4 “Top Secret” Job Interview Tips

Focus on the moment.
Trust yourself.
Connect with your interviewer.
Thank the Hiring Manger for the Interview.

You’ve probably heard similar advice before. But maybe like Larry you haven’t explored what it means to put them into action—inside the room where a hiring manager is interviewing you for the job you want. Larry took time with a buddy to go over this ‘secret’ advice and then to memorize the points before he stepped into the employer’s office and answered questions about the open position for a retail stationery store manager. He had plenty of knowledge about the industry since he’d worked before as a retail salesman—but now he wanted to move up to management. “I knew that an offer for the job,” said Larry, “might hinge on my ability to put these secrets into practice.”

Top Secret #1:  Focus on the Moment

 

Most people spend their lives regretting decisions they made in the past or dreading what they might do in the future to mess things up. But if you choose to live in the present and focus on the one moment you have—right now—life would be sweeter and less stressful. So when it’s your turn to walk into your interview do so with a determined step, a smile on your face, a friendly handshake, and an expectant mind and heart.

 

Top Secret #2:  Trust Yourself

 

You may have heard it said that the first impression is also the last one—because people make up their minds about others within a few seconds of meeting them. And it seems to take an act of Congress for us to change our minds! So it’s worth your time to express your true self rather than your false self—the one that wears a mask in hopes of making a favorable impression on the employer. Hiring managers are not easily fooled. They are looking for authentic men and women who are honest about themselves and their qualifications. So trust yourself to be the wonderful person inside the interview room that you are outside the room!

 

Top Secret #3: Connect With Your Interviewer

 

Our eyes often say more than our words. So when you’re in an interview, look the hiring manager in the eye. Connect. And when it’s your turn to speak, hold your gaze and avoid distracting gestures such as playing with coins in your pocket or fiddling with a sleeve or necklace.

 

Top Secret #4: Thank the Hiring Manger for the Interview

 

Offer sincere and verbal thanks at the close of the interview. And then write a personal thank you note. Gratitude is in short supply in the business culture. Keep that in mind and always be a person who expresses appreciation every chance you get.

By the way, Larry later reported that he not only had a successful in-person interview but he got the job—as manager of Pine Grove Stationers.

© Written By Jimmy Sweeney
President of CareerJimmy and Author of the new
Job Interview “Secret”

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new “Secret Career Document” job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job Search Secrets.”

Visit our friends at Job Interview “Secret” and discover Jimmy Sweeney’s breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.