Interviewing Tips
The Secret to Interview Success

Assuming you’re qualified for the job, the outcome of your employment interview will be dependent on your ability to discover needs and empathize with the interviewer.

You can do this by asking questions that verify your understanding of what the interviewer has just said, without editorializing or expressing an opinion. By establishing empathy in this manner, you’ll be in a better position to freely exchange ideas and demonstrate your suitability for the job.

In addition to empathy, there are four other intangible fundamentals to a successful interview. These intangibles will influence the way your personality is perceived and will affect the degree of rapport or personal chemistry you’ll share with the employer. They are as follows:

Enthusiasm—Leave no doubt as to your level of interest in the job. You may think it’s unnecessary to do this, but employers often choose the more enthusiastic candidate in the case of a two-way tie. Besides, it’s best to keep your options open. Wouldn’t you rather be in a position to turn down an offer, rather than have a prospective job evaporate from your grasp by giving a lethargic interview?

Technical interest—Employers look for people who love what they do and get excited by the prospect of tearing into the nitty-gritty of the job.

Confidence—No one likes a braggart, but the candidate who’s sure of his or her abilities will almost certainly be more favorably received.

Intensity—The last thing you want to do is come across as “flat” in your interview. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being a laid back person, but sleepwalkers rarely get hired.

Most employers are aware of how stressful it can be to interview for a new position and will do everything they can to put you at ease.

Other Important Factors

Since interviewing also involves the exchange of tangible information, always make sure to present your background in a thorough and accurate manner and gather data concerning the company, the industry, the position, and the specific opportunity

A worthwhile interviewing goal is to link your abilities with the company needs in the mind of the employer so you can build a strong case for why the company should hire you. The more you know about each other, the more potential you’ll have for establishing rapport and making an informed decision.

(At EmploymentTools.com, we strive to provide expert career and employment advice, as well as links for purchasing products and services from high-quality vendors within the employment industry.  The article below was contributed by Don Hunter, executive recruiter and writer for The Animal Science Monitor newsletter.  You can visit Don’s website at www.BayResourceGroup.com, or you can send him an email at Don@BayResourceGroup.com.  If you would like to have an article published on EmploymentTools.com, please email the article to Matt@EmploymentTools.com.  All articles published on the site will be given proper attribution.  However, please note that EmploymentTools.com reserves the right to edit articles prior to publication.)