How to make your interviewer love you
This is my valentine's gift to you all. Fostering a meaningful connection with your interviewer will positively impact on the outcome of your interview.
A thread
This is my valentine's gift to you all. Fostering a meaningful connection with your interviewer will positively impact on the outcome of your interview.
A thread
Smile
Make a conscious effort to smile when you are first introduced, when you say goodbye and regularly throughout the interview. This may sound like an obvious one, but it’s interesting how many people don’t.
Make a conscious effort to smile when you are first introduced, when you say goodbye and regularly throughout the interview. This may sound like an obvious one, but it’s interesting how many people don’t.
Maintain eye contact
Establish and maintain eye contact during your meeting. Too much eye contact is clearly off-putting, so look away regularly, but keep that contact. If you never meet your interviewer’s gaze, you will come across as slightly shifty, or nervous
Establish and maintain eye contact during your meeting. Too much eye contact is clearly off-putting, so look away regularly, but keep that contact. If you never meet your interviewer’s gaze, you will come across as slightly shifty, or nervous
Remember your interviewer’s name
Make a conscious effort to remember the name of your interviewer (having made sure you’ve heard it properly), and use it quite often and as you leave.
Make a conscious effort to remember the name of your interviewer (having made sure you’ve heard it properly), and use it quite often and as you leave.
Create a 50/50 dialogue
listen as much as you speak, and don’t save all your questions until the end of the meeting. Show you are interested – and listening – by asking intelligent questions (you should have thought of some relevant questions to ask as part of your preparation).
listen as much as you speak, and don’t save all your questions until the end of the meeting. Show you are interested – and listening – by asking intelligent questions (you should have thought of some relevant questions to ask as part of your preparation).
Make the interviewer feel important
Do your research on the company, your interviewer and the role you are applying for (LinkedIn is a great resource to help you do this). Nothing helps flatter and build rapport more than a little inside knowledge on the person you’ll be meeting
Do your research on the company, your interviewer and the role you are applying for (LinkedIn is a great resource to help you do this). Nothing helps flatter and build rapport more than a little inside knowledge on the person you’ll be meeting
Come prepared with some follow up questions pertaining to the interviewer to help build a stronger connection
Be memorable – show the real you
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through to help your interviewer see who you really are. Answer questions honestly and clearly. And remember, an experienced interviewer can easily spot the signs of a candidate who is trying too hard
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through to help your interviewer see who you really are. Answer questions honestly and clearly. And remember, an experienced interviewer can easily spot the signs of a candidate who is trying too hard
Follow up afterwards
Follow up the interview with an email thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterate how much you enjoyed meeting them. Send this before the interviewer has a chance to forget you.
Follow up the interview with an email thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterate how much you enjoyed meeting them. Send this before the interviewer has a chance to forget you.
