To influence the job interview outcome you first need to determine the level of position you are applying for as each job level requires a different type of answer for the asked job interview question.
Thirdly, by understanding the level of job and your ‘interview identity’ you can create a perfect job interview answer relevant for the advertised role.
What Job Level are you Applying For?
Generally speaking, there are 4 levels of job roles; voluntary jobs, low-skilled roles, medium-skilled positions, and high skilled jobs. Each level of position requires a different job interview approach, which is referenced in the answers to the job interview question.
Voluntary jobs – charity shops, befriending, soup kitchens
Medium skilled positions – middle managers, skilled laborer, medical staff, engineer, career advisor, teacher, other degree-level positions
High skilled jobs – chief executive officer, specialist doctor, senior engineer, head-teacher
Job Interview Prediction Grid
The decision of where you place yourself on the IPG depends on two key factors; your level of K/E and LoC. Remember the ‘interview prediction grid’ needs to account for your behavior in a job interview, not in the workplace IE you may be a productive worker but if you struggle to communicate your work ethic in a job interview you will be perceived as having low K/E.
Each of the two axes is on a scale of 2-8; 2 represents low K/E or LoC, 4 is sufficient, 6, medium (required for roles degree level and above roles) and 8 high (expert level) For a detailed breakdown and to check your specific ‘interview identity’ click – Interview Identity.
Job Interview Question – what is your experience?
How to answer the commonly asked job interview question – what is your experience? Depending on your interview identity, formed on the IPG, choose one of the following job interview question answer templates:
Low/Low Employee
In the main, low/low employees have little experience and need to focus on their skill set, personality and any part-time/work-experienced roles. With low confidence it can be difficult to reply to questions, using a 3 step structured process can help them to deliver a strong answer.
Example Job Interview Answer Template
“I am a (add quality), (add quality) individual who enjoys (add skill). When in school I (add work experience/club position/roles of authority) where I (add duties/responsibilities) The reason I am applying for this position (explain why you have applied for this role).
Example Job Interview Answer
“I am a kind, caring individual who enjoys customer service. When in school I was the head prefect where I was responsible for organizing the prefects timetable, organizing the end of year ball and feeding back to teachers. The reason I am applying for this position is because of the high standards of customer service your employees have”
Low/High Employee
As low/high employees possess high levels of confidence (but low levels of experience) making rapport with the interviewer through storytelling can increase likability and job offers, as the stories highlight your expertise and unique selling point.
Example Job Interview Answer Template
“I have over (add years) experience working in (add company name/sector/job role) as you know (add sector related problem) To achieve this I (add solution/unique selling point) an example of this when I worked at (add company name), where I had to (add situation). To solve this issue I (add actions you took) which resulted in (add outcome)”
Example Job Interview Answer
“I have over 2 years experience working in retail, as you know the key to success is maximizing profitability in a competitive market. To achieve this I use my psychology degree to improve my teams awareness of the psychology of sales; an example of this when I worked at Tesco where I had to push an end of line product after the Christmas rush. To solve this issue I taught my team how to embed the psychology of scarcity by using a ‘last few products left’ sign while only displaying a few of the items (which we replenished one by one as a purchase was registered) which resulted in 2 things; selling all of the products and being the areas highest profitable shop for 3 months in a row”
High/Low Applicant
The lack of confidence can create difficulty in communicating your answer. Using models, theories, abbreviation and sector terminology allows you to communicate a high amount of information (inferred details) without physically saying to much.
Example Job Interview Answer Template
“As a (add job role) I use (add model/theory). My success comes from (add strength/unique selling point) I’m skilled at (list several key words related to the job role/industry)
Example Job Interview Answer
“As a project manager, I use the ‘prince 2’ methodology. My success comes from my analytical ability and being able to predict potential, high cost, project problems and communicating this to the customer prior to the initiation of the project. I’m skilled at writing work packages, quality control measures, setting scope, presenting updates in board meetings, risk management, negotiation, trouble-shooting and end of project pass-over.”
High/High Applicant
To create awe, answer questions by giving multiple examples and/or possible situations to help the interviewer understand your level of expertise.
Example Job Interview Answer Template
“I have spent the last (add duration) (add power statement) As a highly experienced (add position) (add specialism/unique selling point) (add result/outcome). Not only can I share my expertise and wealth of knowledge, I can also share with you (add 3 hooks)”
Example Job Interview Answer
“I have spent the last 25 years turning around organisations on the brink of bankruptcy into highly profitable businesses. As a highly experienced consultant I have a track record of implementing ‘lean’ techniques in failing supply-chain management organisations, which has resulted in consistent successes. Not only can I share my expertise and wealth of knowledge, I can also share with you my client list who only hire me as their consultant. I also worked with several logistic companies and suppliers who I have negotiated terms with that help me reduce overhead cost for our customer base and I can promote the organisation on my social media channels where I have over 1.2 million followers.”
The structured job interview is based on academic research to support organisations to recruit the most suitable applicant for an advertised role. Applicants knowing (or believing) they meet the job criteria and/or possess additional expertise (unique selling point) can still receive a high job interview fail rate, rarely gaining job offers.
Download a PDF version of this article here (no references): IPG No References
Structured Job Interview
In the main, organisations use the structured interview process as the principal intervention to make a decision on which applicant to offer an advertised position to. “The employment interview remains the most widely accepted method for employee selection” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000) Two key types of structured interviews include: behavioral interview and situational interview. “Structure has been defined as “the degree of discretion that an interviewer is allowed in conducting the interview and can accordingly be characterized by the degree of standardization of interview questions, interview administration and response scoring.” (Ingold et al., 2014)
In each structured interview, the interviewer will ask each candidate the same, on average, 6-10 job interview questions. “There are several variations to structured interviewing, all of which share a reliance on job analysis, consistent questioning, and anchored, numeric scoring.” (SIMONS, 1995). The interviewees’ replies are recorded and scored on an interview score sheet, with the quality of the answer being awarded a score based on a point system. “Suppose you are a front-desk manager and you have an idea for a change in reservations procedures to reduce errors, but there is a problem in that some members of your staff are against any type of change. What do you do in this situation? Excellent answers: “Explain the change and try to show the benefits’; and “Discuss it openly in a meeting’ Score — 5 Good answers: “Ask them why they are against change’; and “Try to convince them ” Score = 3 Marginal answer: “Fire them .’ Score = 1” (SIMONS, 1995) Post interview, the candidate’s interview question scores are collated and the highest scoring candidate, as long as the interviewee has met the minimum scoring benchmark, is offered the position.
The two types of structured interview questions; behavioral and situational, frame the interview question based on either past behaviours or potential actions for future situations. The goal here is to ensure the type of interview questions used support the interview panel to choose the ‘best’ candidate for the advertised job role. “When selecting employees, organizations can strive to select candidates who can or candidates who will do the best job.” (Klehe and Latham, 2006)
Which structured interview question is most suitable? “Based on the assumption that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, Janz (1989) argued that “the more long-standing the applicant’s behavior pattern in the past, the more likely it will predict behavior in the future.” (Klehe and Latham, 2006) But in a world where more career professionals job-hop, due to the changing landscape of job sectors, not all interviewees will have direct previous experience. “Behavioral questions, however, are of limited usefulness when candidates are not experienced at the type of job for which they are applying. This limitation in some cases might unfairly influence the interview performance of youthful or nontraditional candidates” (SIMONS, 1995)
By asking questions about a future scenario, the interviewer can gain an understanding of the applicant’s approach to situations, therefore identifying the interviewee’s relevant skills and abilities “Situational interviews take an approach similar to that of behavioral interviews, but the questions asked are hypothetical, future-oriented questions.” (SIMONS, 1995)
From the applicant’s perspective, to increase successful job interview outcomes, they need to be aware of how they are perceived by the employer and how this perception affects their interview performance. “We know, for example that the more an applicant is similar to the interviewer, the more highly the applicant will be rated higher on likable, competence, and confidence” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
The interview prediction grid provides a basis to compare two equally required job interview criteria; sector knowledge/experience (KE) and level of confidence (LoC)
The decision of where an interviewee is placed on the ‘interview prediction grid’ needs to account for their behaviour in a job interview, not in the workplace. Environmental factors play a large part in the level of competence and confidence. “an implied assumption is most research on employment interviews is that interviewers assess, not provoke, applicant behaviour during interviews. Recent theoretical models (Jablin & McComb, 1984) and empirical work (eg Philips & Dipboye, 1989) suggest that interviewer behaviour may influence applicant behaviour” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993)
In the workplace, an employee may possess high levels of sector knowledge and feel confident completing task(s), but if, in the job interview, they are unable to express their sector experience and competencies (as a result of interview stress or being interviewed by either a cold or expert interviewer) and/or lack job interview confidence, the job interview outcome will be based on this fiction, not the reality of the applicant’s real value in terms of what they can offer a new employer. “Considerable research has found that candidates who are anxious in the job interview receive significantly lower ratings of interview performance and are less likely to be hired for the job” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
Successful job interview applicants possess or are perceived to have high levels of sector knowledge/experience relevant to the position they are applying for, and high levels of confidence in a job interview environment. The combined score of KE vs LoC changes the interviewer’s perspective of the applicant, creating an ‘interview identity’. The perspective or ‘interview identity’, which is created unconsciously, acts as a filter; a positive ‘interview identity’ filters each interview answer through a positive (high levels of likability) filter and vice versa for a negative filter “Furthermore, once an impression of another is formed it necessarily will influence our behavior toward that individual. In fact, our behavior may be affected in such a way that we may unwittingly cause that individual to behave, act, or appear in a manner that is consistent with out expectations. In other words, our first impressions can often lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
The interview prediction grid (IPG) highlights how an interviewer(s) perceives the interviewee based on their job interview behavior. The perception, which can be predicted using the IPG, is an indication of the potential outcome of the job interview. “Taken together, these biases in person perception and their subsequent effects on interaction behavior lead to the conclusion that the most obvious threat to the validity of an evaluation based on a structured interview is the immediate snap judgment that is often made very early on in the interview process, or perhaps even prior to it’s onset. It is not only possible, it is likely that the final evaluations made by interviewers will be determined in large part, or at least anchored, by the first impression, which may have been formed at the initial handshake and introduction” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
Generic Overview of the Interview Prediction Grid Outcomes
Low/Low;Low Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
Incompetent; low/low interviewees can come across as weak, lacking in skill and unemployable due to displaying negative verbal cues. “For anxious interviewees, the ability to portray a positive impression may be especially compromised if such individuals are exhibiting negative cues” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Employers are aware that if they do recruit a low/low employee they will be required to spend time supporting and developing this individual.
The interviewee’s high anxiety levels result in a poor performance with interview answers lacking specifics as the applicant fails to identify the required job criteria. Furthermore, low/low interviewees will deliver an answer with excessive filler words. “Several studies have found that interviewers can and do form impressions of interviewees based on their nonverbal, verbal, and even vocal cues in the job interview” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Due to low knowledge/experience, interview questions are answered incorrectly as the interviewee misinterprets the meaning of the interview question. “Candidates should understand exactly what the employer is looking for, be able to compare their abilities with the hiring company’s needs, and gauge how well they fit the position’s requirements.” (Meyer, Michael F; 1999)
Low/low applicants are mainly successful when applying for voluntary positions, but for paid roles, the job offers tend to be given to applicants with either a higher level of knowledge/experience and/or higher levels of confidence.
Low/High;Low Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
Deceitful; low/high interviewees will often say a lot without saying anything at all. High levels of confidence will help build rapport initially, but the likability factor can quickly diminish if the interviewer becomes aware of the interviewee’s lack of knowledge/experience shown through a lack of job criteria understanding. “We found that interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria scores were not only positively related to their interview performance, but also predicted job performance as rated by their supervisors.” (Ingold et al., 2014)
Confidence, especially when an individual identifies themselves as a valuable asset, can result in a person relying on their persona to pass the job interview. “Conversely, individuals with high self-esteem would be expected to externalise the interviewer’s behaviour and perform at nearly the same level regardless of the interviewers behaviour” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993)
Once a lack of knowledge/experience is uncovered, the interviewer may feel the interviewee has misrepresented themselves, causing the interviewer concerns over the applicant’s potential appointment. “Previous research suggests that interviewers typically weight negative information more heavily than positive because they fear being criticized for making false positive selection errors” (RYNES and GERHART, 1990)
A low/high applicant can have success in low skilled job interviews, but for medium-skilled positions, depending on the level of job role/interviewer, the interview scoring process can uncover a lack of sector-specific insight. The structured interview is designed to uncover a lack of experience/knowledge and to predict how an applicant would act within a workplace. “Based on goal-setting theory (Locke & Latham, 1990), the SI relies on the assumption that intentions predict behavior” (Ingold et al., 2014)
High/Low;High Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
Uninterested; high/low applicants may have a positive interest in the organisation/role which is hidden through their nervousness, creating the perspective of lacking interest. “Unfortunately, there are many factors that can misguide a manager’s “gut feel.” First, your personal assessment of the applicant’s intelligence, reliability, and interpersonal skills is apt to be influenced by whether you like the applicant” (SIMONS, 1995)
Low confidence results in short interview answers that deflect the interviewer’s awareness from the interviewee’s high level of knowledge/experience. “It could be the case that anxious interviewees engage in cues such as verbal fillers, speaking in a monotone voice or fidgeting, resulting in lower interview performance ratings” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
For high/low interviewees, the low level of confidence can overpower their high level of knowledge/experience. Repeated short answers and moments of awkward silence decrease the applicant’s likability. “For example, socially anxious individuals tend to self-disclose less, select safe discussion topics, conform to others, nod their head, and show less dissent” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
With an understanding of the job criteria and possessing varied sector experience to back up their claim of being employable, high/low candidates should score high during the interview process. The job interview doesn’t only score applicants on their skill set and experience as interviewers are influenced by ‘likability’ and ‘motivation.’ “More recently, Van Iddekinge, Raymark, and Roth (2005) outlined several features of structured interviews which support the notion that both of these interview formats assess an interviewee’s motivation. Specifically, the diverse cognitive demands placed on interviewees during the interview likely mitigate them giving socially desirable responses (e.g., the challenge of conceiving reply-distortions that are consistent with what the receiver might already know, time constraints, and the need to maintain an ongoing positive interaction with an interviewer)” (Klehe and Latham, 2006)
Expert job interviewers, asking for specific details/examples, can see-through the nervousness and gain an insight into the applicant’s knowledge/experience. Even with the additional prompts, many high/low interviewees fail to gain a successful job interview outcome for high-level positions or high paid medium level roles but can be successful in a recruitment campaign for average pay medium posts.
High/High;High Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
Employable; high/high applicants are viewed by the employer as highly employable. Being high/high allows the interviewee to deliver strong power answers that give detailed descriptions (including examples) for the stated question. “When an interviewer likes a candidate, that feeling most often leads to an impression of competence and intelligence, known as the halo effect. This effect occurs when an interviewer unwittingly assumes that a candidate’s positive impression or presentation in one area indicates abilities in other areas” (SIMONS, 1995)
The high level of confidence allows the applicant to create a conversational style interview, where the interviewee will often ask the employer questions throughout the job interview. “According to person perception researchers, individuals communicate information through their expressive behavior that enables others to construct an accurate representation of them. Similarly, in the job interview context, researchers have suggested that interviewers also can make valid trait inferences and that such inferences guide interviewers’ judgments of candidate suitability” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Being over-confident in one’s own abilities can create a persona that doesn’t match reality, which an expert interviewer will see-through. “Related to confidence is overconfidence, which has been defined by Koriat, Lichtenstein, and Fischhoff (1980) as “an unwarranted belief in the correctness of one’s answers” (Kausel, Culbertson and Madrid, 2016)
More importantly, high/high applicants are self-promoters. “Self-praise involves highlighting one’s positive attributes, e.g., repeatedly alluding to one’s specific talents (i.e., bragging).” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) Promoting one’s self increases the interviewer’s awareness of the applicant’s skill set, how they meet the job criteria, and what they can bring to the team. Interviewers (especially in the western world) view self-promoting applicants as strong candidates. “In particular, it seems that initial reactions to self-promoters are actually positive. We suspect that this initial (even if temporary) advantage may be sufficient enough to promote success in short-term contexts such as job interviews” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The high level of knowledge/experience also shows the value of recruiting a high/high individual, as they will often give solutions to stated problems, build on employers ideas and state sector-specific updates which could include, as an example; industry trends, new technology or how their sector is affected by global and/or local issues and events. “Specifically, ATIC (ability to identify criteria) enables interviewees to provide more evaluation-relevant answers, experiences, and behaviors, which in turn may lead to more successful performance in the selection situation. Furthermore, it has been argued that this ability is important not only in the interview and other selection procedures (e.g., assessment centers), but on the job as well” (Ingold et al., 2014)
Over self-promotion does have a negative effect. “Nonetheless, there are limits to the use of self-presentation. For example, self-promotion does not engender liking). Conversely, although it may increase liking, tactical modesty does not necessarily benefit perceptions of competence” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) As long as rapport is good, expressing confidence in your abilities will increase job offers. “Empirical evidence confirms that greater use of self-presentation tactics fosters positive interviewer evaluations” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
At the extreme high/high interviewees can come across as overbearing and self-centered which, in some cases, can ruin the chance of a job offer, especially when in competition with another more charming high/high applicant. “A key element may be the persistence exhibited by chronic self-promoters. Recent studies have shown how relentless narcissists can be. They won’t back down on their exaggerations even in light of concrete contradictory evidence” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The consistent self-promotion of a high/high interviewee, in the main, will increase likability. But the tactics used by high confident applicants aren’t consistent in all job interviews. The level of knowledge/expertise and the level of confidence of the interviewer plays a key role in the impact of candidates, including high/high interviewees. “In short, there is no guarantee that engaging in self-promotion will result in success. Similarly, ingratiation is a tricky tactic to carry out successfully. Humor, for example, can backfire.” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) and goes on to say: “Obvious or excessive attempts to manipulate or influence create a defensive response and a negative evaluation”
The first axes indicate a person’s perceived level of knowledge and experience, on a scale of 2-8;
8 – High K/E.
6 – Medium K/E
4 – Sufficient K/E
2 – Low K/E
An applicant’s level of confidence within the job interview environment is represented by the second axes, using a 2-8 scale;
8 – High LoC
6 – Medium LoC
4 – Sufficient LoC
2 – Low LoC
Job Interview Identity
Sector knowledge and experience are seen by many employers as the key criteria in the job specification. “It has been argued that the pre-interview impressions of job candidates can influence an interviewer’s post-interview evaluation by influencing how the interviewer conducts the interview or by causing the interviewer to interpret the information collected during the interview in a manner that is consistent with their initial impression” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000) Even in graduate job roles, employers request that applicants have a ‘particular’ level of knowledge and experience. Low skilled jobs are the same, with many minimum wage positions requiring a level of soft skill knowledge; customer service skills, communication skills, teamwork.
Not having high levels of K/E, or not being able to express a high level of K/E, for the applicant’s job level (low, medium, or high skilled positions) weakens the interviewee’s job application outcome. “Although past research has criticized the interview process because interviewer evaluations do not predict supervisor ratings, promotion, training success or tenure, it is important to remember that the interview can not reflect how successful or unsuccessful the rejected candidates would have performed the job if hired.” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
Being able to communicate a high level of K/E can add value, if framed correctly, especially for medium-high level positions. “Self-promotion is designed to impress an audience with one’s competence. It includes self-enhancement and specific self-praise” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) Experience, as an example, can be communicated in a variety of ways; stating experience (and facts), giving examples (storytelling) and future projection (explaining how your experience will create a positive outcome for the recruiter’s company)
The frame of the interview answer, and how this answer is conveyed, impacts the employer’sperspective. “Rather than hiding their mistakes, candidates involved in a failed venture should focus on what the experience taught them” (Meyer, Michael F; 1999) Levels of confidence plays a key role here, as high/high candidates are more likely to use detailed storytelling and future projection when answering interview questions, compared to a low/low applicant who often states experiences and facts.
A person’s level of confidence influences their behaviour and attitudes. “research indicates that people with low self-esteem are more likely than those with high self-esteem to internalise negative feedback” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993) Confidence is communicated through a person’s body language, gestures, tonality, how they represent themselves, even the way a person dresses. “Nevertheless, a consistent finding across studies is that interviewees believe that their anxiety is more transparent to interviewers than is actually the case (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
Interviewers are repeatedly impressed with high confident applicants as rapport is easy to build. “Another proven strategy is ingratiation, i.e., appearing likable. This strategy creates an affective halo that brightens a wide range of other judgments” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). As decisions are created emotionally this likability factor plays a key part when it comes to organisational recruitment. “Recent research findings suggest that emotions are a powerful determinant of impression formation, and they complement or sometimes even override the influence of cognitions” (Pingitore, Dugoni, Tindale and Spring, 1994)
Many biasesaffect job appointments; from attractiveness to obesity, late arrivals, and the candidate’s level of confidence. “Once a category (e.g., obese) has been triggered by a particular person, the emotion associated with the category remains associated with the person even when other contradictory information is presented” (Pingitore, Dugoni, Tindale and Spring, 1994)
At one end of the scale is an individual with high levels of anxiety and low self-esteem, and at the other end is, what is known as ‘overconfident’ -someone who believes so much in themselves that their perspective can alter their reality; they may believe they are better than others who have more skills, experience or knowledge and will even challenge an expert interviewer. “The reaction of self-promoters, although predictable from the literature, seems less rational: They chose to augment their self-enhancement when faced with an expert interviewer” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
As with low confidence, high confidence can also be a barrier to employment, as an interviewer can feel threatened or may see through the confident ‘mask’ of a low/high interviewee. In this sense, high levels of confidence, which improves self-promotion, doesn’t always increase desire but can lower it, unless the job sector, such as high-risk and high-stress roles, actively recruit egocentric personnel. “Instead of a universally optimal personality style, the evidence suggests that specific presentation styles flourish in specific contexts” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The identity created from the combined score of experience/knowledge vs level of confidence can help predict the level of position a job hunter will receive. It is highly unlikely, as an example, that a 2/2 – inadequate interviewee would secure a high skilled position.
To be offered a medium or high skilled position, applicants need to exhibit their level of knowledge/experience, as particular job roles require a certain level of expertise. Therefore any interviewee with a 2-4 scale of knowledge/experience, no matter their level of confidence, (unless they can dupe the interviewer, which high levels of confident applicants can do) won’t be able to evidence the essential criteria required for a successful applicant.
Low/Low; Low Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
2/2 – Inadequate
As the lowest score on the IPG, it is highly unlikely that a 2/2 – inadequate interviewee, coming across as lacking the required criteria (competence and confidence) will be offered a paid position. In fact, many voluntary interviewers, unless they feel they have resources to support a 2/2 – inadequate applicant, will also refuse an offer of unpaid employment, as the employer, due to a lack of rapport, will stop looking for potential and instead will be hoping to terminate the interview at the earliest stage.
2/4 – Inexpert
Showing a lack of experience/knowledge creates a persona of being inexpert. Inexpert, at this level, includes soft skills; communication, teamwork, problem-solving. Voluntary employers may recruit a 2/4 – inexpert, due to the interviewees ‘sufficient’ level of confidence – as this shows potential, only if the pool of applicants is low. Employers will be aware of the interviewee’s nervousness and lack of sector experience, which affects the job interview outcome, but some organisations could be willing to spend time to develop the applicant once employed.
4/2 – Amateurish
The 4/2 – amateurish interviewee may highlight their ‘sufficient’ level of knowledge/experience (at this level of job role the knowledge/experience includes soft skills; communication, teamwork, problem-solving) during the job interview question and answer process, but each answer is delivered in an unskilled way, due to a low level of confidence. The employer will get a gist of the meaning of their answer but, depending on how the answer has been delivered (often lacking substance), the meaning will often be misunderstood creating the impression of ‘amateurish.’ A ‘cold’ interview will further reduce the applicant’s confidence which can result in a poor interview performance.
4/4 – Unprofessional
Out of all the low/low identities, the 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee is the most likely job applicant, in this segment, to be offered a paid position. But compared to other applicants from the additional three segments, the 4/4 – unprofessional applicant will be seen as a weaker candidate. The employer will be aware of the 4/4 – unprofessional applicants’ knowledge/experience level, as the 4/4 – unprofessional has a ‘sufficient’ level of confidence that allows the interviewee to give a more detailed reply to job interview questions. This detail, allows the interviewer to gain an understanding of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. In most recruitment campaigns a 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee will be seen as below the required level of standard for paid employment, but for some large recruitment drives and/or for large organisations and for voluntary employers, who have the time to support a new recruit, the 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee can have a successful interview outcome.
Low/High;Low Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
2/6 – Insincere
Confidence is an advantage in a job interview, as referred to in the high/high segment, but when combined with low knowledge/experience, the increased self-assurance can be seen as hollow – you talk the talk but can you walk the walk? Often ‘medium’ confident individuals will make up for their lack of knowledge/experience by increasing verbal communication without making reference to the job criteria, confusing the interviewer. Unlike their ‘high’ confident counterpart, who can use their persona to influence the interview outcome with a non-expert interviewer, the 2/6 – insecure interviewee doesn’t have the required level of confidence to sway the interviewers opinion. This is because their lack of knowledge/experience puts them on the back foot and this realization can reduce their confidence during the job interview itself. Depending on the interviewer, the ‘medium’ confidence level is enough to secure some job offers above the low skilled job level, but in most cases, the lack of expertise results only in low skilled positions.
2/8 – Dishonest
Possessing the highest level of confidence and the lowest level of knowledge/experience increases verbal diarrhea. The distance between the two axes; low knowledge/experience and high levels of confidence, sends off warning signals to the employer, creating the feeling of distrust. The 2/8 dishonest interviewee will answer interview questions quickly, assertively and confidently, to cover up their lack of knowledge/experience, but this approach comes across as false, especially if the applicant states confidently that they possess a skill/experience that they don’t have. As we have discussed, self-promotion and rapport building influences the job interview, and hiring decisions are often based on initial impressions, with this in mind a 2/8 dishonest interviewee can be viewed to be more employable than they actually are, especially if the interviewee isn’t an ‘expert’. The overconfident interviewee may believe they would be an asset to any organisation but without having a higher level of expertise it is unlikely, but not impossible, that they would be offered any position above a low skilled role, due to the scoring system of the structured job interview.
4/6 – Misguided
The interview process is designed to uncover the interviewee’s strengths and weaknesses, through a series of questions. With a ‘sufficient’ level of experience/knowledge and a ‘medium’ level of confidence, the 4/6 – misguided applicant can often believe, due to the ‘medium’ confidence level, that they are entitled to a higher-level position. This belief is unwarranted, as many other interview identities possess the same or higher level of confidence along with a higher level of expertise. A 4/6 – misguided interviewee may have had previous successes winning low-skilled positions (as a ‘medium’ level of confidence can increase job offers, especially against ‘sufficient’ confident level applicants), but employers recruiting medium-skilled workers demand a particular set of essential criteria. It is often the lack of ability to identify the job criteria, and therefore present the relevant skills embedded within the job interview answer(s), that is the downfall for a 4/6 – misguided applicant applying for any role above a low skilled position.
4/8 – Pretender
Being self-assured, especially in a job interview, is a positive attribute as it increases self-promotions, but there is a fine line between a high level of confidence and being overbearing. Most 4/8 – pretender interviewees believe they should be offered the position, as they possess ‘sufficient’ sector knowledge/experience and, due to high levels of confidence (or in most cases overconfidence) believe they can learn what they don’t already know. Being overconfident in the correctness of their interview answers can ruin the applicant’s job chances, especially is the interviewer is an ‘expert’ in their field. Against other low/high applicants and for low skilled roles, the 4/8 – pretender will often be triumphant in the job interview, but against confident interviewees with more industry knowledge, they are unlikely to be successful. The 4/8 – pretender, when applying for medium-skilled positions, will claim to know more about the role/sector without being able to back this up with evidence. A trained interviewer will spot the lies through the question and answer process, but an inexperienced interviewer may be duped, due to the candidate’s assertiveness and presence, into recruiting an unsuitable staff member.
High/Low;High Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
6/2 – Unresponsive
The lack of confidence for a 6/2 – unresponsive interviewee outweighs their ‘medium’ level of knowledge/experience, leading to short snappy answers that lack detail. Some employers will encourage the interviewee throughout the question and answer process, and even hint that they require more information, but the anxiety of a job interview can result in a poor performance that will make the interviewer remember them for the wrong reasons “we gave them every chance to answer the interview questions.” Many interviewers will create a bias at the interview start based on the candidate’s obvious nervousness that will influence the hiring decision. It is the 6/2 – unresponsive interviewees consistent lack of good answers that results in regular job offer rejections. Against more confident high/low applicants applying for medium-level positions, the 6/2 – unresponsive interviewee will often fail unless they possess a unique desirable skill that they can express during the job interview. It is the lack of confidence that results in the 6/2 – unresponsive sometimes working in positions below their level of knowledge/experience.
6/4 – Indifferent
Possessing a ‘medium’ level of knowledge/experience makes an applicant more employable as the candidate can identify the required criteria for the desired position. A ‘sufficient’ level of confidence allows some ‘good’ answers to come through, highlighting the applicant’s knowledge/experience, but this level of quality answer is sporadic. The result of the sporadic level of quality answers, when answering job interview questions, comes across as if the 6/4 – indifferent interviewee isn’t interested in the position they are applying for, as the applicant answers some questions with detail and others with, from the employer’s viewpoint, a lack of effort/interest. The 6/4 – indifferent applicant can have success if the ‘good answers’ are for the key criteria job interview questions. 6/4 – indifferent interviewee often performs well when all the interview questions relate easily to their direct experience, but when the questions are framed outside of their area of expertise, they struggle to reply confidently which affects the employers perspective of their employability value.
8/2 – Bored
Interviewers can sense when an applicant has high levels of K/E (in this case the highest level of K/E within the high/low segment) as sector terminology, industry references, and specific details used by the applicant gives unconscious clues to the interview panel. But the low level of confidence for an 8/2 – bored interviewee can come across as though they aren’t interested in the position, even though they are. This perceived lack of interest kills the likability factor which will influence the job interview outcome. It is often the monotone voice with an unchanging pitch and/or the short snappy answers which creates this negative illusion. It is rare for an employer to recruit such an employee for a ‘medium’ level position, as they believe that anyone who is ‘bored’ in a job interview will surely be bored if they were offered the position. Many employers will recognise that the interviewee is lacking in confidence and will support the applicant throughout the interview, requesting for more details and/or examples, but if the nervous applicant fails to state the required criteria for the job role, the interviewer has little choice but to mark them low on the interview scorecard.
8/4 – Aloof
A cool and distant interviewee, created through a ‘high’ knowledge/experience and ‘sufficient’ confidence level, can be viewed as distant. The 8/4 – aloof applicant is the highest scorer in the high/low segment, with some 8/4 – aloof career professionals looking to move from medium level positions to high level roles (or high paid medium level jobs) At this level of job role, the interviewers are likely to be experts and therefore are likely to have high levels of confidence in their ability. We know from research that interviewees will receive more job offers when the interviewer finds commonality with the applicant. If the applicant being interviewed by a confident interviewer, themselves lack confidence, rapport will be broken. Employers are looking for a new team member that will ‘fit-in’ with the team dynamics and the company culture. Anyone who sits outside of this image; the aloof applicant, can be viewed as potentially harmful if allowed to join a current group of motivated employees (especially in managerial roles) The 8/4 – aloof applicant, because they possess a ‘sufficient’ level of confidence can give enough detail to interview questions, allowing the employer to be aware of their ‘high’ level of knowledge/experience. But each answer lacks the specifics and/or a confident delivery that decreases the likability factor, creating a sense of ‘distance’ between the applicant and interviewer. The employer will put the lack of detailed answers down to nervousness or character, but when applying for high paid medium level positions, organisations are expecting applicants to have the communication skills and confidence levels to be able to express themselves clearly.
High/High;High Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
6/6 – Self-assured
All high/high interviewees are employable. The 6/6 – self-assured applicant will easily build rapport with a job interviewer as their ‘medium’ confidence level and knowledge/experience is expressed with industry-related anecdotes and detailed examples. Being ‘medium’ in both knowledge/experience and level of confidence, the 6/6 – self-assured individual is aware of their own abilities and expresses this well. Within the high/high segment, the 6/6 – self-assured applicant is the lowest high/high quadrant, but this does not always mean they will be unsuccessful against other high/high interviewees as some applicants with an 8-level of confidence can overplay their hand. But the reality is that a 6/6 self-assured career professional is often at the beginning of their senior-level career, applying for roles against other, more experienced, high/high applicants.
6/8 – Charismatic
Interviewers have a hard time when all applicants are high/high candidates. With each interviewee having ‘medium’ to ‘high’ knowledge/experiences, it is often the smallest of things that can change the job interview outcome. Decisions are made at the emotional level, not logically. It is this reason why the 6/8 – charismatic applicant can have, in some interviews, an advantage over the 8/6 -optimistic interviewee. Their ‘medium’ rather than ‘high’ level of knowledge/experience, twinned with their ‘high’ level of confidence creates a charming effect. The ‘medium’ knowledge/experience means that not every answer if perfect. This lack of perfection, combined with a natural confident delivery, increases rapport as the illusion of vulnerability and/or authenticity is created. Interviewers, due to making emotional decisions, buy-in to the individual, not the polished, faultless, and often robotic presentation of other high/high applicants. 6/8 – charismatic applicants have to be careful not to fall into the trap of sticking to their guns when challenged by an expert interviewer on a particular point they themselves are not an expert in, as this lack of high levels of knowledge/experience along with an argumentative approach (due to having a high level of confidence) can break the charismatic spell.
8/6 – Optimistic
Often 8/6 – optimistic career professionals will possess over 10 yrs industry experience; they are experts in their field but humble enough not over-egg their high-level skill set, experiences and unique selling point, due to being a ‘medium’ confidence level rather than a ‘high’, as we will see with the 8/8 – egocentric. Of all 16 interview identities, the 8/6 – optimistic is more likely to be consistent with receiving job offers. The employability factor comes down to having specialist skills and knowledge gained over a vast period of time (high level of knowledge/experience) and being able to identify the job criteria. It is unlikely that the 8/6 – optimistic interviewee won’t have an example or two to each asked interview question. Further, they are able to state sector models, theories, and give additional information that will add value while informing the interview panel (an example would be how the increase/decrease of the global economy will impact their sector.) Interviewers will often be impressed with the 8/6 – optimistic presence; as they come across calm, collected, and confident, without being too overbearing.
8/8 – Egocentric
Possessing both high knowledge/experience and level of confidence doesn’t always make the 8/8 – egocentric applicant the most likely interviewee to gain an offer of employment. In fact, their overconfidence in their ability (which is likely to be true due to having, on average over 10yrs+ industry experience and a specialist skillset) comes across as domineering, compared to the 8/6 – charismatic applicant. The extreme 8/8 – egocentric truly believe they are better than other interviewees and often the interviewers themselves, and will show off their knowledge/experience throughout the job interview, even arguing over a minor point with the employer. On the interview score-sheet, the 8/8 – egocentric interviewee scores high, as they genuinely have experiences/knowledge that would add value to an organisation. 8/8 – egocentric, at the extreme can be narcissistic; they will self-promote which increases a positive job interview outcome, but they won’t back down on a point they have made even when presented with contradictory evidence. As alluded to previously, decisions are made emotionally, not logically. If purely a logical decision, the 8/8 – egocentric career professional would, in most cases, be offered the position, but as some interviewers feel threatened by the overbearing 8/8 – egocentric and/or feel annoyed by their self-centered appearance, the emotional judgment of an interviewer plays a large part in the interview scoring process.
Summary
The article set out to increase interviewees’ awareness of the psychology in play during the job interview, including unconscious bias, and how they, due to their level of knowledge/expertise and level of confidence, are viewed by the interviewer through an ‘interview identity.’
Research has shown how first impressions created by the interviewee’s communication, appearance, and confidence levels affect the interviewer’s judgment creating a filter or bias that affects the job interview outcome. Possessing a high level of knowledge/experience alone is not enough to increase job offers. Confidence, often highlighted through self-promotion is seen as ‘positive’ in the job interview (even expected). Confidence, which improves likeability, will increase the prospect of a successful interview but alone this isn’t enough as research shows how being able to identify job criteria (which comes from having high levels of knowledge/experience) improves interview performance, as answers relate directly to the scoring requirements on the scorecard. It is a combination of medium to high levels of knowledge/experience and confidence that increases the likelihood of potential job offers.
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Christopher Delaney is an experience careers advisor and interview coach and published author; The 73 Rules for Influencing the Interview
You will learn how to ace a job interview using 5 key psychological principles
Each link will take you to one of 5 job interveiew pychology artciles. Embedded within the techniques are pyschology researcher paperps to help you better understand the subconcious actions of job interveiw panels
The job interview is one of the most nerve-racking experiences you have to face.
The reason you fear the job interview is down to the psychology of the interview process.
In this series of ‘job interview psychology,‘ you will learn 5 psychological processes that are in play, that effect your job interview success, without you even knowing about it.
Job Interview Psychology 4 of 5 – effects of positive moods
Alice Isen and Paul Levin (1972) completed an experiment on the effects of good moods.
In a shopping mall, they left money in the coin return slot of a telephone booth to boost the moods of the lucky shoppers who found the cash. After the subject left the phone booth, another shopper (part of the experiment team) ‘accidentally’ dropped a folder a few feet in front of the shoppers. 4% of people who didn’t find the change in the telephone booth helped the man who had dropped the folder, but a staggering 84% of the people who did find the change, and as a consequence were in a good mood, helped the man.
The results clearly showing that if you feel good you are more likely to help others.
This ‘feel good, do good’ effect is a powerful tool in a job interview. The timing of your job interview also plays a key role in the success of the outcome of your interview.
Contrast bias is the process of comparing one thing; a weight, experience or a job interview applicant, to another recent experience in the same category.
The first interviewee to be interviewed becomes the baseline and all other applicants are compared tothis initial interview performance.
As the baseline interviewee, you can never surpass the benchmark because you are the benchmark.
The timing of your interview, therefore, has a direct impact on your success rate. When possible never choose the first interview slot or you will become victim to contrast bias. *in addition to the job interview this same interview psychology has an effect on your salary negotiations.
Job Interview Psychology – likeability
If being the first interviewee has a negative effect on your job interview outcome, should you apply for the last interview slot? No! And the reason why is decision fatigue – the quality of decisions deteriorate after a long period of decision making, and deciding on the best candidate after a long day of decision making is very tiring.
Compared to the ‘feel good, do good’ theory, if the interviewer is in a negative mood they ‘feel bad, do bad’ The interview panels emotional state, therefore, has a direct impact on their decisions making ability.
To increase job interview success your task is to make the interviewer feel good about themselves. Your goal is to create an altruistic interviewer.
One contraction to the ‘feel bad, do bad’ theory is the ‘negative-state relief’ theory. Guilt creates an internal motivation to ‘do good’ as we believe that ‘a good deed cancels out a bad deed’
Also, sadness can increase ‘helping.’ The reason guilt or sadness influences someone to help others is because people will help others so they feel good about themselves, to relieve their guilt or sadness.
In a job interview, effective storytelling can induce sadness. We see this all the time on TV talent shows, where a sad backstory affects the votes of the judges
But as with the above audition, talent also plays a key role. ‘Talent’ in a job interview is your ability to influence the interview panel, not the talent of completing job tasks as you only need this skill once you are employed.
Humans like to be consistent, it makes us feel good as our actions are in line with our values and identity.
If you want to predict the type of interviewee that will be offered the job role, look at the type of person who was last recruited by the same interview panel.
If you create an association between the previously hired person, through identifying similarities, you are more likely to be hired “he’s like X, we hired X, let’s hire this person”
A study with students where they were given a cup with the university logo on it, worth $6. In a trading game the owners of the cup requested items of $5 value (on average) for the cup trade, but other students who didn’t own the mug, only believed the mug value was worth around $2. It was the sense of ownership that increase the value of the product.
In recruitment, people believe that internal candidates have a better success rate for internal job roles then external candidates because the company embraces internal mobility.
The truth is, an organization wants to hire the ‘perceived ‘best person for the role (internal or external). But, organisations have a feeling of ownership to their employees, and see them, initially, as a higher value (until you can influence them that you are the strongest candidate)
This is why volunteering, being an intern or an external mentor for employees – anything to link you to the ‘team’ gives you an advantage; you will be seen as being owned by the company – “she is one of ours”
Positive moods in the interview panel created from the association, the sense of ownership or comparison, can support you to achieve job interview success.
If the interviewer is feeling good (interviewing in the middle of the day – but not after dinner time, as eating food makes you tired, helps with this) they are more likely to see you in a positive light.
To increase happiness in others is relatively easy. And through association, what the interview feels, will be projected on to you – they feel good = you must be good.
If you smile you feel good. I suppose you cant always deliver a well-rehearsed comedy set in the job interview to make the panel laugh, but you can smile.
Mirror Neurons
Humans use mirror neurons to perceive how other people are feeling. Neurons activate when you need to complete a specific task (scratching your face as an example) these mirror neurons also activate when you see someone else performing a task; seeing someone scratch their face activates your ‘scratch my face neurons.’
In an experiment, two subjects had to look at and openly discuss a number of photographs.
In fact, one of the subjects was in on the experiment and would complete a subtle behavior; scratching their face or tapping their foot.
The experiment was about behavioral influence, (and had nothing to do with the pictures) the psychologist wanted to know if the subject would copy another person unconsciously?
Yes, they would and a lot. Mirroring is a natural rapport-building process.
Mirror neurons have the same effect with emotions. If you smile (and feel good) the interviewer, with mirror-neurons, will feel the same happy thoughts.
You can take this further, and have open body language, sit with confidence and your job interview panel will, with unconscious awareness, copy your behavior and feel good about you, which we know through unconscious bias, creates a positive effect on the job interview outcome
Finding common groundincreases likeability, complementing people makes them feel good and seeding the idea of a good interview “I can see that this will be a good interview” will increase the likelihood of the job interview actually being good
But most importantly – people respond well to charismatic authority. Being confident, extrovert, humourous and knowledgeable, while showing interest in others (the interview panel) will create a powerful liking bond that will help you secure your next job offer.
In the UK over 6.5 million people are currently caring unpaid for a family member or friend who is older, disabled or seriously ill.
Caring has a direct impact on the carers life from where they could study in higher education to their career choices.
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Choose between a career guidance session to help explore career options, educational pathways, and apprenticeships.
Match a career to your personality, values and skills
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The job interview is one of the most nerve-racking experiences you have to face. The reason you fear the job interview is down to the psychology of the interview process. In this series of ‘job interview psychology,‘ you will learn 5 psychological processes that are in play, that effect your job interview success, without you even knowing about it.
Job Interview Psychology 4 of 5 – Social Proof
The current trend for job interviews is to be interviewed by a panel of interviewers (between 2-5 on average) The panel will be made up of a variety of personnel to create a fair interview process (but as we discussed previously unconscious bias plays a key part in the recruitment process)
A second psychological principle in play during a job interview process is social proof. The mind is lazy and is always looking for short cuts to decide how to act in the real world. One of these short cuts is following on the crowd; we unconsciously (and sometimes consciously) take our cues on how to act, what to believe and which candidate to offer the job to, from the people around us.
The process of social proof is well embedded in the human mind and was started in our evolutionary past. When we walked around the world as hunter-gatherers, to survive, we learnt that you had to band together – a group was stronger than an individual. Each tribe had its own group culture, beliefs, and values. If you didn’t ‘fit in’ (interviewers still use this terminology “he/she would be a good ‘fit’ for the team”) with the group culture you may be banished from the group and left to survive on your own – many ostracized group members didn’t last very long. To ensure we weren’t exiled, humans learned to agree with the group leaders, taking cues from the actions of others.
Job Interview Psychology – Group Polarization
To increase job offers you need to understand the power of social influence. Muzafer Sherif’s 1935 experiment shows how social proof impacts decision making; a number of subjects sat in a dark room one at a time and were asked to look at a dot of light a few feet in front of them. They were asked to state, in inches, the distance the dot was moving. The subjects were unaware that the dot of light was in fact stationary but an illusionary movement causes by the ‘autokinetic effect‘ tricked people into believing the dot was in motion.
After a couple of days, the experiment was repeated, but this time the same subjects completed the same experiment in a group. The groups were asked to shout out the perceived distances of the light movement. This time the group, ignoring their own individual estimates, came to an agreement on a common estimate.
In the final stage of the experiment, the subjects completed the same test for the third time. In this third stage, the subjects undertook the test on their own again, as they had initially. It was found that the subjects gave the movement estimates, in this third test, that matched the group consensus from the second group test, rather than sticking to their original (individual) test one results. This is because we are influenced by the power of social proof (we rarely want to be different) to make a decision.
Psychologist Robert Cialdini explains social proof in his book; Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion: “Whether the question is what to do with an empty popcorn box in a movie theater, how fast to drive on a certain stretch of highway, or how to eat the chicken at a dinner party, the actions of those around us will be important in defining the answer.” In the job interview, the ‘group’ that others take their cues from is relatively small. In small groups, we will often follow the lead of the person with the most authority (authority here relates to personality not the hierarchy of the position of each panel member)
Authority
If you can influence the most authoritative interviewer from the panel you will create a domino effect. Imagine being a farmer; your job today is to move a herd of cows from a top filed to the bottom field, ready for milking. The quickest way to achieve this is to find out which cow is the ‘lead cow’ If you are able to move the lead cow in the direction you intend, the rest of the herd will simply follow their leader.
The authority rule was proven with the now-famous Milgram experiment. In this experiment, subjects thought they were participating in an experiment about the effects of punishment on learning. There were roles for each of the subjects; teacher and learner (the learner subject was actually part of the experiment team and not a real subject) The teacher subject was tasked to help the learner remember a list of paired words, if the learner made an error, the teacher would give the learner an electric shock by pressing a switch. The voltage of the electric shock would increase with each mistake.
The teacher was observed by a scientist sitting behind the leaner assertively telling the teacher to continue with the experiment even when the fake leaner was screaming when each of the shocks was administered (in fact there were no real electric shocks) Milgram found that two-thirds of the subjects administered high levels of shock, believing that leaner was in real pain. The experiment showed how people complete actions because an authoritative figure (in this case the scientist) told them to.
To spot the leader of the interview panel (this isn’t always the person with the highest graded position) you need to learn how to spot an authoritative person through their temperament. There are several key characteristics of an authoritative person; a blind loyalty to what they believe in “this is the best team in the company,” they talk about their experiences and skillset and believe that these are better than yours “I also use to work in the sales team, I was the number one sales executive,” and they use authoritative language “my team WILL be the successful”
In the job interview the interviewers, especially the authoritative leaders, will wear a mask; they like the idea that they can persuade you by playing a role (the nice interviewer) But, it is easy to spot the leader of the pack. It is always the person that other interviewers on the panel look to (physically) The leader will often interrupt their colleagues and when asking a question, it somehow becomes about them not you.
To influence the leader you need to build rapport with them through an emotional connection. These 5 rules will help you achieve relationship building; once the lead interviewer likes you they will express this to their fellow interviewers and they, through the authority and social proof rule, will create an unconscious positive bias towards you.
Rule 1 Agree with the authoritative interviewer’s points, as they like to be seen as an expert on their chosen subjects
Rule 2 Ask them about their experiences and skill set (when they naturally discuss these) as they enjoy talking about themselves
Rule 3 Never interrupt an authoritative interviewer as they will take a disliking to you – for them, the interview is more about them then it is you (they like interviews as they can show off)
Rule 4 Praise the leader for their successes as this creates rapport and a poistive association
Rule 5 Build upon what they have said – if you only agree and come across submissive you will be seen as weak. The authoritative interviewer wants to hire someone like them (but just not as good as they are because they like to be seen as the best)
The job interview is one of the most nerve-racking experiences you have to face.
The reason you fear the job interview is down to the psychology of the interview process. In this series of ‘job interview psychology,‘ you will learn 5 psychological processes that are in play, that effect your job interview success, without you even knowing about it.
Job Interview Psychology 3 of 5 – Creating a Connection
“Listening is following the thoughts and feelings of another and understanding what the other is saying from his or her perspective” (1994 Neil Katz & Kevin McNulty)
Reflective listening, which came from Carl Rogers – client-centered therapy in counseling theory, has a powerful effect on the interview process.
The idea in a therapy setting is to listen to a client’s idea, then offer the idea back to the client, to confirm the idea has been correctly understood.
The skill of reflective listening is helping a client in a therapeutic setting to deal with something, or in our case, to help the interviewer understand that you are the right fit for the job.
Job Interview Psychology
Reflective listening is an easy skill to master and builds instant interviewer rapport.
Step 1 – listen to the specific words the interviewer is saying
Step 2 – repeat their statement (this reinforces to the interviewer that you have a comprehensive understanding of what they are discussing)
Step 3 – agree then add to their statement (this shows a higher level of thinking and creates authority)
An example of this is:
Interviewer (for a sales position): “communication is a key skill that shouldn’t be undervalued”
Interviewee: “I agree communication is a key skill that shouldn’t be undervalued. In fact, research shows how important the role of the ‘encoder’ and ‘decoder’ is. It is the interpretation of the communication that can make the difference between a sale or not. Are you familiar with Shannon-Weaver communication model? I found it highly useful in understanding how to talk to customers. “
Peak End Principle
The peak-end theory is a psychological rule in which an experience is evaluated and remembered based on the peak (most intense) point of the experience and/or the ending of the experience.
Interviewees often make a key error when being interviewed; they are too logical.
Often applicants will answer job interview questions in a process-driven way.
When asked “tell me about your experience” they will often list their experiences. This does get the relevant information over to the employer, but, it is….well…a bit boring.
To be successful in the job interview you need to create an emotional connection with the interview panel.
What many people don’t understand about the job interview process is that each applicant is asked the same interview question.
The interviewee’s reply, for each individual question, is scored on a scale of 1-10. As the interviewee answers the questions, the interview panel makes notes, often quoting your answers.
At the interview end, once you leave the building, the interview panel individually, at first, and then collectively, allocate a score based on what they recorded for each of your job interview questions.
Here’s the trick; when the interviewers reflect on your answers they remember how they felt about you in the job interview and this emotional reaction creates a perception filter that your answers are filtered through.
The filter is distorted by the emotional peak of the job interview (this could be positive or negative)
Creating a positive emotional peak is relatively easy;
First, you need to use storytelling when giving an answer to a job interview question. To use storytelling you need to follow a 3 step structure
Step 1 – set the scene. Here you describe a challenge, problem or situation you had to face. Keep this short, simple and relevant. The employer should be able to quickly understand the issue which is related to the position you are applying
Step 2 – become the hero. In all films and stories there is a hero who, after being in a tricky situation, takes action and saves the day. When explaining the solution to your stated problem you need to be clear in what YOU did, the action YOU took, that was part of the solution
Step 3 – create a eutopia. When being interviewed many people focus on past successes.
People are more future-focused than this; you are more likely to be offered a job by explaining what you can bring to the table rather than what you did in your previous role.
This last step requires you to make it relevant to this organization by explaining how you would use this experience to solve your new employer’s problems.
To do this use this special interview formula: XY = Z;
“if you struggle with X problem, I would use Y which will result in Z (positive outcome)
The second way to create an emotional connection in a job interview is through intrigue. Imagine beings asked “what is your biggest weakness?” and your reply with “In my last job I was nearly arrested for murder!”
OK I know this sounds extreme! but what happens here, is initially the interviewer will laugh at this ridiculous answer creating an emotional peak, but then in addition, especially if you leave a long pause before carrying on with your interview answer, you will create intrigue –“what does he mean, murder?”
These hooks generate curiosity – we all want to know what next. This is why TV series have a cliffhanger at the end of each episode, so we MUST tune in next week to find out what happened.
Back to the murder charge. Ok, the shock tactic hook has to be relevant or you will come across a bit strange. In this example, it could be an interview for a TV producer who was on an outdoor set secretly filing a prank when with unfortunate timing the police walked by. Or a worker who was helping a colleague who collapsed at work.
Yes, this example is a bit left field. Another more relevant example could be when asked “what is your greatest strength?” your intrigue reply could be “in the last 6 years I have built a reputation of turning around companies of the brink of bankruptcyand turned them into multimillion-pound organisations” Any employer requiring this skill will be shouting “how?”
Intrigue gets the employer feeling excited, creating anticipation. Anticipation releases dopamine in large quantities (the happy chemical) creating a strong emotional association with you the interviewee.
A final example is when asked, “why do you want to work for my organisation?” When asked this question most people answer by stating facts about the company; you have a great reputation, I like the fact that there is a focus on staff development, I have always wanted to work for a company like this.
Instead, use intrigue, get the interviewer asking you more questions to find out about the hook you have just fed them; “I was recently headhunted by one of your competitors but before I took the position I wanted to know more about this organisation”
This is very covert, the employer won’t be able to stop themselves by asking “which competitor was that?” They are also thinking, what is it about this person that a competitor of mine wants to hire them? Am I missing out?
Can a work placement support your career ambitions?
Most pupils in yr11 have the chance to gain a work placement in an industry of their choice. The idea here is that a 2-week work placement is enough time to gain an insight into a specific job role. The pupils can use this experience to help them decide if their desired career path is a suitable choice.
In many schools a career lead has the responsibility of organising the work placement for the full year group. This means finding around 100 employers willing to take on 2-3 pupils for a two-week period. Pupils are matched to employers based on the pupil’s career ambitions.
During the 2-week work placement the pupil will undertake a range of duties to help them understand how a business works. Each employer will match each pupil with a mentor (an experienced member of staff who can explain the different areas of the business.) At the end of each week the employer will complete a review, allowing the pupil to reflect on their career choice.
When I undertook my work placement, my career goal was to work in retail management. The school career lead, very excitedly, explained that she had found me the ‘perfect’ placement; a retail assistant in a mini market. Originally, I was excited to undertake the work placement. I wanted to learn about retail management and starting in a small mini market would allow me to see all sides of a retail business.
Instead of learning retail managerial techniques I was tasked to take out the rubbish, make cups of tea for the full-time staff members and to clean shelves and mop floors. The mundane duties meant that the work placement was having a negative effect on my motivation to gain a career in retail management.
A couple of days into the work placement I was shopping with my family in a large supermarket. I was observing one of the floor managers directing a team of employees to create a new display. When the manager saw me watching them, he asked me: “is there was anything I can help you with?” I explained that I was hoping to work in retail management one day and that I was currently in a work placement in a mini market completing mundane duties. As I was about to leave, I asked if he would be willing to let me finish my work placement within his store, allowing me to learn retail management skills. To my surprise he agreed, and I spent the next 10 days understanding the supply chain line, sales psychology, rotating stock and how to create a reliable and motivated workforce.
The work placement that yr11 pupils can access can either be highly beneficial or a complete waste of time. To get the most out of a work placement I would highly recommend sourcing your own employer. Teachers do I good job at organising a large amount of work placements, but they don’t have the time to discuss individual pupil needs with every employer. By sourcing your own work placement, you can meet with an employer and discuss what it is you want to gain from the two-week placement.
The job interview is one of the most nerve-racking experiences you have to face. The reason you fear the job interview is down to the psychology of the interview process. In this series of ‘job interview psychology,‘ you will learn 5 psychological processes that are in play, that effect your job interview success, without you even knowing about it.
Job Interview Psychology 2 of 5 – unconscious bias
Everyone is prone to the psychological effect of unconscious bias.
Unconcious job interview bias if the phenomenon of the job interviewer generating a perception of you prior to the interview start. This subconscious process can have, either a negative or positive, effect on the job interview outcome.
Job Interview Psychology
Attribution theory explains how we attribute characteristics to people we don’t know, to assist our internal process of perception, by judging their behavior based on the references of people we do know – you act like Mrs X so you must have similar strengths and flaws.
It is these perception disorders, that all humans form, that affects the job interview outcome. You can attend two job interviews for the same position, in two identical organizations, give the same answers to the same job interview questions, and be up against the same competition (who give the same answers to the same job interview questions) only to be offered one position and to be declined the second. This is because people’s perception of the world is different; it is created from individual experiences, beliefs, and emotional associations.
What is difficult to combat is that these snap judgments are made at the subconscious level, instantly.
Be-aware of the invisible filters
Unconscious interview bias is the process of the interviewer’s brain creating quick judgments of you, the interviewee, prior to you being asked any job interview question. All your following answers, conversations, and even your body language will be filtered through this unconscious bias filter; if you are associated positively, your job interview answers are filtered through a ‘positive filter’ but if you are associated negatively, then it is these filters that your job interview answers will be filtered through.
Remember this, most people, including yourself, are unaware of the filers and therefore their bias that is in play
In an unconscious bias study, by Moss-Racusin, a number of science facilities in higher educational institutes (HEIs) were asked to evaluate the application materials of an undergraduate science student who had applied for a science laboratory manager position. The participants were then allocated either a female or male applicant and asked to give their opinion on the student’s competencies: the application details remained the same and only the gender of the ‘applicant’ had changed. The participants themselves were of mixed gender
The results showed that the applicants perceived gender had an effect on the science facility participants’ unconscious bias; males were considered more competent and were more likely to be hired than a female with the same application and therefore the same skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications.
The participants were also more likely to invest time in mentoring males and to give them a higher starting salary
Unconscious bias can be positive. Interviewers will have a preferred person preference and will have a natural liking to people who they see they have common ground with. The common ground could include appearance, beliefs, background – this is where the advice to wear your ‘old school tie’ is founded. This natural ‘liking’ creates an affinity bias where the interviewer will be more supportive to one interviewee then another.
If you are nervous in the job interview environment and the interviewer feels an affinity towards you, they are more likely to help you feel at ease by repeating questions in a simplistic way or telling you to take your time. Some will even go as far as giving you hints. This affinity also alters how they see you performing within the team and/or organisation.
To help you pass your next job interview you can use this psychology to your advantage. The halo effect; where fast judgments are made based on one or more criteria (positive or negative) that creates a domino effect – if the initial opinion of an interviewee is positive, the interviewer will see all the applicant’s actions as positive (or less negative). An example of this is when the interviewer has a positive impression of a candidate and when the candidate answers an interview question stating that they don’t have X experience, the interviewer, through the halo effect, no longer deem this as that important (allowing you to score higher on the criteria scoring sheet)
Likeability, which is key to job interview success, can be achieved through some simple and/re extreme measures:
Dressing smart and being on time creates a low-level halo effect – as a reliable employee. But this is pretty basic.
Question the interviewer about their week, weekend or interest and find common ground by stating activities or hobbies you have in common – this creates a ‘natural’ conversation that increases likeability.
You can build subconscious rapport by mimicking the interviewer’s language patterns, gestures and body language. Mirroring another person happens naturally when two people are in rapport. You can switch this around and create rapport by creating a mirror image
Finally, you can become an industry expert. By creating a professional LinkedIn account and adding regular industry-related comments, links, stats, giving your opinion, sharing newsfeeds, and by following industry professionals and companies you are likely to get your future interviewer adding you via the same social media platform months before you apply for a position with their company. By seeing you as an industry expert, prior to a job interview, you will create a powerful halo effect that will help you win more job offers
