8 Ways to Sharpen Your Interview Skills

When it comes to interviews, you only get one opportunity to make that great first impression. 

So, it’s normal to feel nervous during a job interview, but performance in this situation can be improved through smart and regular practice. The following suggestions can help you hone your interview abilities and improve your odds of a great interview performance. 

1) Learn to “See Through” a Job Description 

Essentially an interview cheat sheet, the position description can provide valuable details on what the business wants in prospective staff members. Having a solid understanding of the job description can provide you with the knowledge base needed to succeed. 

To show you have the qualities the business is seeking, prepare anecdotes that explain how you showed these essential qualities in past jobs. 

2) Practice Pitch-Perfect Confidence 

Talking about yourself in a job interview is an unnatural situation, but how you act in an interview can reveal the nature of your character. Therefore, it’s important to come across as confident and that requires practice. 

When doing practice interviews, ask your interviewer for suggestions on how you can talk about yourself with confidence without appearing cocky. 

3) Watch Interview Examples 

Another way to polish up your interview skills is to watch example interviews, many of which can be found on YouTube. Pay attention to any body language and mannerisms that seem effective during these interviews. 

4) Switch Roles 

When you switch roles in practice interview sessions and make yourself the interviewer, it provides you with a unique point of view on your upcoming interview. When you ask the questions you’re supposed to answer, it gives you some insight into the best responses for each one. 

5) Watch Your Language 

Interviewers usually try to make candidates feel at ease. While you want to feel calm and confident, you ought to avoid dropping a professional demeanor. No matter what, don’t use slang, colloquialisms or any kind of not-safe-for-work language. If speaking professionally does come naturally to you, work on cleaning up your language to make to appropriate for any workplace. 

6) Practice “Selling Yourself” 

When you sit down across the table from an interviewer, you are essentially selling your services. The best way to impress your interviewer is to develop an informal sales pitch. Consider your personal value proposition and how you can make it a compelling one. 

7) Get Some New Interview Clothes 

Countless studies have proven the old cliché: If you look good, you feel good. 

Think of a new interview outfit as an investment. Spend your money on professional, conservative clothes that will increase your chances of getting the job. Avoid looking too trendy or showy. 

8) Practice Listening 

Practice being an active listener in your everyday life. Pay attention to every word someone says to you and you’ll find yourself becoming a better conversationalist (and by extension better at job interviews). 

We Can Help You Be a Better Interviewer 

At Career Concepts, we support the candidates we work with all the way through the application process. Please contact us today to find out how we can make you a better candidate.