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Powerful Interview Tips And Tricks To Land The Job

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At the heart of any effective hiring system is the interview phase. Its main aim is to select the most appropriate candidate for the job based on their interactions and responses.

Do you typically mess up your job interviews?

You’re not alone; many job seekers struggle with having successful interviews. Reasons vary from feeling nervous and not being able to express themselves to not knowing how to correctly answer questions.

Luckily, acing your interviews is easy if you’re familiar with the ins and outs of the interview process. Today’s article shares insightful interview tips and tricks for a fruitful job search.

14 Powerful Interview Tips and Tricks to Try in 2023

You’re all caught up on the point of an interview and why it is important to nail it as a job seeker.

The question now is: how do you ensure your interview is successful?

We’ve combined the following list of interview tips and tricks to help you improve your interview performance and start working on your dream job.

1. Prepare Beforehand

Properly preparing for the interview is a fundamental practice to pass the process with flying colors.

Preparation beforehand boosts your confidence and helps you feel more grounded. It’s also necessary for making a good impression.

Interview preparation involves multiple aspects, including:

  • Researching the company’s history and goals
  • Familiarizing yourself with the company’s staff (names, positions, etc.)
  • Brushing up on the relevant skills
  • Zeroing in on your selling points
  • Looking into the current salary range for the role
  • Printing a copy of your reference list and resume

2. Re-Read the Job Description

Go over the job description multiple times. This is to make sure you have a deep understanding of the responsibilities that the position entails.

This also makes you more aware of the skills the interviewer is looking for in a candidate. You can then highlight them when you’re answering questions or talking about your work experience.

Studying the job description also helps you form realistic expectations for the job.

3. Know Why You Want the Job

Reflect on the reasons why getting the job is important to you.

Are you looking for a challenge? Are you trying to shift to a career that you’re passionate about? Are you interested in higher pay? Is your goal to join a bigger company in the industry?

Use the answers as a motivation to invest time and effort in preparing for the interview. These answers can also push you to perform your best during your interview.

4. Write a List of Questions

Make a list of questions to practice for the interview. You don’t need to -and shouldn’t- memorize your answers, but familiarizing yourself with them can be a huge help.

It boosts your confidence and speech abilities if you’ve already answered the interviewer’s questions in the comfort of your time.

Look up questions interviewers might ask to assess role-specific skills, behavior, and work ethics.

You may be required to take a personality test for employment, so research the types of questions it might include.

5. Choose an Outfit You Feel Confident In

Dressing in appropriate attire is a crucial part of effective interviewing techniques.

You need a well-kept outfit, so think clean, pressed, and neat. Avoid flashy colors and revealing cuts.

You can ask the assistant about the typical dress code while setting up the interview. Some offices prefer to keep it casual whereas others stick to formal.

The general goal, however, is to look as professional as possible. Remember, confidence on the outside promotes confidence on the inside.  

6. Show Up on Time

Turning up on time for the interview is the baseline for a successful interview.

Keeping the interviewer waiting is a major red flag. It’s a sign of unprofessionalism, poor time management, and carelessness — would you hire such a candidate?

Unless you have a compelling emergency to justify tardiness, it’s practically impossible to fix the lousy impression of being late.

It’s even better to arrive reasonably early and wait for your appointment. You’re not only on time, but you also get the chance to calm your nerves.

7. Treat Everyone You Meet With Respect and Kindness

Be aware of how you treat others from the moment you enter the company. Make sure you’re respectful and kind toward everyone from the janitor to the CEO.

You may not realize this, but hiring managers often observe how you interact with staff members. This helps them determine if you’ll fit into the team.

Employers prefer candidates who’ll help build up their colleagues, not bring them down.

8. Know the Interviewer’s Name and How to Say It

Before you go into the interview, you should find out the name of your interviewer. This allows you to research their position in the company, their professional history, credentials, and so on.

You can use such information to tailor some of your answers so they resonate better with the interviewer.

If the interviewer’s name is unfamiliar to you, look up its pronunciation to smoothly say it back during introductions.

9. Anticipate Any Reservations

You know your resume and background better than anyone. If there’s a certain piece of information or an event that may raise a question mark, you should know that too.

You can make use of this knowledge to anticipate questions regarding these reservations.

This gives you a chance to prepare a convincing response that improves your image. Because the interviewer didn’t catch you off guard, your explanation will sound more compelling.

10. Start Off Strong

The interview is your opportunity to make an impression on the hiring manager. A strong start plays a key role in making that impression a great one.

Your demeanor should be confident from the moment you enter the room. Your handshake should be firm and your expression friendly yet professional.

Introduce yourself properly and be sure to check your footing to avoid tripping. If you’re carrying work materials (samples, devices, etc.), be aware of their placement.

11. Know Where the Boundaries Are

You should understand the professional and personal boundaries of the information you share and the questions you ask.

For example, if you’re answering a question about your free time activities, don’t mention intimate details or a wildly eccentric hobby.

When you’re asking questions, don’t ask about the interviewer’s salary or marital status.

You should also avoid getting too casual with your tone, swearing, and using excessive slang. The same goes for getting too emotional or confrontational.

12. Come With Questions

Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer when the time comes.

The “interviewee questions” portion shows the hiring manager that you want to learn more about the company and the position.

Interest in the job is a positive sign. You don’t want to draw a blank when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them.

Consider inquiring about sending a follow-up email, your personality test results, or the timeline for getting a response.

13. Listen Carefully

Answering questions is critical for a successful interview, but so is listening to the interviewer.

By actively listening to them, you can provide the best possible answers.

Paying attention also helps you build rapport with the hiring manager because the interaction is more dynamic. You’re not only firing canned responses without give and take.

Miscommunication can also cause problems. Imagine agreeing to responsibilities outside of your current capabilities or a too-low salary because you zoned out.  

14. Respond Truthfully

It’s imperative to maintain an honest approach to giving responses during an interview (unless the questions are irrelevant or inappropriate).

Staying truthful saves everyone’s time. If you lie about your skills or qualifications, you’ll get busted when you’re asked to perform a task involving them.

If your answers reveal that you’re not a good fit for the position or the company, you’re better off. You can start looking into more suited opportunities sooner if you figure that out early on.

15. Pay Attention to Body Language

The way you present yourself during the interview is as influential as the words that you vocalize.

You can utilize some nonverbal cues to ensure making a good impression on the interviewer. These include:

  • Making regular eye contact throughout the interview.
  • Nodding, leaning forward, and smiling.
  • Maintaining a proper seated posture.
  • Not tapping or jiggling your legs.
  • Not chewing your lips or biting your fingernails.
  • Not crossing your legs.
  • Keeping your palms open as you gesture.

16. Speak Confidently and Watch Your Grammar

The way you sound can affect the success of your interview. You want to convey professionalism and confidence by speaking clearly at an appropriate volume.

Think about what you’re saying to avoid stuttering or throwing in too many “ah”s, “um”s, and “like”s.

Refrain from using slang or language that’s too informal. Instead, incorporate powerful words to emphasize your eloquence as a professional.

Be careful of your pronunciation and grammar; practicing responses and technical words beforehand can help.

As for speech speed, don’t talk too fast or too slow. You don’t want the interviewer to miss what you’re saying or get bored while listening.

17. Close on a Positive Note

When leaving the interview, make sure you end things on a positive note.

Mention how much of a pleasure it was to speak with the interviewer and that you’re glad you got such an opportunity.

Smile and let the interviewer know you’re looking forward to hearing back and potentially joining the team. Wrap it up with a firm handshake and a graceful exit.

18. Send a Thank You

If you want to follow up with your potential employer, an effective and widely acceptable way is sending a thank you email.

It shows your gratitude for the opportunity while graciously -and subtly- urging the interviewer to give you an update.

You should keep such emails short and sincere. Your window for sending one is about 24 hours after the interview or it can be considered too late.

Don’t mention mistakes you did during the interview or push too eagerly for the job. Use proper grammar and avoid asking about salary information.

What Is the Point of Having an Interview?

Understanding the purposes of having an interview is the first step to handling it like a pro every time. Here are the top reasons why an interview is important:

  • The Hiring Manager Get To Know You: An interview is the best way for the hiring manager to get to know you beyond the resume. They get to listen to you, interact with you, and notice your behavior. They also get to observe your thought process and assess your skills.
  • They Get To See Your Personality: An interview enables the interviewer to form an idea of your personality. This helps them evaluate how well you’ll fit into the role and the company culture.
  • They Get To Hear More Details About Your Experience: Learning more about your professional side is only possible through an interview. A resume only lets you highlight brief points of your work experience and skills. The interview is where you share details that verify your proficiency and show the extent of your abilities.
  • They Get To Understand Your Communication Style: Person-to-person interaction during an interview allows the hiring manager to better comprehend your communication style. They can more accurately place you among the assertive, passive, passive-aggressive, and aggressive styles.
  • You Get To Learn More About the Company: Observing the interview setup and the interviewer’s attitude can give you insight into the company’s vision, culture, and current status.
  • You Get To Make an Impression: Doing an interview is the only way for you to leave a memorable impression. That’s not possible via impersonal resume pages.

Why Is It Important to Nail Your Interview?

Your performance in an interview can make or break the hiring decision. But why so? What is it about doing well in a job interview that makes it such a big deal?

The following reasons should give you the motivation to nail your interviews.

1. Make a Strong Impression

A huge part of doing a successful interview is making a strong, positive impression on the interviewer.

A good impression means you’re more memorable. When hiring managers are making their final decisions, your chances are higher if they remember you more than the competition.

A good impression also compels the person you’re engaging with to listen more closely to what you have to say. This helps you better convince the interviewer of your suitability for the job.

2. Explain Issues in Your Resume

An interview is an opportunity for you to clear up any hiccups in your resume.

Nailing your interview means that you managed to sufficiently explain these issues to the interviewer.

The result is a hiring manager who no longer considers these issues as a potential hindrance to the company or your performance.

For example, if your resume shows a year gap in the work experience section, an interview lets you address it. You can explain that you were studying, doing research, dealing with a family or health crisis, and so on.

3. Show Your Professionalism

You need to nail your interview because this lets you demonstrate your professionalism to the interviewer.

When we talk about professionalism, we’re referring to all the meanings the term can hold.

For many job seekers, showing professionalism is discussing their relevant education, experience, and skills.

Other candidates view showing professionalism as a manner of behavior. Extending common courtesy, respecting others, and arriving on time can all be interpreted as professionalism in this context.

Some candidates also consider dressing appropriately and speaking properly as an ingredient of professionalism.

Whatever you identify as professionalism, nailing your interview will get the message across.

4. Stand Out From Other Candidates

Last but not least, acing your interview is crucial if you want to set yourself apart from the competition.

You’re not the only candidate that the hiring manager is considering for the job. You’re also not the only one qualified for the position.

To increase your odds of landing the role, your best chance is a great performance in the interview phase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the 3 Rules of an Interview?

Preparation, professionalism, and genuineness are the three fundamental rules of an interview.

How Do You Speak in an Interview?

You should speak clearly and calmly at a loud enough volume. Don’t talk too slowly or too quickly and be sure to maintain eye contact with the interviewer.

Use proper grammar, avoid an informal tone, and learn to effectively pause between thoughts.

Wrapping Up

The interview process is pivotal to any hiring decision. Learning how to master your interviews can greatly increase your chances of getting the job and advancing your career.

The interview tips and tricks we discussed in today’s post will help you make a strong impression and show the interviewer your full potential.

As always, leave a comment if you have any questions.

Preparing for the interview beforehand is critical to its success. From there, you need to maintain a professional attitude, act confident, listen attentively, and respond eloquently.

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