When I say “interview skills” I’m not just talking about answering different types of questions and handling yourself during interviews. It’s about that extra special something that helps you stand out in an interview from the rest of the well-practiced, well-prepared candidates. And helps you connect to that person on the other side of the table — as well as to their image of the “right” candidate.
Basically, you want to connect the dots for them, rather than letting them simply read between the lines … er dots. Leaving this totally to the interviewer and assuming they’ll get who you are is a risky choice. So make it your job in an interview to help them see how something you did or know or can do connects well to THIS job and company.
The art of interview skills
The main “hire me” interview dots you want to help connect to give them a full picture of you and how you meet THEIR needs are: your work skills, your personality (including attitude toward work), any extras you bring to the job, and your overall fit with the job and company.
So, as best as you can, try to get very comfortable with these five techniques and bring them into your interview: [Read more…]