THE THINGS AN INTERVIEWER NOTICES ABOUT YOU!
Interviews are most likely
your gateway to any job and it helps to think like the interviewer to ace them.
Here are four things most interviewers would notice first about any job
candidate.
- Your attire:
you may have the right skills and be the perfect fit for the job but you also
need to give a good appearance, it matters even more because people notice your
looks first before they hear a word from you. Equally important is knowing what
to wear for the different work environments.
- Your Communication
and expressive style: Communication is everything. Interviewers look
out for job candidates who can sell themselves with words. Many times, when you
are asked questions, interviewers are more interested in how you arrive at your
answers and less in the answer being right or wrong. If you can, get background
information on the interviewer; you need to know what s/he wants, better still,
be adequately prepared for the interview. Do an exhaustive research on the
company, this will help you communicate better. Do not assume the meaning of a
question, it’s alright to let your interviewer know if you did/did not get the
question. You can do this creatively by saying ‘’if your question meant …, then
my answer would be…, otherwise I would appreciate if you paraphrase the
question to help me understand you better.”
- Body Language:
we put a lot of emphasis on speech and written communication but we often fail
to realise that body language can send a lot stronger signals than words; it
tells more about us than the way we speak. Your body language is your means of
non-verbal communication and it is important you have the appropriate body
language to convey the right message. Ensure to know which gestures you need
while responding to your interviewer. Control your eye movements-maintain eye
contact with the interviewer. Be relaxed but do not slouch, let your body
language match with your words.
- Your
qualifications: you may have the appropriate body language and
communication style but you also have to prove you are the right fit for the
job. Focus on your accomplishments and how it meets the needs of your potential
employer. Be specific about whether you cut costs or got more customers for
your former employers to give your interviewer a clearer description of your
skills.
In a previous post, I
mentioned some questions you can ask in a job interview. Although, this part of
the interview gives you the opportunity to shine, it is also a means to show
the level of your interest in the company; hence there’s a need to be careful
on the kind of questions to ask. Interviewers would pay attention to your
questions to measure the depth of your thoughts about the company and asking
the wrong questions might switch you off what was meant to be an awesome
interview experience.
So here are some questions
you should keep from your interviewers’ ears and I’ll give reasons.
- What exactly does
this Company/Firm/Organisation do?
Your potential employer may
be nice enough to tell you some things about the Company but you’ll probably be
on your way out the next minute. Asking this question shows you didn’t do your
homework. Any job candidate is expected to have done a thorough research on
whatever Organisation s/he is looking to work with. Look up the web or the
Company website for whatever information you can find about the Company; find
out who your potential employers are as well as the Company’s former and
current position in the industry. Avoid coming off to the interviewer(s) as
lazy and not interested in the Organisation by asking what the Company does.
- What benefits are
attached to this position and how soon can I get a salary raise?
First, you don’t know if
you’ve gotten the job; second, you’ve shown where your interest lies. Even
though you are eager to know how much you’ll be paid, wait for the interviewer
to get to the salary negotiation part. Do not be first to raise the topic and
best find out how much employees in similar roles in other Organisations earn
to help you discuss your salary reasonably with your potential employer. Asking
these questions show that you are only concerned about the remuneration
benefits, which would most likely pose you a bad fit for the Organisation.
Employers are more interested in candidates who are as passionate about the
Company’s progress as they are than those who are there for other reasons.
- What were the
flaws of the former holder of this position and how would you want things done
differently?
You can ask instead- “what
are the expectations for this position? Your interviewer is not your gossip
folk. You are there to focus on the interviewer’s needs not to share bedtime
stories; besides, you are yet informal with your interviewer which makes the
question quite personal and off the reason why you are there.
Here are some tips to help
you ask the right questions:
- Do not ask leading
questions, interviewers would think you are too confident or just nosy.
- Do not ask personal
questions or about the interviewer’s background, you don’t want your interview
to become a probing session for your interviewer; always bear in mind you are
the interviewee and most of the cards are in your interviewer’s hands.
- Ask specific questions;
use the right words and avoid the use of slangs; help your interviewer understand
your questions- not read meanings to them.
- Do not ask questions
based on beliefs and values.
- Do not ask questions with
‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, it means you didn’t prepare for the interview.
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