The focus on job interview language is underrated.
In the main, career professionals to prepare for a job interview will direct their time and energy on predicting the job interview questions. This is very wise, and valuable, as research suggests that knowing the job criteria, and therefore having a good idea of what questions will be asked, is one of the key elements for a successful interview outcome.
In fact, there are 3 rules for a successful job interview;
- Identifying the job criteria
- Being a self-promoter
- Communicating with confidence
With a list of questions most applicants, prior to the interview, will create a number of scenarios to use as examples during the interview. Again good practice.
But, what most candidates fail to do is to reflect on the language they can utilise to highlight a high level of knowledge and experience.
In addition, language helps to build rapport, frames what information is taken in and creates emotion.
Career professionals understand how individual words, phrases and sentences influence and persuade, in short successful interviewees are skilled communicators.
Words that influence
How a sentence is phrased influences how an employer views an applicant.
Generally speaking applicants with a track record of interview failures use weak-sounding phrases. On the surface, the chosen words seem suitable for the interview question, but each sentence has an emotional attachment. At a basic level, the emotional equals desire or unsuitability.
Imagine, an employer asks a question to better understand the candidate’s related experience. 3 interviewees answer with 3 separate replies:
- I am experienced in (job role)…
- With 15 years of industry experience as a (job role)…
- An industry professional with over 15 years experience specialising as a (job role)
Each answer states the same message – experience in (job role) but the structure of each answer creates a different image of the applicant – the level of expertise they possess.
This is because individual words have different emotional attachments. Fine, good, excellent, excel, all have a similar meaning but feel different.
The take away here is to choose words and the interview answer formula that allows an employer to view your skill set and experience in the best light.
Don’t be disingenuous
Rule 2 for a successful job interview outcome is being a self-promoter.
Much research shows how self-promoting in a job interview will increase the allocated scores for each job interview answer, as the ‘promotion’ easily allows an employer to cross reference the data within the job interview answer against the criteria for the advertised position.
Self-promotion doesn’t have to be an exaggeration,
In fact, stay away from comments that, on the surface, sound like a positive interview answer, but in fact are disingenuous.
Questions that ask about mistakes, failures or work ethic are designed to understand a candidate’s attitude in the workplace; how they deal with failures and mistakes.
Saying:
- ‘I have never made a mistake’
- ‘I always put 110% into every task I undertake’
- ‘I am the best at everything’
sounds weak and stupid. Employers would prefer to hear the ‘mistake’ and what this error taught you.
When self-promoting, talk up your strengths and successes, ensuring the answer clearly states actions you took in team projects, while staying away from throwaway comments such as the 3 examples above.
Never apologise
Decisive interviewees come across as confident and hirable.
Opening an interview question with a ‘confidence statement’ reassures the hiring manager that the candidate has the required skill/experience being discussed as part of the interview question.
A confidence statement is an opening line that confirms you have/know the required criteria:
- In all my roles I (add criteria IE worked as part of a team)…
- This was a common situation in my last role…
- This is a passion of mine…
- X situation is something I have experience in throughout my whole career…
- I’m very experienced in this, an example of this would be…
Rule 3 for a successful job interview is confident communication. Removing filler words and hesitations, along with a good pace allow the communication to be understood by the employer.
Nervous, fast-talkers, often fail interviews, not because they don’t meet the required job criteria but due to the speed of their communication – the employer doesn’t have time to analyse everything that has been said in such a short timeframe.
A common interview slip up is the ‘apology’ Nervous interviewees will sometimes apologies when they need to clarify the desired answer – ‘Sorry I don’t know what you mean’
Apology statements sound weak.
When asked a generic interview question never presume to know what the employer is trying to gauge from the interview question, instead ask for specifics; ‘would you like to know about X or Y?’ or even ask the employer to repeat the interview question – but do this assertively.
Increase duration, increase scores
There is a distinct link between the number of words per reply and high scoring interview answers.
The more an applicant talks, especially when using varied language, the more likely they are to mention the required criteria to hit a high scoring answer.
High scoring answers aren’t based on duration alone, as the topic being discussed has to be relevant to the job role.
When, ideally relaxed, and chatty, an applicant will often use several examples, quote industry-related models, while structuring the answer with an opening, body and summary. Some applicants, skilled at answering tricky interview questions, will also discuss the pros and cons of sector models showing a high level of understanding, therefore a high level of industry knowledge.
Embedding varied language, including positive emotional words, into a long interview answer results in keeping the employer engaged and interested.
Furthermore, highly confident applicants will create a conversation embedding their own questions into the interview answer. This dialogue creates rapport and changes the employer’s opinion of an applicant.
Be a ‘can’ not a ‘cannot’ person
Interview language is often the frame created by a statement given.
Much research shows how using positive language increase likeability. The framing of any reply, at a basic level, creates a positive or negative emotional response.
If asked a strength-based interview question: ‘do you prefer to work within a team or on your own initiative?’ any answer should highlight your preference – you prefer to work as part of a group or as an individual.
But how the answer is framed creates a different emotional response. Some applicants will use a negative frame ;
- ‘I’m never worked on my own…’
- ‘You get more done working on your own, rather the relying on others..’
- ‘Isn’t this a ‘team’ position?…’
Framing alters what information is noticed by the interviewer. A positive frame creates a positive focus, whereas any ‘negative’ framed answers can cause concern as the employer associate negatively with the applicant.
What research tells us is that the language embedded within a job interview answers influences, positively or negatively, the interviewer’s decision-making process. By making a few alterations; the framing of the reply, the removal of weak phrases, and focusing on positive words can help an applicant be viewed as hireable.
Job Interview Advice
