Almost everyone has experienced a job interview that Just. Went. Nowhere. The problem? You didn’t connect with your interviewer. While no one is going to connect with every single interviewer, there are a few (almost) foolproof ways to click with interviewers early in the interview, which is the first step at landing the job you want.
Reach Out and Touch Them
One of the best ways to connect with job interviewers is also one that almost anyone can easily achieve — speaking the right body language. It begins with meeting your interviewer’s eyes as soon as you meet, offering a firm but not overwhelming handshake, and using nonverbal clues throughout the interview to establish rapport with your interviewer. Smile when it’s appropriate, nod or otherwise indicate you are interested when your interviewer is speaking, and as the famous saying goes, lean in to your interviewer rather than sitting with your arms crossed, angling your body away from your interviewer, or otherwise throwing up physical barriers. If body language is a language you’re not fluent in, look for more information about how nonverbal body language communication can influence job interviews.
Make Small Talk
Everyone claims to hate small talk, yet almost everyone is put at ease by the kind of engaging but nonthreatening conversation that small talk relies on. Making small talk with interviewers is a great way to find some common ground. If you’re interviewing in an interviewer’s office, use objects you see around the room, such as vacation pictures, books, magazines or other items as a jumping-off point for a little opening conversation. If you have no clues to guide you, you can never go wrong talking about the weather or interesting local events.
Find Common Ground
Whether it’s the sports team the company sponsors, an alma mater you and an interviewer share, or just the color of your interviewer’s shoes, find something about your interviewer and/or the company you can relate to yourself. It’s a great way to make an obvious connection between you and your interviewer, but moreover, pointing out similarities subtly demonstrates you would be a great fit for the organization.
Compliment Them Early and Often
If you’ve done your homework before a job interview, you should know enough about the company to find something to compliment your interviewer on. Before you go to an interview, make note of a few items about the organization or even your interviewer you can say something great about. Whether it’s the information in a recent press release, an industry award, or just a remodeling project that’s underway, recognizing the company or the interviewer’s achievements makes your interviewer feel good while also letting them know you went to the trouble to research the company.
Still don’t feel confident you’ve got what it takes to connect with interviewers? Staffing Partners are here to help! Our staffing experts can help even the shyest job candidates ace interviews for the temp and temp-to-hire jobs in their industries. Don’t suffer through another cringe-inducing interview — call the experienced Portland recruiters at Staffing Partners today!
