How To Influence The Interviewers Thoughts
Influencing others is an important skill to have especially in a job interview.
Being able to persuade people with words can have a massive impact on the outcome of the job interview.
What you say in the job interview creates a picture in the interviewer’s mind, this internal image feeds the interviewer’s emotional response and it is that emotional response, that gut feeling that has a direct impact on the interview outcome.
Even two sentences with the same meaning can create different responses. The key here is to pick your words carefully.
Set Up Your Own Coaching Business
The Glass is Half Full or Half Empty
This common saying makes my point clear.
The glass, either half full or half empty, holds the same volume of liquid, but the way you phrase the quantity of water creates a different perspective.
When answering your interview question you need to frame your interview answers in the positive. Imagine you tell the employer that you worked at X organisation, the employer looks disgusted and says “isn’t everyone who works there lazy?” you can easily reframe this response by responding with “yes, that why i want to work for an organisation like yours where you value hard workers like me”
Using Pain to Create Desire
A big mistake most interviewees make in the interview is not creating a painful story.
Because you are selling yourself, you, the interviewee, believe that you have to state everything in the positive. In most situations you do. But when asked to give an example, stay away from the temptation to explain how you did X with success.
Have you ever been to a movie and the whole film was positive?
The storyline simply being the good things that happen to the main character? No, because people like suspense, we want to be taken on a journey, even though we know the film will have a good ending, we still want to hear about heartache, the problems – we like suspense.
For your interview answer to influence, to have a bigger impact tell a story.
Explain the problem that you were face with and the consequences if you fail. Build suspense, even lower your tone.
Create a story of pain, before you, the superhero of the story comes to the rescue and saves the day.
Pick Power Words
‘Tell me about yourself? ‘ This commonly asked question can either persuade or put off the employer.
The words you choose to use to describe yourself will positively or negatively influence the interviewee, even when the meaning of the word is the same.
This is because all words have different levels of emotional intensity
Say these words out loud and notice how they make you feel different even though the meaning of the word is the same;
- I’m a good team player or I’m an excellent team player
- I try my best or I put my all into everything I do
- dedicated or loyal
- responsible or follow rules
- goal setter or goal achiever
- ideas or innovative
- enjoy or passionate
