You only have 45 minutes to make a good impression!
The interview for some is one of their most uncomfortable experiences they will have, having to sell your skills to outwit the other applicants, to a panel of interviewers. Many applicants know they can add value to the new organisation, with their skill base embedded in there job sector not in passing job interviews.
With experience on both sides of the table I understand the importance of standing out from the interview crowd, but make sure you stand positively not negatively. After a long day of interviewing the last candidate sat down and introduced himself, they say that interviewers make their mind up in the first 5-10 minutes of the interview, but in reality people make generalisations in the first 5-10 seconds. I immediately formed a negative opinion of this guy, maybe it was his lack of eye contact or the sweat stains under his armpits, for whatever reason I didn’t think he would suit our team, and the interview prove me right. With most interviewees like this, you quickly forget them, but 10 years later and can still remember him, because he stood out from the crowd. It took the whole interview for this applicant to stand out from the crowd, which he achieved as I was walking him to the exit, when he turned around, and said confidently for the first time throughout the whole interview “can you please refund my bus ticket” I was so shocked that I actually took hold of the bus ticket, and put my hand in my trouser pocket with the change in it, until I looked at the date and realised the daily bus ticket was three days out of date.
Standing out from the crowd will get you remembered and when used right can be used to your interview advantage. I worked recently with one client, who had a large skill base but often failed in job interviews. She was so frustrated that I coached her to try a new technique. As the interview was progressing, she again realised that her answers were not hitting the mark and the interviewer looked a little bored. During her the next interview answer she used the killer line, that would make her stand out and change the interviewers opinion of her forever. “I know you have been interviewing all day and are probably feeling a little tiered, and to be honest with you I know I can add value to your team, but I also know that I’m not the best at interviews. So, my proposal is this, I will give you £400 if you let me work for you for a week for free. If I’m as good as I know I am, you will be highly impressed and will want to hire me, if not you get to keep the £400. I know this sounds a little out the box, but I also know that you will be highly impressed with my work ethic and skill base”
She was offered a job, without having to gamble the £400. It doesn’t matter how you make yourself stand out positively in the job interview, but this is the key to winning more job offers as employers want to know how much added value you can bring to the team.
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