Wow! The job interview went really well or so you thought but the result was not very favourable. Or you got so nervous about your individual strength that you got nervous and screwed up the interview. Now whatever the reason might be, the truth is, that if you didn’t get the job you wanted, you might have done something which didn’t really appeal to the recruiter.
The first step to understanding how to ace an interview is to understand what you did and how you can play to your strength. Whether you are introvert, extrovert or someone who needs to pen down things or your attention span varies; there is always a way for you to make the absolute best of your situation and stand out from the crowd because of it.
How you can do this; let’s find out –
Don’t try to fit in a mould
Your friend got through, did brilliantly in the job interview and so on and so forth. However, the thing that worked for your friend might not necessarily work for you. As Emily MacIntyre of HubSpot says-
“Anyone can interview well, it really just comes down to knowing your strengths well and being cognizant of your foibles. If you’re self-aware, then you can adapt your approach to fit your personality.”
That basically means that you don’t have to try to fit in the coat that your friend wore, do what they did to grab the job you want. You don’t have to fit into some predetermined mould, but work and approach an interview in a unique manner which will be entirely your own.
For introverts and extroverts
INTROVERTS
Interviews are generally a one-to-one conversation. And introverts are good with one-on-one conversations, aren’t they? So, the basic idea which you need to work on is to treat an interview as a conversation with one person. Give your best to the conversation, but don’t try too hard. I am sure you can manage that, can’t you?
Put your great listening skills to work. Yes, we know introverts are good listeners.
Try to understand what the interviewer is looking for, what he wants from you, understand the question, take your time to think and then give the answer. Ask good interview questions in turn. Remember an interview is a “conversation” and while the interviewer will do most of the asking, you don’t have to keep your doubts to yourself.
“Communication is the key”, quite literally when it comes to job interviews. If the interviewer is dominating you and not giving you the space to make your point, that is okay. Let him continue and make yourself heard towards the end of the interview, probably before you wrap it up. Tell them how you are fit for the role and leave with a slight smile and a thank you.
EXTROVERTS
Social situations, conversations are your thing. Your infectious energy is your oomph factor. However, an important interview tip to remember is to not let that extra energy dominate a job interview. You don’t want to be dominating the conversation and not giving the interviewer the space to ask questions. Ask questions whenever and wherever necessary but let the interviewer have a go at you too.
If your interviewer is quieter and giving you free rein; pause between conversations or narratives to make sure they are still on the same page and listening to you. Ask questions in return to draw them in the conversation.
Visual Learner or Auditory learner
Some people consume more information by listening to it while others are more of visual learners. Now an interview is more of an auditory process. However, it does not mean visual learners are at a disadvantage.
VISUAL LEARNERS
If you are a visual learner, someone who understands things best with a pen and paper in hand or is able to explain better with visual means then you should use this to your advantage. Take a paper and a pen along with you in an interview to get a clearer picture of things.
Some topics become easier to explain when you have a pen and paper available. So, grab on the opportunity to play to your strength. Engage the interviewer by drawing diagrams or graphs (no one will expect you to draw absolutely perfect diagrams and graphs, just use it to make your point).
Underscore the key points and engage in a conversation, referring to your notes when required to leave a lasting impact on the interviewer.
AUDITORY LEARNERS
As an auditory learner, you might think interviews are tailor-made to suit your strengths. You get to give your best in a conversation, engage directly and soak in every word to give the best interview answers. However, even for an auditory learner, it is advised to use visual means once in a while. If you are trying to explain a complex idea, then you can go to the whiteboard and draw a diagram to get your point across. This will make the interviewer understand you better while adding more weight to your answers.
The most important thing that you need to keep in mind during a job interview is that it is all about maintaining a fine balance.
You cannot dominate the conversation entirely or let the interviewer dominate you. Similarly, you don’t have to rely on visual or auditory means alone but play with the mediums. And while you are doing all this, don’t forget to look the interviewer in the eye, not fidget all the time and know when to smile.
Your answers and your body language together make you the right candidate for a job. Therefore it will be best to seek an expert opinion to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. You can give the MockAI test for that. This sister product of AMCAT can help you shine your way through any job interview while AMCAT jobs will allow you to find the right job opportunity; whatever it might be
Mock-AI can help you gain an insight into what works for you and what doesn’t and how you can improve yourself. A detailed feedback provided at the end of the interview along with your video will help you see yourself as an interviewer might. The fact that real interview questions are asked and you are given ample time to work on your answers but not enough to make you sleep on it, makes Mock-AI one of the best candidates that can judge your candidature.
