Behavioural and situational interviews are essential steps in the hiring process. It is an opportunity for hiring managers to determine your behaviour and performance as an employee. There are five proven ways to ace the job interview that are recommended by career experts.
1: Dress to complement the company’s dress code.
People usually say dress for the job you want. However, some experts say to dress to complement the company’s dress code for job interviews.
Consider the fine line between dressing to impress and showing up overdressed for an interview. Your interview attire may not make or break your ability to get the job. Yet it can help show the interviewers the level of preparation you did.
Find out what the company’s dress code is ahead of the interview. Sites such as glassdoor and monster can shed some more light on the company’s interview style and culture.
Other ways to research the company’s dress style and culture are by:
- Asking the H.R. contact or hiring manager ahead of the interview; or
- Find out about the dress code from informational interviews.
Always strive for a balance between your style and the company’s dress code. It helps to complement the dress code during the interview as it can help make a tremendous in-person first impression.
If you’re not able to find out the company’s dress code, err on the side of business casual/semi-professional.
2: Make a personal connection early on.
Another proven way to ace the job interview is to make a personal connection. It can be intimidating to interview for your dream job. The fear of rejection, saying the wrong thing and leaving a bad impression can weigh on interviewees. Deep breathing exercises or the superhero stance before every session is essential to ease the tension.
To ease the tension, remember that the person or persons on the other side are also human. I encourage you to make a personal connection right from the very beginning.
It is easier to make a personal connection early on to ensure that you are on ten to fifteen minutes on time for in-person interviews. It’s best for virtual interviews to be about 5 to 10 minutes on time for the interview, so you are not rushed.
Begin your answer by sharing something personal about yourself. Sharing more personal information may go against what you may be taught about interviews. Yet, the contribution of relationship and connection is often underestimated in the hiring process.
For the question, ‘Tell me about yourself,’ avoid immediately launching into a recap of your resume. Start with “I am the oldest of three girls, a food lover and have lived and worked in 3 continents.” Or you can start with your values.
You will be memorable and stand out if you lead by being human and personal. It will be more comfortable for you when you make a personal connection early on and lower the interview’s power dynamic. People always perform better when they are more relaxed.
3: Story tell using keywords from the Job Description
To truly ace your job interview, become a master storyteller. I’m not referring to fairy tales but crafting a compelling story of how your experience, skills and values make you the best candidate for the job.
An exciting way to develop that skill is to take a copywriting or sales pitch class. If it is a challenge to take full course, then I suggest watching a few hours of pitch competitions. Follow the winning pitch formula and learn how to pitch yourself using the keywords from the job description.
The job description is only a skeleton of the story, and your experiences and qualifications tell the full story of:
- Who you are as a person;
- What you are like to work with;
- When you are at your best;
- How you will deliver value; and
- Why you are the best person for the role.
As you tell your story, you will see the signs that the listener is hooked and interested. Always leave them wanting more. A compelling trailer will undoubtedly get you a callback for the next round. As you share your stories, be sure to use the S.P.A.R.R. method. Start with the Situation, then outline the Problem, the Actions you took, Results, and Reflection.
Sign up for one of our interview prep sessions to sharpen your skills before the big day.
4: Ask questions throughout the interview.
In the post on preparing for your job interview, I recommend you compose some stand out questions for your interviewers. Do you know that the questions you ask in an interview can set you apart from other candidates? Avoid asking the generic questions that every candidate asks and stand out.
Though many interviewers will leave sometime in the end for you to ask questions, you want to ask one or two inquiries during the interview if you run out of time.
In the early part of the interview, there is usually some time for small talk and pleasantries. This time is an excellent time to check in on the interviewer and ask what they are excited about or looking forward to. During the interview, if you are taking notes, there will be an opportunity to ask a follow-up question.
Most interviewers will leave sometime in the end for you to ask a few questions. Check out our blog post on “Top 15 questions to ask during your next job interview” to get an idea of great questions to ask your interviewer.
5: Excel in the six areas of the interview
A proven way to ace your job interview is to know the six areas to excel at in an interview. Most companies are more focused on interview types that get to know you as a person.
Rather than concentrate on canned responses to specific questions, identify the points you want to get across.
I have interviewed 100s of candidates, and to be successful; it’s essential to excel in these six areas:
Personality: Be authentic and allow your personality to shine through.
Strengths: Speak to your strengths. Prepare a personal S.W.O.T. analysis.
Qualifications: Demonstrate the capabilities you have to excel in the position.
Company Knowledge: Show your interest and knowledge of the company and interviewers.
Crisis Management: Exhibit resilience and how you overcome adversity.
Strategy: Have a plan for your first 30,60, and 90 days in the role.
There you have it, five ways to ace your job interview. This article is the second post in our ace your interview series. Next in the series is the five ways to follow up after your interview. Be sure to save the discount code below for one of our interview prep sessions.
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