Interviewing Prowess: How to Evaluate and Fine-Tune It

Countless career opportunities are lost due to poor interviewing skills. You may have practiced anticipated questions and answers and thought you did adequate research, but still walked away disappointed.

The good news is: Such scenarios are preventable – as long as you accurately evaluate and fine-tune your interviewing finesse on a regular basis. Preparation is the key to confidence.

Areas to Evaluate

Determine how you can do better in future interviews by assessing these areas:

• Your preparation: Did you thoroughly research the company and your interviewers? This means going beyond the corporate website and delving into details on key product lines, the competition and current industry news, developments and challenges. It also means analyzing the data that you gleaned. This readies you to make intelligent comments as you respond to interview questions.
• Your emotional intelligence: Did it mirror the organization’s culture? This ranges from your dress and language to your overall demeanor. These soft skills have become increasingly critical. Ask yourself: Did you give the perception that you would fit in?
• Your body language: Did you make eye contact? Were your answers clear and concise – or evasive? Did you smile? Did you smile too much? If so, was it perceived as a lack of self-confidence? Some nervousness is normal. Beyond that, you need to make a conscious effort to improve your nonverbal communication skills.
• Your ability to field tough questions: Difficult questions are included in interviews partly to judge your strength in thinking on your feet. You need to prepare in advance as best you can, so you will be in the know when they come your way.

Ask for Feedback

If you are turned down for a job, ask the hiring manager for constructive criticism about why you were not selected.

• Let interviewers know that their feedback will be helpful to your future. You may not only get valuable information, but also build relationships. This can create a positive impression as you come across as professional, honest and open. It may even open doors to future openings at the company.
• Create your own feedback by taking notes. Immediately after every interview, jot down notes regarding how it went, including high and low points. This way, you will remember these key details.
• Participate in mock interviews. They provide you with critical feedback. Have an objective friend or colleague interview you, following a checklist specific to your desired position. They should keep notes on any questions that you stumble on or answer incompletely. It can be helpful to record these sessions and look for behaviors such as fidgeting, nervous tapping or lack of eye contact.

The experienced recruiters at BrainWorks provide access to great jobs, as well as better insight and exceptional support for your job search. Contact us today to learn more and gain a true partner as you advance your career today, tomorrow and for the future.