Good preparation makes a difference
A job interview is not an exam in which you have to provide the “correct” answers as possible. It is a personal meeting between two parties to see if you are a good fit for a possible collaboration. Therefore, it is important to appear authentic and self-confident, and to display the right behavior. And for this, good preparation before the interview is the be-all and end-all.
It is best to find out in advance the names and other information of the contact persons with whom the interview is to be conducted. Seeing a face of him on Xing or LinkedIn or finding out about his career helps the applicant to get a first impression of the contact person and to prepare accordingly for the interview. According to applicant coaches, this is particularly helpful in avoiding embarrassing situations – by mistaking the assistant for the managing director, for example.
In order to score points, it is also important to be on time and to plan your journey well. A real time buffer is essential, because traffic jams, train delays or cancellations are almost part of everyday traffic. And that also has an impact on one’s own behavior: according to Phillipp reasonel, communication trainer from Nuremberg, not arriving on time and calmly can lead to a situation where one robs oneself of one’s sovereignty and conducts the conversation under stress.
The first impression starts at the reception…
When you finally arrive at the company, it is important to present yourself from your best side right from the start – and not just to the respective HR manager or department head. One should greet all employees of the company and meet everyone with a friendly face. It is important for the contact persons to greet them according to their hierarchical position and to thank them for inviting them to the interview.
If you are then asked to sit down and are given a choice, according to Pablo Galan, from Page Personnel in Düsseldorf, you should sit down so that the light source is in the background. “This ensures a light background, which automatically makes you appear more likeable and open,” says the expert. If you’re offered something to drink, you shouldn’t refuse, because “otherwise it could be seen as a rejection,” according to communication coach Karsten Noack.
The next step is to convince the contact person in a pleasant conversation. As a rule, they do not start with topics related to their own career or the company, but with small talk. The aim is to test applicants’ resistance to stress by asking “tricky or even provocative questions […] to check,” says Gründerel. The recipe for success in this situation? Authenticity! You can’t go wrong with honesty and sincerity.
It is easy to disguise yourself
Because trying to be someone you’re not is easy to spot. According to Gründerel, this also requires constant self-control, which requires “a lot of strength and […] Concentration” is required, which in turn can be used for more important aspects of the interview. On the other hand, if you decide to communicate openly, honestly and friendly, you make a good impression. This is especially true when answering questions that are put to an applicant.
However, it is also important to stay focused on the questions, to recognize the intention behind them and to provide an appropriate answer. Since some questions have become “common” among HR professionals over the years, such as strengths or weaknesses, you can also prepare well for them. If you also have your own questions, for which you get the opportunity to ask them towards the end of the conversation, you round off the good impression.
Even when the interview is over, it’s still important to continue to show good behavior. Because the conversation is only really over “when you’re out of sight,” as communications trainer Gründerel said. Inconsequential chatting or big cheers in the company parking lot could possibly fade the good impression. It is therefore advisable to say thank you in a friendly way for the interview and, according to Gründerel, to walk away “upright and smiling” just as you came.
Editorial office finanzen.net
Image Sources: Lisa S. / Shutterstock.com