The object of the job interview isn’t to sweat, squirm or suffer. It’s to build a rapport and persuade the interviewer to invite you back for a second interview. Here are some ways to accomplish the goal.

Pity the Interviewer

Interviewing isn’t easy for the interviewer, either. Just like you, the interviewer has a job to do. That job isn’t to intimidate you. It’s to make the right decision about an important personnel matter.

Keep this in mind and the next time you interview think about how you can make the interviewer feel comfortable. When preparing, think about what you can do to persuade the interviewer that you’re the right choice, the answer to his/her problem. Think about what distinguishes you from the other candidates the interviewer is likely to meet. What do you increase? What do you decrease? What do you maintain? If you can answer those three questions in your elevator speech, you should be convincing.

Oiling the Interview

Invariably, job offers go to candidates that interviewers like and feel comfortable with. So if you reach a point in your interview where you feel things have gotten stuck, ask “oil” questions. Oil the conversation just as you’d oil a door that sticks. An effective oil question is one that gets the interviewer talking about the company again. Examples:

• “As I understand it, you’re saying you want to work this project in the first three months and the other in the next three months?” or
• “If you were to hire someone, what would be the best set of qualifications?”

The Interview’s End

To interview effectively, you must know how to close the deal. One of the best ways to conclude a positive interview is to loop back to an earlier part of the conversation that went well. In addition to reinforcing the positive, you want to build on the impression by adding a little piece about yourself and your enthusiasm. But don’t overdo it. Interviewers want to see energy and interest, not desperation.

Conclusion

A final caveat: Positive interviews don’t always lead to job offers. As well as you present yourself, you still may not be the right person for the opportunity. Situations can also change. Openings get eliminated or put on ice. So try not to get discouraged. Even if you don’t get the job, a successful interview plants a seed and gives you another contact to add to your network. I’d also check in with the company a month later. Sometimes new hires don’t stick. As Yogi Berra says, “It aint over ‘til it’s over.”

Wishing you career success!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

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