10 Ways to Stand Out During a Job Interview
Your First Impression
1. Understand the importance of your first impression during a job interview and know that it starts at the door. The person who greets you will probably not be the hiring manager, but he will probably be asked of what he thought of you. Think about dating (which does have some similarities to interviewing). Would you be impressed with a person who is rude to the wait staff but pleasant to you ― because you are the one she wants to win over? Probably not. Your prospective employee is wondering the same thing.
2. Master a firm handshake. A number of job interview experts and life skill coaches claim that soft (or “wet fish” handshakes (along with poor eye contact…but more on that later) can cost people jobs. Let’s face it; anything that is described as a “wet fish” is not going to earn you any brownie points. Check out this video to learn how to give the perfect handshake.
3. Dress for success, but understand that that might not mean a suit. In fact, a suit might be the worst thing to wear. Figuring out what exactly to wear sometimes does not have an easy solution. The best thing to do is find out what the employees wear every day. Call and ask whoever set up the interview. Then step it up a notch. If jeans are the norm, wear khakis. The goal is to show that you can fit in, but that you are professional.
4. When you introduce yourself remember the “Big 3.” Make eye contact, smile, and state your first and last name. These 3 things ― along with the handshake and the clothes you wear ― make up your first impression. However, do not stop there. Listen when any/all interviewers introduce themselves. You may have written names down, but there are many ways to say some common names (think of “Stephan” or “Kirsten”), or the name might be very uncommon, and you simply are not sure how to pronounce it. Don’t let something as simple to paying attention to how a name is pronounced mess you up.
What to Do During the Actual Interview
5. If you are asked a complicated question, don’t think you have to answer immediately. You can ask some clarifying questions. The interviewer wants to see that you can think through a situation, find the information you need (by asking for it, perhaps?) and then reach a solution in a structured, logical way. The interviewer does not want to see you bumble, stumble, and ramble through an answer.
6. Do your research. Know what the company is about, and align what you do well with what the company does well. This shows value. Look for blogs and articles to read. Follow key people on Twitter; nuggets of information are all over Twitter. Bottom line ― be fully prepared when you walk in.
7. Don’t forget about the numbers! Finding some numbers, percentages, or dollars you can use when talking about your responsibilities and accomplishments will highlight what a great employee you would be without feeling like you are bragging. Very few of us are comfortable bragging. Trust us; it really is much more effective to say “I boosted territory sales by 75% in one year” vs. “I sold a lot.”
8. When responding to interview questions, do not ramble on and on. Answer any and all questions by establishing the situation and the task you were required to complete ― as succinctly as possible. This is because you want to spend more time talking about what you did, and what you achieved (i.e. the results in numbers, percentage, and/or dollars).
9. Take some time and identify some questions to ask that show you did your research. It is perfectly fine to have a couple worked up ahead of time, but if you listen and view your interview as a conversation, you will be surprised at how easy the questions comes. Remember, an interview is a two-way street. You want to them to be interested in you, but you should be equally interested in them. Working at a company that you simply do not “jive” with is not a pleasant experience ― for anyone involved.
10. In fact, there are studies that show that the highest rated interviewees are those who come across as positive, interested, and engaged. Again, calm down and focus on participating in a conversation ― not an interrogation.
Here are Snelling, we don’t stop at 10 good pieces of advice. We have tons of resources that you can use to design a great resume, get ready for (and nail) your interview, and (then) effectively follow-up. So, when you are ready to start looking for your next best-fit job, check out our Job Seekers Resource section on the Snelling website. Then, find your local office and contact us. Let’s get to work.
