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Interview Confidence: Tips for Interview Success
Almost
all job seekers lack interview confidence. That makes sense since
most people attend few interviews in their life time. To
improve your job interview performance concentrate on the following:
Exude
confidence: concentrate on your communication skills
Words
matter. Take note of whether you use passive phrases as “I
believe” or “I think” and eliminate them from your vocabulary.
An interviewer wants to hire a candidates that knows he or she can
do the job. When you use wimpy words, the interviewer will question
your ability to do the job.
Though
you should be an active participant in the interview process, you
should not take over the interview. Ask questions when appropriate
and allow the interviewer to be in charge of the meeting. If you
master this communication skill, you will ace every interview.
Make a
good first impression by dressing appropriately
A
frequent interviewer complaint is candidates who dress too
conservatively or too casual. This point may seem like a no-brainer,
but based on hiring managers pet peeves, the majority cite
inappropriate dress as a factor in eliminating qualified job
seekers. If you are unsure of how to dress, ask the recruiter. Or
you can visit the hiring organization after work to see how the
employees dress.
You
are interviewing with the wrong companies. Let’s use the position
of a bank teller to illustrate
this
point. Bank tellers, no matter which financial institution, have the
same job responsibilities (e.g. executing financial transactions,
relationship management). The difference between fitting in or not
is the culture of the organization.
A
conservative bank such as Citibank may seek candidates that are
reserved. On the other hand, a contemporary institution such as
Commerce Bank may seek candidates who have an approachable
personality. Keep in mind that just because a position is open that
meets your experience that doesn’t mean that you the company is
the right match for you.
Body
language
Pay
attention to your body language. If you want to demonstrate that you
are open, do the following: "talk" with your hands and
don't cross your arms, sit with your legs parallel and don't cross
them, and wear clothing that is relaxed. That doesn't mean to skip
the interview suit. Just wear one that fits your body shape.
Raise your
energy level
The
interview isn't over when you walk out of the interview room. Be
sure to follow up. Hiring managers, in large part, base their
decision on an interviewee’s enthusiasm. They understand that
job-related skills can be taught but soft skills (i.e.
communication, integrity) are harder to come by. Sending a thank you
letter demonstrates your interest in the organization.
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