In the early days, if we apply to a job, we will be straight away asked to attend an interview and if we fare up well, we are selected and if we don’t, we have to look up for another one. This habit still continues.
Conducting interviews becomes an inevitable part of any recruitment process. So, basically, a candidate appearing for an interview is expected to answer all the questions posed while advertising themselves in order to be successful. But, it is easier to say than to demonstrate.
The articulation of our views along with our behavioural manners is the key to land ourselves comfortably on a job. It is said that, there are two prime aspects of communication in an interview, namely, Verbal and Non-verbal.
We shall now look at some exclusive tips concerning these two aspects, in a detailed manner so as to make others utilize them in their interviews.
Non-Verbal Communication in Interview:
Many of the scientific researchers conducted in the regard of interviewing for placements, it is found that the non-verbal communication plays a vital role.
Also known as, ‘Paralingual communication’, this form of communication mainly concentrates on the body language that a person exhibits, say, the way of speaking, giving handshakes, facial expressions, cadences etc., which will reveal more about the persona of an individual. Let us now look at some of the tips that each candidate can use to impress the recruiters.
1. Say a Hello…!! first:
The first impression is always the best impression. So, please begin your interview session with a confident handshake and a pleasant ‘hello’ to everyone present. Your handshake should neither be too limp nor be too firm. Just the right amount with a bit of firmness will do.
Take your seat in a bold and in an upright manner, which will reveal the amount of self-confidence you have and will tilt the needles in favour of you.
Also, remember, never speak ill of your past companies or any other previous HR persons under whom you worked. This will create a bad image about you. Even if you don’t glorify them, it is absolutely okay. But, never speak badly about them. Stay neutral. That will be the wise thing to do.
2. Groom yourselves well:
You don’t need to spend hours in the salon or in a spa. But, you need to carry yourselves well throughout the interview. Avoid unpleasant smells and reeking odours.
Stay clean and neat by wearing a fresh, crisp shirt or a saree, use mild deodorants so as to avoid unnecessary sweat. Plan your outfit for the interview beforehand and dress yourselves accordingly.
3. Stay Calm, Look confident:
As said already, sit in an upright position throughout the interview and field out the questions asked, in a bold manner. Tilt your heads often from left to right, so all the jury members will be covered while you answer.
Make direct eye contact with the interviewers and if you don’t know the answer to any question, say a polite no and the reasons behind your ignorance, if any.
Don’t dodge any unknown questions or attempt a wrong answer. Also, never interrupt the interviewers while they are asking questions. Listen to them completely and if you do not understand any part of the question, please say so in a polite manner to them and ask them to kindly repeat.
4. Bring every essentials with you:
Every job interview needs a bit of essentials which they would have listed in particular. Some of the common things which each candidate should mandatorily have before an interview are:
- Their own CV and cover letter
- Previous work samples (if asked)
- Notepad (in case if anything is to be noted down)
- Relevant Degree certificates
- Reference lists
- Previous work accolades (if relevant).
Please either switch off your phone or put it in a silent mode, so that there will be no interruption from your side during the interview process. In case if the questions posed are a bit difficult, ask permission from the interviewees to note it down in your notepad and then start answering the questions.
5. Don’t become nervous:
It is highly important to emote yourselves well with a dash of positive energy. Infuse a small amount of positivity in your answers and remain highly composed during the interview because if you tend to become nervous, you may do some out of the box gestures like clicking a pen, sipping water often, twirl the strands of your hair, lean towards the interviewer so that they can feel your breath or tap your foot and so on.
This will make the interviewers feel irritated and the last thing every company needs is a highly nervous employee who is unable to handle any complex situation.
At the end of the interview, make sure that you say a leaving ‘Goodbye sir/mam’ along with another firm handshake before proceeding to go out of the room. Remember… the final image of yours should convey that you are here to stay and not to leave.
Verbal Communication in Interview:
We all communicate on a daily basis that is for sure. In order to be a highly successful person in today’s world, possessing clear communication skills are essential for an individual. A lack of these abilities can be a great impediment and may generate anxieties reliant to the given situation.
Well-built and effective communication skills are treated as an essential commodity for every job. There is no use if you proclaim that you have excellent communication skills, you have to put it to good use during an interview. You have to efficiently articulate your viewpoints about an issue and should also know to express them in a concise manner, which is not an easy task.
This aspect of communication is known as ‘Verbal communication’ and cannot be extracted from any other interpersonal skills. Also, verbal communication is a two way communication process. Let us now look at some of the tips in this concern that each candidate can use to impress the recruiters.
1. Practice and Prepare your opening speech:
Yes… you heard it right..!! You have to adequately prepare yourselves for an interview beforehand. Analyze every aspect of the job and find out the possible questions that can be asked and prepare accordingly.
Discuss your shortcomings and advantages with like-minded friends and practice your opening speech often so that there will not be any glitch during the D-day.
Avoid clichés and ask your friends to question you often about the preparations so that you will know where you lack and where does your forte lay. Kindly ask them to provide honest reviews about you by conducting mock interviews and asking difficult questions so that you will know how to tackle one if asked in the real interview.
2. Be crisp and precise:
Always frame your responses and answers in the Question-Action-Remedy format (QAR format). This will enable you to brief the question asked and will make you go to the next step of describing the appropriate action that can be taken alongside the remedial measures to implement it in order to avoid the problem.
Also, this method will not make you lose track of the current problem and will project you as a responsible and a mature person. Explain everything well within the stipulated time in a simple yet concise manner.
Avoid complex jargons while speaking. Especially, when the interviewer is perceived to be a pioneer in your field and if you use complex terminologies replete with mistakes, it can turn out to be embarrassing.
3. Do not waste the interviewer’s time:
Always remember the point that you are one among the many candidates who need to be interviewed, from the interviewer’s point of view. Obviously, the interviewer can allot only a fraction of the whole time period.
So, frame your answers to the point and tell your answers pertinent to the given situation. Any unnecessary blabbering will waste both your and the interviewer’s time and will only build unnecessary frustration. Let your voice be full of confidence. Say a polite ‘No’ to the unknown questions.
4. Behave well and carry your manners with you:
Please begin your interview session with a confident handshake and a pleasant ‘hello’ to everyone present. Sit in an upright position throughout the interview and field out the questions asked, in a bold manner. Tilt your heads often from left to right, so all the jury members will be covered while you answer.
If you don’t know the answer to any question, say a polite no and the reasons behind your ignorance, if any. Don’t dodge any unknown questions or attempt a wrong answer. Also, never interrupt the interviewers while they are asking questions. Start presenting your answers after they complete the question and devise your answers so that it suits their needs well.
5. Exemplify your skills:
In this ‘man eats man’ world, even if you are worthy enough for the job you need to advertise yourself. Only sheer marketing will sell you as if you don’t, there are many persons ready to take up your job with the right amount of marketing ability.
So, during the whole interview process, emphasize your skills (be it interpersonal or technical or managerial or adaptability or everything together) often in the right places. This will only tell them that you are the right person to be hired.
Even if every skill of yours is present duly on the file you gave for their perusal, you should vocalize them perfectly but in a subtle manner.
6. Be positive:
It is exceedingly important to emote yourselves well with a dart of optimistic energy. Suffuse a small amount of optimism in your answers and remain highly composed during the interview.
Focus your answers on the positive dimensions of the question rather than saying that the said strategy will not work out. Even if it is so, explain the alternative measures that can be done or any changes that can be inserted for rectification along with your adaptability measures. This will send them a loud and a clear message that you are the right person to be hired.
7. Make the interview interactive:
As said before, verbal communication is a two way communication process. You are not only being interviewed, but you are also in turn getting to know more about the company.
So, ask relevant questions about the company but before that do some ground work in order to familiarize yourselves with the background and work culture of the company. This will also exhibit your interest of knowing more about the company to them.
So, that pretty much makes up the end of my list. The word communication stands for “a process by which individuals exchange information through common systems, symbols, or behaviour based signs, formal documents and verbal.” (Courtesy: Merriam-Webster). If you prevent these common mistakes and break the stereotypes, I am sure that you can grab whatever job you desire and wherever you go for the interview.
Conclusion:
Basically, you would have by now realized that preparing for an interview needs utmost skill and care. First time impressions are more important and play a vital role in determining the fate of a person (i.e.) whether one gets a job or not. Excellent answers along with impeccable manners only will fetch the job. There are many others, apart from the ones listed above, but these are frequently used and widely regarded ones.
So, please prevent these mistakes in the first hand itself and ensure properly that you get the desired job in the desired place. Both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication are important for a candidate and have equal importance in terms of necessity.
No matter what is the point you need to express, its triumph depends on how efficient you are able to get it from the beginning to the end and for which these tips will help you through.
