearing your facial piercing or getting that job?

It’s a fact that people make judgements on appearance and that can colour their judgement of you before you even open your mouth.  It’s much easier to make a positive impression from a neutral position than from a negative one.  Therefore it makes sense to air on the side of caution and adopt a neutral image for a first interview – smart suit, neat hair, any tattoos covered or piercings taken out / concealed.  It is so much easier to reveal a “quirk” or statement once you have made a positive impression. 

The handshake is also extremely important.  Offer a limp hand and expect words like “weak” to pop into the interviewers head.  Cut off the blood supply by squeezing too hard may result in the interviewer forming an opinion that you are aggressive or over confident.  You need a balance between the two – firm, confident and most importantly, accompanied by a big smile and an affirming hello.  Get this right and you are off to a good start.

1. Research, research and research some more. It’s not enough these days to just look at a website.  Remember in an interview situation you are trying to stand out from the other interviewees.  It is a fact that everyone will have a look on the website.  That is lowest expectation I would have.  So you need to do more.  Go past page 1 of google and see what you find.  Explore local online press for some titbits you can throw into an interview to show you have made an effort to find out who this company are, what they do and how they do it.  No interviewer will fail to be impressed by that.   You can go one step further and do your homework on the individuals who are interviewing you through LinkedIn.   How great to be able to throw in that you have a mutual contact or business?  It may not get you the job but the fact you have taken the time to research your potential future colleagues can only serve to help you reach this goal.
2. Prove how good you are!! Take examples with you.  I have sat in so many interviews where people can explain what they do, but when I test them on how good they are at it, they really struggle to come up with examples.  If you are in purchasing – what savings did you make last year?  What was your spend?  What metrics do you have in place to measure improvements in quality and service from suppliers that you can use to help you secure that next job?  If you have implemented systems or processes to make improvements – take examples with you.  Be it spreadsheets or screenshots, being able to prove your success and the impact you have in your business is golden.  Otherwise you have to make sure your words alone can sell you, and let’s face it, we are not all sales people, so take tools to back up your words and let the proof do the selling for you.
3. Body Language. This is key.  You can say all the right things, but if you are distracting the interviewer by fidgeting or if you are talking to your knees, they won’t listen to the words.  Sit still, don’t be afraid to use your hands to embellish what you are saying, but avoid anything which can show nerves such as picking at your nails, wringing your hands together etc.  If you feel this is a possibility, keep your hands together and place them on your knee.  At the other extreme, avoid sitting forward and gesticulating too much as this can also be off putting.  If you want to take things one step further, look into matching and mirroring your interviewer.  This is a method proven to put the person you are meeting with at ease.  Please feel free to contact me for more info on this.
4. Avoid too much waffle. Whilst not saying much in an interview is bad for obvious reasons, talking too much can be just as off putting.  It’s a common side effect of nerves so it happens a lot in interview.  When you talk too much, all the good stuff you say gets lost in the superfluous words.  Take a deep breath, think about the question and deliver a clear, concise answer using examples to support it.
5. Don’t Lie. This may sound obvious, but sometimes, in the heat of the moment, when you really want that job, it’s easy to answer “yes” when asked if you have a particular skill or experience, even if the answer really should be no.  If you don’t feel comfortable saying no then something along the lines of “I have done something similar (then explain what) and I feel confident that I could pick this up really quickly and would be happy to dedicate time outside of work to do so”.
6. Learn from your mistakes. Interviews are a skill.  The more you do them the better you become at them.  However if you get to first interview number 7 with the seventh different company and still haven’t got a positive response, it may be time to address why.  Whilst there could be valid reasons that are of no fault of your own that you haven’t got the job yet, I would suggest that after this amount of interviews you may need to do a self-assessment to analyse if there is anything you could be doing better.  I suggest getting a family member or friend involved and go through the interviews you have had, the answers you have given, and get their opinion.  Even better, go and speak to a recruiter, get them to interview you, and ask for their honest feedback.  It may not be the easiest thing to hear but if you can take it on the chin and use it constructively, then it could be just what you need to land you your next job.
7. Remember interviews are a two way street. Whilst you are there to showcase your ability in a bid to obtain your next role, it is just as important for you to be assessing your potential new employer to see if THEY are suitable for YOU.  Ensure you have got a list of questions to ask them to satisfy any queries you have.  Ask about culture and values.  Ask about the backgrounds of the interviewers to check for similarities and points of mutual interest.  All of these things are important aspects of making sure you will feel at home in your new team, and that the company is right for you.
8. Enjoy it! If you are too nervous then your personality will not shine through.  Relax, remember how good you are and how you will enhance their business as much as you want that job.  You are talking about you, and nobody knows you better!!  Interviewers have been in your shoes at some stage in their life and interviews should not be scary and officious.  If they are then you have to question whether you want to work for a company who conducts interviews in that way anyway.

This is one of series of blogs designed to make people think about the recruitment process and their part in it, with a view to improving it for all.  To read more of my blogs please visit our website at www.jps-supplychain.co.uk/blog