The wait after an interview
Discussion
Hi all
I'm currently in the Electricity Transmission industry, working on my tools, but I am arguably overqualified for my role. Hence why I have applied for more technical/design roles.
I've had two interviews with a large company for different roles in different places, the first interview I thought went really well, only to be told 4 weeks later via E-mail that I was unsuccessful. I've had another interview today and felt the interview was really tough, really probing questions and the interview lasted a long time, which is obviously a good sign. My main aim is to get across my skills, ambition and desire for the role which I believe did so part of me just thinks "just have to wait and see". On the way out he said they are interviewing other candidates and that the earliest I will hear back will be in a months time.
My question to you all is how do you manage with the waiting game? This is a role I really want but at the moment I can't stop going over the questions in my head and how I could of improved..
Thanks for reading!
I'm currently in the Electricity Transmission industry, working on my tools, but I am arguably overqualified for my role. Hence why I have applied for more technical/design roles.
I've had two interviews with a large company for different roles in different places, the first interview I thought went really well, only to be told 4 weeks later via E-mail that I was unsuccessful. I've had another interview today and felt the interview was really tough, really probing questions and the interview lasted a long time, which is obviously a good sign. My main aim is to get across my skills, ambition and desire for the role which I believe did so part of me just thinks "just have to wait and see". On the way out he said they are interviewing other candidates and that the earliest I will hear back will be in a months time.
My question to you all is how do you manage with the waiting game? This is a role I really want but at the moment I can't stop going over the questions in my head and how I could of improved..
Thanks for reading!
A quick answer which won't help you now, but may do in the future.
Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
A quick answer which won't help you now, but may do in the future.
Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
really good advice, very intersting.Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
I've used this and am currently in the job I used it for so I guess it works.
Confidence is key.
I was pretty sure that I could nail the technical aspects of the job, but was aware, based on the way the questions were going, that there were concerns about lack of experience in this or similar sectors, so I already knew, or at least thought I knew, what to expect when I asked the question.
I had been for a couple of interviews around the same time when I decided not to use it, so I guess it's almost a spur of the moment decision based on your level of self belief at the time.
Confidence is key.
I was pretty sure that I could nail the technical aspects of the job, but was aware, based on the way the questions were going, that there were concerns about lack of experience in this or similar sectors, so I already knew, or at least thought I knew, what to expect when I asked the question.
I had been for a couple of interviews around the same time when I decided not to use it, so I guess it's almost a spur of the moment decision based on your level of self belief at the time.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
A quick answer which won't help you now, but may do in the future.
Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
I always close for a continuation at the end of interview. However, I'm in sales, so it's kind of natural. It staggers me when I interview people for sales roles and they seemingly have no hunger by not asking a simple question along the lines of "where do we go from here" / "is there any reason I wouldn't be right for the role". To me, it's a natural close to the conversation and wraps things up neatlyOther posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
A quick answer which won't help you now, but may do in the future.
Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
This is spot on. You have to get it right though - don't put your feet up on the desk and light a cigar as you ask, but at the same time, why are you there if you don't believe yourself to be the right person? An interview should prove that you've both been fortunate in meeting each other.Other posters may jump on this as being 'cheeky' or detrimental to your interview - however, I have found it to be pretty successful.
I worked in recruitment a fair while ago, and one of the successful billers in the company passed it on to me.
So, I told all my prospective candidates to use it at interview; most of them did, some of them bottled it.
The ones who did generally got offers. And since I left that company, I have used it myself - and so far, I have a 100% track record for getting a job after an interview when using it.
It's quite simple. At the end of the interview, using your discretion and gut feeling about the interviewers and how it went obviously, at the point at which they ask 'any other questions?' Say 'is there any reason why I wouldn't be perfect for this role?'
Interviewers generally don't expect this - and so, it normally elicits a bit of honesty from them, and more often than not a bit of humour and candour and recognition of your own bit of front and balls!
Hence, they might answer in the positive that you are indeed perfect - or failing that, it might prompt them to discuss a point about you / your experience that they might be a little worried about, but haven't actually articulated to you. They do this sometimes...
So it might give you a chance to discuss and re-inforce something they might have a little doubt over. They might say 'well actually, you would be perfect, apart from one concern I have regarding your experience with blah blah blah whatever...' upon which you then have another chance to fill in a gap that you wouldn't have had a chance to previously with something like 'ah, yes, I can see your concern - but let me expand upon an occasion when I lead a team / project doing exactly blah blah blah whatever...'
Trust me, this does work...yep it is a little cheeky, but I have also discussed it with many employers I have worked with in recruitment, and I haven't ever had a negative response to it. Employers generally recognise a bit of savvy when they see it, and don't mark you down for it.
The biggest advantage to a potential employee with this is that you can now leave the interview with the knowledge that you have covered every single base with the employers, and will have a better idea about your potential success post interview, rather than the 'waiting and wondering' that you've already discussed.
HTH
I was in recruitment before teaching. They don't want someone to walk in and hope they're good enough. They want someone to walk in and demonstrate they're good enough. Without being a tool :-)
Well, I tried out Ray's cheeky question during an interview the other day.
Interviewer did a bit of a double take, then smiled and told me how I was better suited for the role than the other candidates he'd interviewed the day before, the discussion then continued allowing me to reinforce some of my skills that he referred to in the feedback which resulted in him inviting me back for a second interview whilst I was still in the first one.....
So, Mr Luxury Yacht, what else have you up your sleeve to top this for the second round?
All donations gratefully received
Interviewer did a bit of a double take, then smiled and told me how I was better suited for the role than the other candidates he'd interviewed the day before, the discussion then continued allowing me to reinforce some of my skills that he referred to in the feedback which resulted in him inviting me back for a second interview whilst I was still in the first one.....
So, Mr Luxury Yacht, what else have you up your sleeve to top this for the second round?
All donations gratefully received
I've used the same tactic discussed by RLY above, although mine goes like this:
"Is there anything we've discussed today that would give you any doubts about my suitability for the role?"
Always gets a positive reponse and has allowed me to turn around an interview so I can cover questions that didn't go so well again.
Pick your own way of asking get the same question and practice it! Sounds daft but it's easy to mess it up and sound like a tool.
"Is there anything we've discussed today that would give you any doubts about my suitability for the role?"
Always gets a positive reponse and has allowed me to turn around an interview so I can cover questions that didn't go so well again.
Pick your own way of asking get the same question and practice it! Sounds daft but it's easy to mess it up and sound like a tool.
AndrewEH1 said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
snip
That seems like an excellent tactic, I don't think I'd have the balls to use it though...The last interview I had I didn't even have the opportunity for questions, which was a touch annoying but they kept interrupting my presentation to ask questions, so we ran out of time. Instead I followed that up with an email to the hiring manager stating my belief that I was well suited to the role and would be a valuable member of his team. Turns out the offer letter was already in the post before I sent that email, so it didn't make a difference. I'm still with that employer now.
Have a look at Business Balls. That website has helped me loads.
Rushjob said:
Well, I tried out Ray's cheeky question during an interview the other day.
Interviewer did a bit of a double take, then smiled and told me how I was better suited for the role than the other candidates he'd interviewed the day before, the discussion then continued allowing me to reinforce some of my skills that he referred to in the feedback which resulted in him inviting me back for a second interview whilst I was still in the first one.....
So, Mr Luxury Yacht, what else have you up your sleeve to top this for the second round?
All donations gratefully received
Back of the net! Good work fella Interviewer did a bit of a double take, then smiled and told me how I was better suited for the role than the other candidates he'd interviewed the day before, the discussion then continued allowing me to reinforce some of my skills that he referred to in the feedback which resulted in him inviting me back for a second interview whilst I was still in the first one.....
So, Mr Luxury Yacht, what else have you up your sleeve to top this for the second round?
All donations gratefully received
So glad it worked for you - as I and other posters have said, it really does mark you out from the other chaff.
All I can recommend for the 2nd interview now is to build on the strengths that you demonstrated in the first, and to relax and be yourself.
If you want another little winning nugget:
Now that you've met, discussed with and know the interviewer(s) fairly well - at the next interview, try to drop the interviewer's first name into a few of your sentences...but be subtle...try not to make it look obvious.
It's an old sales trick - I think there's a quote that someone said sometime
that goes something like "the most beautiful sound a person can hear, is their own name..."It helps to bring a little familiarity and comfort to the proceedings. So for one or two of the questions they ask you, say something like:
"Ah well Dave, a good example of when I did abc to bring about xyz is blah blah blah..."
But obviously use it sparingly - you don't want to garner a false familiarity or make it sound insincere.
And if you're feeling REALLY brave - you might want to have a stab at a bit of body language psychology...but again, be careful and subtle with it.
'Mirroring' is another way to help the interviewer feel a greater affinity towards you - it unconsciously helps to make people feel that they like you and are comfortable with you...but if it's done subtly enough, they'll never actually realise why - unless they're experts in this kind of psychology of course!
So, basically it involves carefully mirroring the interviewer's position and posture. So, if they are sitting back in their chair, then try to do something similar. If they shift forwards in their chair to lean more onto the table, give it a minute and then at an appropriate moment, do the same. But the key is to do it as you would do it naturally, and not immediately after they do it obviously.
And all the way through - don't forget two things...to smile, and to breathe! When people are nervous, they often tense their shoulders and upper body, and do not breathe properly - almost holding their breath. This makes you come across in an awkward fashion, and can stunt some of your conversation. Try to think about it every so often - ask yourself 'am I remembering to breathe?'
Last comment I might make, which involves the breathing thing too. When a question has been asked, it is OK to have a quiet pause in the room before answering. This is something public speakers are taught about giving speeches. It is not necessary to immediately blunder into an answer to avoid a silence. If you do, then you are more likely to start jabbering on and filling the air with words that are spurious and unecessary - whereas having a think about the best way to answer the question, whilst taking a few deep breaths and relaxing garners a more natural, relevent and concise response, bereft of gabbling.
I hope this helps!!
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Back of the net! Good work fella
So glad it worked for you - as I and other posters have said, it really does mark you out from the other chaff.
All I can recommend for the 2nd interview now is to build on the strengths that you demonstrated in the first, and to relax and be yourself.
If you want another little winning nugget:
Now that you've met, discussed with and know the interviewer(s) fairly well - at the next interview, try to drop the interviewer's first name into a few of your sentences...but be subtle...try not to make it look obvious.
It's an old sales trick - I think there's a quote that someone said sometime that goes something like "the most beautiful sound a person can hear, is their own name..."
It helps to bring a little familiarity and comfort to the proceedings. So for one or two of the questions they ask you, say something like:
"Ah well Dave, a good example of when I did abc to bring about xyz is blah blah blah..."
But obviously use it sparingly - you don't want to garner a false familiarity or make it sound insincere.
And if you're feeling REALLY brave - you might want to have a stab at a bit of body language psychology...but again, be careful and subtle with it.
'Mirroring' is another way to help the interviewer feel a greater affinity towards you - it unconsciously helps to make people feel that they like you and are comfortable with you...but if it's done subtly enough, they'll never actually realise why - unless they're experts in this kind of psychology of course!
So, basically it involves carefully mirroring the interviewer's position and posture. So, if they are sitting back in their chair, then try to do something similar. If they shift forwards in their chair to lean more onto the table, give it a minute and then at an appropriate moment, do the same. But the key is to do it as you would do it naturally, and not immediately after they do it obviously.
And all the way through - don't forget two things...to smile, and to breathe! When people are nervous, they often tense their shoulders and upper body, and do not breathe properly - almost holding their breath. This makes you come across in an awkward fashion, and can stunt some of your conversation. Try to think about it every so often - ask yourself 'am I remembering to breathe?'
Last comment I might make, which involves the breathing thing too. When a question has been asked, it is OK to have a quiet pause in the room before answering. This is something public speakers are taught about giving speeches. It is not necessary to immediately blunder into an answer to avoid a silence. If you do, then you are more likely to start jabbering on and filling the air with words that are spurious and unecessary - whereas having a think about the best way to answer the question, whilst taking a few deep breaths and relaxing garners a more natural, relevent and concise response, bereft of gabbling.
I hope this helps!!
Agree with all of this 100%. So glad it worked for you - as I and other posters have said, it really does mark you out from the other chaff.
All I can recommend for the 2nd interview now is to build on the strengths that you demonstrated in the first, and to relax and be yourself.
If you want another little winning nugget:
Now that you've met, discussed with and know the interviewer(s) fairly well - at the next interview, try to drop the interviewer's first name into a few of your sentences...but be subtle...try not to make it look obvious.
It's an old sales trick - I think there's a quote that someone said sometime
that goes something like "the most beautiful sound a person can hear, is their own name..."It helps to bring a little familiarity and comfort to the proceedings. So for one or two of the questions they ask you, say something like:
"Ah well Dave, a good example of when I did abc to bring about xyz is blah blah blah..."
But obviously use it sparingly - you don't want to garner a false familiarity or make it sound insincere.
And if you're feeling REALLY brave - you might want to have a stab at a bit of body language psychology...but again, be careful and subtle with it.
'Mirroring' is another way to help the interviewer feel a greater affinity towards you - it unconsciously helps to make people feel that they like you and are comfortable with you...but if it's done subtly enough, they'll never actually realise why - unless they're experts in this kind of psychology of course!
So, basically it involves carefully mirroring the interviewer's position and posture. So, if they are sitting back in their chair, then try to do something similar. If they shift forwards in their chair to lean more onto the table, give it a minute and then at an appropriate moment, do the same. But the key is to do it as you would do it naturally, and not immediately after they do it obviously.
And all the way through - don't forget two things...to smile, and to breathe! When people are nervous, they often tense their shoulders and upper body, and do not breathe properly - almost holding their breath. This makes you come across in an awkward fashion, and can stunt some of your conversation. Try to think about it every so often - ask yourself 'am I remembering to breathe?'
Last comment I might make, which involves the breathing thing too. When a question has been asked, it is OK to have a quiet pause in the room before answering. This is something public speakers are taught about giving speeches. It is not necessary to immediately blunder into an answer to avoid a silence. If you do, then you are more likely to start jabbering on and filling the air with words that are spurious and unecessary - whereas having a think about the best way to answer the question, whilst taking a few deep breaths and relaxing garners a more natural, relevent and concise response, bereft of gabbling.
I hope this helps!!
People often forget that an interview is a 2 way process - the employer is selling themselves to the candidate as much as the candidate to the employer. It is important to establish that they are the right organisation you to flourish in.
Very rarely do the interviews I attend actually as a candidate run like interviews. I like to guide the process in the direction of a general conversation, rather than Question / Answer for an hour. That way you can clearly demonstrate additional areas / knowledge that you bring as well as demonstrating subconscious competency. Asking lots of open and searching questions through the discussion allows you to dig down into the needs of the business, the capabilities of the hiring manager, the unstated reason for the recruitment etc.
Interviews are good fun. There is no need to be nervous. Just be very clear about your contribution to successes (always major on "I did" rather than "we did". I've got a final interview in a couple if weeks for a new role, where they have asked me to deliver a presentation on the particular market we are in. This is great, as A) I absolutely love presenting and will probably do a Pecha Kucha style (no writing, only 12 memorable images to associate the discussion to) and B) it allows me to demonstrate that I can both control a room and have a broad view of the clients and competition.
As RLY says above, body language and mirroring are very important and are things you learn in time. It's worth reading up / going on a course about these, as a massive %age of our communication is non-verbal (watch a meeting between two CxO's - they will both be nearly lying down in their chairs by the end as they are trying to make the other person lean forward to get into the conversation, thus being at a psychological disadvantage).
Like the end of the first interview, ask "is there reason why I wouldn't be perfect for the role?" and make sure to ask how the process goes from here, how many candidates they have left to see and if there are any areas of hesitation you can address now. If they say "no", then you could be bold and ask if there is any reason why they wouldn't offer you the job.
I always like to walk out of an interview knowing what the next step is, how I am postioned against others and what their general thoughts on me vs the competition are (again, I'm in sales, so it's natural to want to know these things and almost expected to ask)
Edited by schmalex on Sunday 6th October 10:08
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