It is no longer enough nowadays just to be able to do your job right, being courteous, hard working and dressing smartly—even in an interview. In the exact words of renowned psychologist Dr. Chris Hart;“These days, being good at what you do doesn’t guarantee you success. To succeed, you have to make an impact—on everyone: your boss, colleagues, clients and even potential spouse!” And when it comes to interviews, you need to not only answer the questions right—you need to stand out. Here are some strategies that can help you impress the interview panel:
1. Display Marks of Having Done Thorough Preparation “Good preparation is one of the most important elements of making yourself as a candidate impress the interviewing panel,” says Annette Kimitei, HR manager – Senaca Group. According to Ms Kimitei, a candidate who wants to leave a lasting, positive impression on the minds of the interviews should display a mastery of having done adequate background research on the company, and the role he is supposed to take on. This knowledge, when merged with skills and abilities he comes with eventually portray one as the right fit for the job. Moreover, having all the documentation and certificates in order and within easy access is also a plus.
2. Dress for the Occasion “Your mode of dress is another element of marketing yourself to the interviewer,” says Ms. Kimitei. “It should also be part of your self-marketing strategies: make sure you are outstandingly but appropriately dressed for the interview.” Trying on various outfits and getting the opinion of your friends on one that brings you out the sharpest is one method you can employ to come up with the best dress code to leave a lasting positive impression on the interviewers. And remember, good manicure, well done hair and cologne are part of this strategic combination of standing out.
3. Arrive Early The ‘early birds’- those who get to the interview way ahead of the pack usually score a higher approval rate than fellow candidates who rush in late. Punctuality helps you acclimatize, relax and be more composed when summoned by the panel. Moreover, you might never know when you might be called in; a candidate might miss on a splendid opportunity just because he came in late and was called even before he had time to catch his breath. The early bird, they say…catches the worm.
4. Ask Intelligent Questions You might have heard people being rated ‘intelligent’ based on the type of questions they ask. News anchors who shoot the right questions during televised interviews leave a lasting impression in the minds of viewers; why not borrow something from them? Prepare a list of intelligent questions: about the company’s corporate vision, career growth prospects in the firm or if it is one in a series of interviews, you might as well enquire how you scored in a previous interview session and how you can improve in future.
5. Be Yourself; Be Real “Even though interviewers are pleased with candidates who have done their homework to the best of their abilities, sometimes a candidate might take his or her perfection too far,” says Ms Kimitei. For example, she says, if you as a candidate claim to know everything and give all answers as ‘Yes’ then you might end up looking ‘plastic’ or too good to be true to the interviewers. Try to be as real as possible to the panel; admit a few things you cannot do but express the keenness to learn. As Ms. Kimitei cautions, a candidate who appears ‘too perfect to be real’ in an interview can in fact end up raising eyebrows in the panel. “Having all the answers right all the time, and you may end up appearing like a person who is not really authentic—remember to be yourself, they are hiring the real you,” she advices.
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