Day of the Interview Essential Techniques
Day of the Interview: The 3 Winning Behaviours
1. How long do I arrive before the interview?
The best bet is to arrive 15 minutes before your interview. It gives you time to settle yourself, the receptionist will have made the interviewer aware but it’s not so early that the interviewer will stress about someone waiting for them. If you’re running late for any reason then call the company and explain why and what time you will arrive. Good communication can prevent a late attendance from ruining your chances.
2. Meet and greet.
You have done your research on LinkedIn or from the company team page. You know what the interviewer looks like. You will recognise them. Make a positive start by introducing yourself as you see them approach reception. This is a particularly important first impression when the reception area is busy and the interviewer will thank you for making the introduction simple for them.
3. Don’t go in empty handed.
Take in a business case or an appropriate folder with your notes and documents in. If you take a pen, make sure it works. The key is to a successful interview is to be able to interview them too, which you will only achieve with preparation.
The Behaviours That Get You Hired
Be aware of the interviewers body language and how they are behaving. Just because they are a hiring manager doesn’t mean they are a good interviewer or any less nervous than you. You have no idea how many interviews they have done nor if they are actually good at them. Where possible mirror the body language of the interviewer and try to make a connection.
You have prepared questions, you have your own opinions and you want to get your own thoughts and points of view across. If the interviewer, for example, is speaking non-stop it is completely okay to interject and ask a relevant question about what they are talking about. This opens the interview up to be a more balanced discussion where you will show engagement and communicate on the same level.
Closing The Interview
This is your last opportunity before you leave. If you have unanswered questions this is the time to ask them. Interviewers like to get asked questions as it shows that you are prepared, interested and engaged.
Interviewers want to close this opportunity off. They want a new team member. They want this process to end and to get back to a full team of active staff members. The end of the interview is your chance to close that deal down.
Maximise the time that you have and use your preparation document to make sure you ask everything that you wanted to and leave the interview room with no regrets.
Final Questions
How did I do? Allows you to challenge any misconceptions.
What else can I clarify for you? Quash any doubts that the interviewer may have.
What are the next steps? This shows confidence that you want to take it further.
I really want this job could I come in and do a trial? This is more applicable to a junior role but it means that you will have tried everything you possibly can to progress in the role and you’ll leave a lasting impression on the interviewer.
No Regrets
By following the guide in our career toolkit we hope that we can help you through your interview process and that you will interview confidently and leave without any regrets. Sign-in to our toolkit now to unlock everything you need to know about The Day of Your Interview.
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