One of the key factors during an interview is to leave a positive lasting impression. Often potential employers interview multiple individuals for one job; therefore, it is essential for you to standout and leave a positive impression with the company. You want to be the person they remember when they are making the decision for the position. Interview Expert offers some of the best job interview tips for creating a positive lasting impression with potential employers. Rather your interview includes common interview questions, executive interview questions, or behavioral based interview questions, these tips will help you to create a lasting impression. Interview skills are a developed skill and often must be practiced in the form of a mock interviews or speaking answers out loud to oneself in a mirror. Let us discuss some of the practical ways that you can create a lasting impression with interviewers.
Research the Company and Interviewer
It is important to have a good understanding of the company that you are interviewing with. Researching the companies industry, background, and management style, can help you tailor your answers to fit the company’s goals, values, and preferences. Prior to heading out to your job interview, Interview Expert suggests that you take time to do some research. It is important to know and understand the basics of the company for the interview. Take some time and review the company’s website. Do a quick internet search and see what others are saying about the company. Read reviews from employees and customers alike. This will help you to have a better insight into the company’s culture. When researching on the company’s website, you should focus on understanding what the main service/product is that the company offers as well as the industry that the company does business within. Also, ensure you are reviewing items that are important to you. If you enjoy giving back to your local community, then see if the company performs acts that align with your values. If you enjoy being creative, then research and determine if you would have that freedom within the company.
Researching the person who is going to conduct the interview with you is essential for understanding how they want to hear some common interview questions and answers. For example, if the interviewer has a background in IT, then you would likely be ok using standard jargon and they could fully understand your answers. However, if they do not have a background in IT, then you may want to add some explanation into your answer or choose a different manner of explaining a difficult topic. Researching your interviewer on LinkedIn may be a good conversation starter. For example, “I saw on LinkedIn that you spent some time working with a non-profit….” In order to leave a lasting impression, you must stand out from other candidates. How better to stand out than to refer to the interviewers’ skills and abilities?
Adjust Skills and Abilities to the Job Description
Understanding the job and the job description in which you are interviewing for is essential for creating a positive lasting impression. When you understand the job and the requirements of the job, you can successfully mold your answers to demonstrate how your skills and abilities are suited for the position. For example, if you are applying for an office manager job that requires multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment and you have experience in similar situations, you can create an answer that aligns with the job requirements from your previous experience.
Be Current on Industry Information
It is beneficial to have a clear understanding of the most current and up-to-date industry information. By being aware of any major changes or breakthroughs, you can incorporate that information into the interview. When you demonstrate that you are making an effort to stay up to date on industry information, you are showing your interviewer that you will be more likely to make necessary changes if the industry demands. Staying current also demonstrates that you are constantly trying to learn and be better for the future.
Practice Listening and Body Language
At first glance active listening and body language may not seem like a way to create a lasting impression during a job interview. However, it is vital to creating a lasting positive impression. If you do not actively listen to the interviewer, you may answer the question incorrectly or not at all. You must practice active listening because in an interview you may be nervous already, which can make active listening more challenging. By practicing active listening, the skills will be there and likely automatically kick in during an interview even if you are slightly nervous. Body language is key to creating a lasting impression, because if you are overly fidgety then that can be negative. If you are stiff and rigid during an interview, that also can create a negative impression. You want to have semi-relaxed body language as to not appear scared, nervous, or closed off. You want to use your hands properly but not too much. The best way to help manage body language is through a mock interview. Practice answering questions out loud in an interview format using appropriate body language. Conduct the mock interview with a trusted individual who will provide you with feedback on how to improve your skills.
Conclusion
While this article merely scratched the surface on ways to create a long lasting positive impression during an interview, it is a good starting point. Interviewing can be stressful and difficult to remember the entire do’s and do not’s; however, with practice the skills can be improved upon and help you to create a lasting impression. If you are not confident in your ability to handle these skills on your own, check out our site and set up some time with one of our interview coaches, who can help you to perfect your interview skills. Our interview coaches are highly experienced with helping others to develop quality interview skills including how to create that lasting positive interview impression.
Check us out at www.interview-expert.com.
