There are hundreds – if not thousands – of articles across the internet professing to reveal the secrets of giving the perfect interview. There is so much information out there that it is incredible that anyone ever gets turned down for a job at all! After all, aren’t we all experts now?
Well although you might be well versed in the basics of how to interview well, there are a few lesser known tactics that could be the difference between a good interview and a great one. Read on as PSR Solutions, civil engineering jobs in London specialists, reveal five unusual ways for you to prepare.
Visualize Your Success
This may sound all a bit new age and ridiculous, but believe it or not imagining yourself giving the perfect, confident interview can actually help to ensure that you do.
Now of course this is no substitute for preparing thoroughly and learning everything you can about the role and the company, but it can be a great addition that builds on the confidence that thorough preparation can provide.
Find a quiet place to sit by yourself, close your eyes and mentally rehearse responses to the questions you think they are going to ask, imagining yourself speaking with confidence, poise and impressing your interviewers.
Get Warmed-up
“Do warm-ups? I’m not interviewing to be a long distance runner!” we hear you cry.
However, performing some gentle exercise on the morning of your interview (make sure you leave yourself enough time to shower, of course!) can help to reduce tension as well as focus your mind – vital if you suffer from pre-interview nerves
There’s no need to do anything too strenuous – just going for a walk or some light stretching can be enough – but you’ll feel the benefit when it comes to your interview.
Check Your Personal Hygiene
You are probably well aware that you should shower on the day of your interview, but making sure you’re not going to put your prospective employer off with poor personal hygiene goes further than that.
Make sure you brush your teeth in the morning (as well as after your lunch if you’ve got an afternoon interview), while it is also worth carrying some mints with you to ensure your breath is fresh. We’d also advise interviewees to wash their hands just before their interview begins to rid themselves of any clammy hands brought about by pre-interview nerves.
Conversely, don’t lay the perfume/aftershave on too thick – you don’t want your potential new boss to be coughing up your Chanel No. 5 as soon as they meet you!
Mirror your Interviewer
Have you ever seen one of those TV shows that explain what body language means? Well unconsciously copying someone’s actions is Body Language 101, but did you realise you can do it deliberately for similar results?
If they lean forward, lean forward; if they lean backwards, lean backwards; and always smile when they do. You can also mimic hand gestures, but make sure that you don’t spend so much time paying attention to what they’re doing that you miss the question though!
What are your secrets to job interview success? Let us know in the comments below.
This guest post was written in partnership with PSR Solutions, one of the UK’s leading construction industry recruitment agencies.
