Interview techniques – Showing interest is vital…

While you might look amazing in person and on paper, your level of interest is going to be a deciding factor on whether or not you get that job. Too often, people will do amazing in this process and find that they have some serious issues with the overall approach that they take to reflecting the level of interest in a particular position.

Most interviewers are going to be looking for people who make a strong impact on them. That means the person is virtually present for the interview and that they hold a conversation that feels like it is conversation, not scripted. This means you avoid most of the common questions that are listed on interview websites. The reason is they get hit with these same questions all the time and it is in no way a reflection of who you are.

What it does mean though is that you should take a moment and determine what this position will mean to you. You want to be sure that as you review the information you have a list of questions that come up about the company that goes beyond what they mention on the website. It can be important that you learn the history of the company and get an idea of what the department you are applying for handles.

As you begin to show some research and understanding about the company you are considering, the interviewer will likely throw in a couple of in depth question about the company. Make sure you can respond to them and point out any inaccurate information they provide. As a testing tool, the interviewer may make a statement that is slightly incorrect to see if you are comfortable correcting them. Do not approach it as it being something that is blatantly wrong, just let them know you thought something else was correct and they will usually agree with you.

When the interview is completed, you must take a moment to thank to person by name, shake their hand and make eye contact. As you leave, take the time to get a business card and send them a note that thanks them for their time. While this might seem like extra work to you, it is vital that you understand that you will be judged on this and you need to let them know there is actual interest in the process.

Within 72 hours of your interview, you should follow up and ask if there has been any decision made on the position as well. Ensure during the conversation you identify yourself and if nothing has been decided on be sure you ask when you should follow up. Keep in mind that if they tell you that decisions were not going to be made until the following week, you wait until that time frame has passed to avoid any potential headaches in this process as well. After all, part of the interview process will also be to determine if you are able to follow directions as well.