Communication During a Job Interview

Going to a job interview is never easy. It’s a challenging thing because you have to impress your interviewer enough to get the job and there are a lot of do’s and dont’s to keep in mind so it can be very overwhelming to some people. That’s when good communication skills come in handy. Today, we will be discussing how you can improve your communication skills and take them to the next level to be able to nail any job interview. We will be sharing a few tips and hacks that will save you in tough situations and that will help you to get on your interviewer’s good side and to get their attention.

Our Top Tips for a Great Job Interview:

1. Get Acquainted with Body Language:

An interviewer can gain a lot of information from a candidate's body language in addition to what they are told through words alone. Body language tells whether the candidate is focused and confident or insecure and nervous. As up to 93% of human communication is conveyed through body language, consistent body language will help you convince the interviewer of your merit as a candidate. Voice volume and tone are equally important as facial expressions, gestures, and posture.

2. Eye Contact is Crucial:

As a means of communicating, your eyes convey significant signals such as your level of interest in the job, your confidence, and your intentions. For instance, you'll appear nervous and unsure if you look down at your shoes. Maintaining solid eye contact throughout the interview will let the interviewer know that you're paying attention. This will demonstrate your willingness to answer their questions.

3. Talk Less, Talk Slowly:

A tendency we all have is to fill the awkward silence with unnecessary conversation when we feel nervous. You can show your interviewer you're in control of your emotions and more confident in what you're saying by speaking calmly and slowly and by saying less. The best answers can't be practiced and prepared if they're blurted out incoherently. Don't rush your answers. Take a deep breath, relax, and answer the questions calmly. It's not a good idea to rush the interview as if you had something more important to do.

4. Pay Attention to What’s Being Said:

A person's communication skills don't just include their ability to express themselves, but also their ability to listen. It's unpleasant to hear someone answer a question without fully listening to it. It not only seems rude, but it degrades your credibility as a listener. When you listen to all of what your interviewer has to say, it makes both answering and asking questions much easier and more effective.

5. Prepare for Your Interview:

Practice your interview, and prepare your answers and what you want to say. There are a lot of obvious questions to anticipate such as the information that you have provided in your CV, memorize that information and prepare a nice and professional way of answering any question related to it. Going to your job interview fully prepared helps you speak with a lot of confidence and will make you less nervous during the conversation.

6. Do Your Research on The Place You’re Applying to:

Most of the time you will be asked the question “what do you know about our company?” and that’s where most people mess up. You would be so caught up in getting the job that you forget to do your research on the company itself. Get all the essential knowledge you need about the place you’re applying to. This way, your interviewer will know that you are interested in working with them.

7. Ask Questions:

At the end of any job interview, there’s always a small time saved for the questions you have for the interviewer about the work and/or the workplace. Often, people miss this chance and just stick with saying “I don’t have any questions” which is a big mistake and a missed opportunity. Asking these questions not only shows them that you’re interested but also gives you a chance to know anything that matters to you about being in a certain workspace before accepting the job and complaining afterward. Never keep your questions and curiosity until later, always shoot your questions before you get the job to not regret your decision in the first place.

What Not to Do at a Job Interview?

1. Don’t Show Up Late:

That is the last impression that you want to give as your first. When you show up late for the interview, it gives a very bad impression about you and it shows that you don’t even care about the priorities in your life.

2. Dress Appropriately:

Showing up to a job interview in flashy clothes isn’t a thing you want to do. Dress according to the dress code of the place your interview will be at, it’s a sign of respect and professionalism.

3. Talking Trash About Your Last Employer:

This one explains itself. Don’t be the guy that spreads the hate, even if it’s justified. Just move on peacefully to the next employer and forgive and forget your last.

4. Lying:

Any lie you might have said either in your resume or in the interview will be revealed later so just save yourself the embarrassment and don’t lie in the first place. Lying can harm you before anyone else because pretending to know something rather than learning it is far from mature, which won’t get your career anywhere. Stay true to yourself and your employer for real results.

5. Using Profanities:

Using inappropriate language with your interviewer is like firing yourself before you even take the job. It gives the worst of impressions about you even if you were being professional.

6. Not Asking Any Questions:

As mentioned before, asking questions is always preferable. Even if you already know everything there is to know about the place you’re applying to, it’s very nice to ask questions about the work and the team because it indicates that you’re interested and engaged in the place you’re going to join.

Finally:

Communication skills play a very crucial role in our lives in everything we might be doing. It all comes down to proper, healthy, and mature communication so always strive to learn more and more about this art because it always pays off.