Fresh out of college? Recently laid off? Re-enter the workforce? You can get a leg up on those dozens of other qualified people interviewing for the same job by using these 7 Personal Presentation Strategies for a Successful Interview.
In any interview, you want to present yourself as a knowledgeable, trained professional who is a great team player and excited about the company and the position for which you are being interviewed. These self-introduction strategies will help you present yourself in the best way so that you stand out from other interviewees and make the best possible impression during the interview.
1. Preparation – Preparation is key. This means researching the company; find out what they do and how they do it. Have there been any recent articles online? Has there been a story about the company, its products, or a member of management in a local magazine or newspaper? Perhaps there has been a report on the radio or television? Unearthing them and casually relating them during the course of the interview will make a good impression on the interviewer.
Conduct research on company products and services. What are they? How do they compare to the competition? Who is the competition? How does the company produce or distribute its products or services? What were the sales figures for last year (or last quarter)? Include these facts in your interview and you will appear knowledgeable, professional and definitely stand out from any other interviewee.
Research the position you are applying for. It may not be possible to figure out the details, but you need to understand the broad responsibilities, as well as the specific skills and experience you are bringing to the table. Mention these skills and experience and even if you’re wrong about the details of the position, you’ll still be enthusiastic.
2. Essay – Now that you have all the facts about the company, you need to memorize it all and present it in a way that doesn’t look like it’s wooden or like you’re reading a teleprompter. This is where the essay comes in. You can attempt a dress rehearsal in the same type of outfit that you would wear for the interview. While some people use this to help, others consider it overkill. Only you can say it.
Recite the facts about the company and present some relevant details about yourself, highlighting how much of a team player you are or other information you gleaned from the job description. How do you fit in? Explain this. How is your experience useful to the company? Tell them. How can you use your knowledge and skills to benefit your future employer? Let them know. Introduce them in short “sound clips.” Rehearse them until they feel and sound natural and unrehearsed.
3. Questions – You may have heard about the importance of relevant questions and you are right. From his research, he should have discovered several areas that he may feel insecure about or some things that he would like to clarify. These are good things. Write them down. If possible, memorize them, but don’t be afraid to pull out a 3×5 card during the course of the interview if you need to remember what your questions are. You can also buy a book at a copy shop or office supply store that includes key questions to ask your interviewer. This is always good.
4. Formality: Now that you’re at the interview, you need to know what to do. Obviously you need to be on time and this means 10-20 minutes early. Not 5 minutes. Not 1 minute. Never late! Arrives early. This will give you time to mentally rehearse the interview in your mind, review your question cheat sheet, powder your nose, and comfortably prepare for the interview.
Dress one level above the position you are applying for. This is a subjective assessment and I have sometimes guessed wrong, but you can rarely go wrong with a neat appearance. If you have doubts, dress up.
Be professional, courteous, and pleasant to everyone you meet. You never know who you’re greeting or who you may be working with when you’re hired.
And keep your cell phone off, your PSP at home, and your headphones in the car, but believe it or not, Bluetooth is fine if you don’t talk on it.
5. Friendly – It’s your time to shine! You should be courteous and friendly to everyone you meet, especially during the interview. Be friendly, smile and lean forward, don’t fidget. Below are some tricks I learned in NLP school, but don’t make them obvious.
Try to reflect the position of the interviewer. Match his position to yours. If you cross your legs, wait a minute or two and then cross your legs. If you lean forward, count to 30 and then lean forward. If you nod, nod. If you have your resume or notebook in front of you, turn it around to reflect any materials they may have. Do this with your peripheral vision. Never look directly at something and then try to reflect it back, you will get caught. When answering a question, repeat the question or some keywords in the question or rephrase before submitting your answer. Be yourself.
6. Interesting: You must capture the interest of your interviewer. To do this, apply the steps above and mention some favorite anecdotes from your experience that demonstrate how you have successfully faced a challenge, solved a problem, been a good team player, stayed late to complete a project, or calmed down a disgruntled colleague. . worker or client. Add a fact from your work experience that shows how you have added value to a previous employer. If you put a few of these together, how you’ve added value, you can use them for that all-important question, “why should we consider you for this position?” And this brings us to 7.
7. Unique – Being unique is the key to getting the job. If you stand out from all the other candidates, if you can appear friendly and interesting, if you arrive on time and are dressed appropriately, and if you can demonstrate how much of a positive impact your skills and experience will bring to the company, you’ll be hired.
By following these personal presentation strategies in interviews, you will almost certainly be one of the best options for your consideration, if not the best.