When interviewing for a job, many people may miss that every step and every contact with the future employer contributes to the overall impression that leads to the final decision. You simply don’t know which gesture or action can give you extra points and places you ahead of other candidates.
While you need to keep every move in check when you’re interviewing, it is a must that you pay additional attention to areas that are relevant to your future job. Do you claim to have excellent communication skills? Prove this in communicating about the job. Will your future job require calling clients? Make sure your phone interview reflects your verbal skills, positive energy and engaging approach.
You cannot overestimate how much presenting your soft skills during the job interview can help you win the job – assuming you have enough skills to do it. In fact, some employers can even go with someone who is less experienced, if that person has got the right mix of skills, attitude and willingness to learn.
To make sure that you’re not missing one of the big factors that can make or break the deal during your interviewing process, keep these points in mind:
Attitude
Positivity is critical in demonstrating your enthusiasm for the job. It also reflects that you will be easy going and willing to cooperate with coworkers – two things that employers are keen to have for team building. If you’re applying for a customer-facing position, hiring managers may be looking at how you handle the interview as a model of your future handling of the company’s clients. Are you nervous? That can’t be a good sign on how you will function under pressure. Keep your exposure and demonstrate your people skills.
Similarly, a bitter, cynical approach regarding your future career or your past can make a bad impression. Employers may be bewildered as to what to make out of this attitude. It can be seen as part of your nature or your reaction to the interview as a stressful situation. Either way, hiring managers may be concerned about how you may impact the overall morale as well as your ability to accept feedback and react to events when work stress mounts.
Communication
Although important in almost any job, having stellar communication skills is specifically critical in some jobs – public relations, business development, reporting, etc. Communication can be verbal, spoken or in writing. It is important to understand what your employer is looking for and ensure that you’re providing an example of what you claim. For example, are you applying for a public relations position that requires writing press releases or communicating with the media, make sure your cover letter and resumes are free of spelling and grammar mistakes, nicely written and engaging. Think of it this way: these are your own marketing material, so give them your best shot.
Communication goes beyond the initial exchange of e-mails. Your way of responding to the employer’s contact, sending thank-you notes, etc. also reflects on your ability to build and maintain new connections.
Plans
Even though not many people in this day and age may be planning to stay with one job for life, employers look for some reasonable amount of commitment. If your approach to the interview and the job as a whole appears to be less-than-interested, you may be doing yourself a disservice. Employers look for someone who appears to be excited about the job and willing to go the extra mile not only to do it, but to excel and advance. A person who seems to be just looking for anything or in need for a paycheck doesn’t fulfil these expectations. That is why it is important to watch how you answer questions like: What will you bring to the job? Or, why should we hire you?
The more you lay out your plans in a way that seems to be in line with the employers, the better chance you have in scoring the job. Don’t lie, however. Employers will appreciate it that you tell them about your plans, sincerely. Although this may reduce your chances of getting a job, it will put in an overall better position if you get and, then, find yourself forced to leave shortly after.
Rania Oteify, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.
