Great Interview Tips You Probably Haven’t Considered
Are you preparing for an executive interview and are seriously concerned that you won’t be ready when you sit across from the interviewer? This is a concern that many other executives have, no matter how many interviews they’ve been on (or have conducted).
You’ve probably heard a ton of advice about ways to prepare for an interview, but just when you think you’ve heard it all, something jumps out that could actually work for you. So if you’re preparing for an interview, consider some of the following tips that you may have never thought of in a million years.
Prepare in an Office Space
While preparing for your interview, it doesn’t hurt to do so in a space that reminds you of a serious, office environment. For instance, if you have an office in your home, it’s good to organize your thoughts in this space. While there’s fundamentally no harm in doing so in front of the TV or while you’re watching the kids play, it’s often easier to place yourself in an interviewing “zone” if you’re in a quiet area reminiscent of an interviewing location.
Rehearse in Front of a Mirror
Another quirky, yet helpful, preparation tip is to consider rehearsing in front of a mirror. Although you’re probably an expert at conversation by now, you may not have paid much attention to your body language, and now’s the time to take a good look at yourself in the mirror, literally. Very often, it’s difficult to know how the way that one holds his arms, sits, or looks around a room can affect the message he’s trying to get across. Practice in front of the mirror helps you reign in your facial expressions and get rid of the nervous tics that might make an interviewer nervous or uncomfortable.
Talk in Front of Your Kids
A large aspect of interviewing at the executive level is being able to tell a good story about who you are and what you’ve accomplished while keeping the attention of everyone in the room. Children have terrible attention spans, which makes them good substitutes for executives–try telling your story with some minor modifications to compensate for the audience difference, and if school-aged kids begin to ignore you, you’ll know that you need to spend some more time on your delivery and word choice.
Don’t Rely On Your Resume
While you want to know what’s in your resume, executive biography and any other documents you’ve submitted, you don’t want the interviewer to feel as though you’re reading from them as you answer questions in your interview. This gives a stiff, fake feel to the interview that could cost you the job. So as you practice, think about who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’d like to accomplish on the job. Answer these questions confidently and honestly and you’ll give off a great impression.
You know the basics of preparing for your interview, so it’s always good to learn about those tips that may be a bit more quirky but could still work. So if you’re preparing for your interview, don’t be shy about including some of these ideas in your process.
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For other related articles, read:
Stop Auditioning for Other People’s Lives
Getting Interviews: Personal Contact vs. the Black Hole of Resumes
Job and Career Books:
101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know
Ultimate Online Job Search EBook
January 6th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Excellent post. I have this site bookmarked from now on.
January 19th, 2010 at 1:24 am
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