by Peter Bezanson

Created on: January 08, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Keys to a Successful Job Interview

Many people believe that effectively communicating your expert level knowledge and solid work experience and education is the number one reason for getting a job offer. Although this may be true to an extent, it may not be the key you think it is. Chances are extremely high that the hiring manager has already reviewed your resume more than once and therefore has already been exposed to your credentials. If you are serious about the position you are interviewing for, you need to take your game to the next level.

Try to think of the interview as a chess game. Throughout the interview, many things are flowing through your head and the interviewers that have little to do with what's on your resume. The following ideas when put together will most certainly help your chances in getting the job.

After having met the interviewer, your very first task when on the interview is to seek as many similarities between yourself and the hiring manager. Make a mental note of their demeanor, posture, tone of voice, etc. Present yourself in a way that mimics these characteristics. Seek a level that matches that of the interviewer.

Listen, listen, listen. With all these things running through your head it becomes very difficult to effectively listen as you would in a normal conversation. Listening does not mean thinking about what you're going to say next. When you are listening, try to decipher what the interviewer is really asking you. Often times the question being asked has a meaning beneath the words being spoken.

Try to control nervousness. Interviews without a doubt cause anxiety that will effect the results of the interview. People caught in a situation that causes high anxiety, their first internal response is to get out of the situation as quickly as possible. This will inevitably be picked up by the interviewer not to mention the quality of your responses to all important questions. If you find yourself in this situation, make a comment to the interviewer such as: "I'm a little nervous, I'm just very interested in this position." This helps validate your anxiety and chances are good it will drop your level of nervousness almost instantly.

Almost as import as your qualifications is your ability to present yourself in a way that shows you're easy to get along with. Nobody wants to hire a complete stiff or someone that may prove to be difficult to get along with down the stretch. Smile often and be friendly. Always be honest. People like honest people. If you don't know the answer to a specific question, answer truthfully. Most people will try to muck their way through the question and end up looking either incompetent or worse yet, dishonest.

Mastering these ideas will most certainly increase your chances of getting asked back for a second interview or even a job offer.

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