What Are Interview Skills?
A job interview is a nerve-wracking experience, to say the least. Unfortunately, it is also an unavoidable part of any job seeker’s journey. While there is no sure way to guarantee that you’ll land the job, there are a few strategies that you can implement to help set you up for success. In this article, we’ll be exploring three such strategies to equip you with the interview skills that you need.
Ace That Interview With These Winning Interview Strategies
At the end of the day, a successful interview boils down to connecting with your interviewer and cementing a lasting positive impression of yourself in their minds. Achieving this is not as complicated as you might think. In fact, you might be surprised how far a little bit of preparation and effective communication can get you. Here are our winning tips for developing interview skills that will get you hired.
1. Be Prepared
Being ill-prepared for an interview is a recipe for disaster, one that most of us are all too familiar with. On the other hand, you have undoubtedly also experienced the satisfaction that comes from acing an interview that you prepared for. Suffice to say, putting a little bit of effort into preparing for an interview is one of the first and most important steps to making a positive impression and landing your next job.
You should be ready to answer common interview questions as well as potential role-specific questions. Prepare responses and practice them in the mirror or with friends or family until your answers feel natural, as opposed to scripted. In addition, you should have a look at the company’s website and social media profiles, as well as Google, to find any recent news about the company that you should know about. Familiarise yourself with the company as much as possible. The aim is to identify their goals, culture, values, and potential problems and figure out how your skills and experience align with this.
2. Communicate Using Storytelling Techniques
Where do you start when faced with an open-ended question about yourself or your career? Interviewers are not interested in listening to a summary of your resume. Instead, you should focus on why you are a good fit for the role. What you choose to highlight is what the interviewer will focus on, so choose your words carefully.
The trick is to make a lasting impression that won’t easily be forgotten. One way to achieve this is to use storytelling communication techniques to grab (and hold) the attention of your interviewer. If you’ve yet to master using stories as a way to enhance the way you communicate, Skillsme Academy offers a fantastic Storytelling Course to teach you how to communicate effectively.
3. Collect Your Thoughts
Instead of blurting out answers to interview questions, a better approach is to take a moment to formulate a well thought out response. Although many job applicants typically feel compelled to respond to questions immediately, this approach is rarely successful. Instead, you run the risk of not comprehending the question or giving a lacklustre response that lacks substance.
Don’t panic if you misheard a question, or feel unsure about what is being asked. Keep your cool, and ask your interviewer to clarify or repeat the question. They are much more likely to appreciate a thoughtful and calm response than a hasty one. If the question is particularly long or complicated, feel free to write it down. Ideally, you should also have a few of your own questions for the interviewer. Ask about the company, the role and any obstacles that they are facing. This creates the impression that you are genuinely interested in the role, and in learning more about the company.
Conclusion
Feeling nervous about an interview is normal, but instead of letting yourself be overwhelmed, be prepared. You need to be able to effectively communicate your worth to the interviewer. To hone your communication and interview skills, the Storytelling Course presented by Skillsme Academy is a good place to start to help you become a confident and charismatic communicator.