Wednesday, December 07, 2011

How to Shine in the Job Interview

How to Shine in the Job Interview
By Earnest Mercer
The author earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies and a Master of Business Administration from Pace University of New York. His career spanned 30 years with IBM Corporation with assignments in several U. S. locations as well as Japan, Hong Kong and South Africa. After retiring, he worked as a human resources consultant to U. S. companies in South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Korea and the Czech Republic. After serving in various community and civic organizations, he took a position as an adjunct instructor with Webber International University in the Graduate School of Business. He was conferred an honorary Doctor of Business Administration for his innovative work there. He has written numerous essays, white papers and training modules, and has collaborated on books related to personal training and development. He has conducted hundreds of interviews with job applicants for many different companies in many parts of the world.

The following interviewing tips have been accumulated from years of experience.

I. First Impressions
First and often lasting impressions are formed during the first few minutes of an interview. Studies have indicated that within a mere ten seconds interviewers begin to make judgments about the interviewee’s professionalism, social status, intelligence, and even morals. (Yes, I know that it isn’t supposed to be this way, but it is.)
II. Focus
Interviewers tend to focus on what they see (dress, eye contact, body language) on what they hear (grammar, syntax, tone of voice) than on actual content of the interviewee's delivery, at least at first.
III. Assessments
Interviewers tend to believe that those who care about themselves (as demonstrated by their personal presentation} are more likely to care about the performance on the job. Make those crucial four minutes count: Look your best. Clothing consciousness is seen to indicate one’s self esteem and one’s level of professionalism. Avoid faddish style of dress, extreme hair styles, non-standard faddish speech. (Don't try to make a "statement" of your personal views) Your personal presentation must convey the message that you are competent, reliable and authoritative, not a person easily swayed by passing temporary fashions. It is wise to obtain a copy of a company’s annual report and pay attention to how the employees featured in the document present themselves. It is a good idea to dress for the job you want. Remember, nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
IV. Work on your body language.
Numerous studies indicate that about seven percent of any message about our feelings and attitudes comes from words we use, 38 percent from our voice and a startling 55 percent from our body language. Don't let your body language emphasize what you think is important as it may be insignificant to the interviewer. It is a well-known fact among interviewers that when body language conflicts with oral communication, trust the body language. Practice tempering your tone of voice, facial expressions, posture, eye contact and gestures. You must not seem too desperate for the job, or too eager to please. Eye contact is important, but don’t stare and don’t make it an issue rather than a supportive factor.
V. Speak in a positive vein.
Avoid negatives of all kinds unless it is absolutely necessary to the point you are trying to make. Generally, people do not like to hear negatives and the frequent use of non-affirmative language may be interpreted as pessimistic and arrogant. Say what you mean and make sure that both your choice of words and body language project a positive attitude. If you have been fired from your last job, don’t try to place the blame on someone else or factors you couldn’t control. While your termination may have come about because of circumstances you couldn’t alter, it does little good to dwell on these causes. Simply state the facts and move on to your next point.
VI. Social Skills.
Interviewers look for people who are comfortable in different social settings—people who are likely to “fit in” the social environment of the company. An important aspect of exercising one’s social skills is stay abreast of current events; read at least one daily newspaper, a weekly magazine so you can hold your own in topics of the day. But, don’t set yourself up as an expert based on limited knowledge or other false analogies. (Just because you are Japanese, doesn’t make you an expert on Japan or its culture and business.) It is advisable to read the sports page even if you are not a sports enthusiast as (at least in the U. S.) the brief discussion of sports current events is frequently used as an icebreaker. If you are from a different culture than that of your interviewer, you must make a special effort to avoid cultural traits that may be commonplace in your culture, but unpleasant or even insulting in a different environment.
Summary:

Don’t:
Make the application of the above rules of interviewing an affectation. Practice until they become natural.

Assume that what you think is important is important to the interviewer.

Blame others.

Attempt to become “friends” with the interviewer, be friendly, but stick to
the business at hand.

Appear to be desperate or overly eager. Focus on the mutual advantage to
the company and yourself if employed.

Do:
Leave your fads, extreme apparel, and personal accouterments at home. Be on time and dress professionally.

Make sure that your words and body language agree. Practice in front of a mirror. (Good public speakers practice thusly for hours and hours.)

Remember that first impressions are formed in the first three or four minutes and are hard to change.

Start with a firm handshake (don't try to show how strong you are) establish eye contact(don't stare) and project friendliness, but avoid over familiarity.

Use the interviewer’s last name during the interview preceded with the appropriate honorific, Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr., until asked to do otherwise.

Ask questions about the job and the company, but stay away from questions on personal issues (yours or the interviewer's). Avoid rhetorical questions meant to impress the interviewer.

Final Note:
During my interviews with dozens of applicants, I looked for a "real" person, free from artifices and pretense; one who focused on their achievements that relate to the position for which they are applying.