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Career Advice for Job Seekers

What’s inside an interviewer’s mind?

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
April 28, 2014


Businesswoman interviewing male candidate for a job

Businesswoman interviewing male candidate for a job. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

As a fresh graduate you may falsely assume that it is your qualifications that can get you through a job interview.  However, your qualifications can only lead you to an interview call. The rest of it depends on your ability to effectively articulate your credentials and potential contributions. The way you deliver your message has an immense importance in an interview. Besides, it’s important for you to be a mind reader. You must know the expectations of an interviewer so that you can meet them.  Make sure you have a good look at these six eye openers before you go for your next interview.

1.  It’s not just what you speak

Interviewers are not just focusing on your words. They are focusing on your tone, pitch, overall poise, and your body language. Make sure that you sit up straight, stay calm, and communicate in a way that you get your message across effectively. Both your enthusiasm and the lack of it can backfire in an interview. So, make sure you strike the right balance and know that it is more than words that the interviewer is watching.

2.  Interviewer’s  looking at your appearance

You might be thinking that the company culture doesn’t require you to dress up in formal attire for an interview. However, a formal attire signals a lot more to the interviewer. An interviewer connects your dress with the seriousness of your attitude toward the job. Plus, an interviewer wants you to be likeable enough so you could be a part of the company. No matter where you are interviewing, make sure that you are well put together and conservative in your attire.

3.  You might have been earlier than needed

It is a good idea to reach a few minutes earlier on your interview spot, but it is not recommended that you show up way before the actual time of your interview. For most interviewers, it is a hassle when candidates arrive too early. Usually interviewers see it as a distraction, as they need to make arrangements, while leaving other tasks behind. Although, punctuality is valued, the ideal time for you to show up is five to ten minutes earlier than the interview time.

4.  You are talking too much

Interviewers make a decision on what they can remember. So, it is important that you give as much information as the interviewer can retain in his or her mind. If you cause an information overload, you can ruin the deal with the interviewer. Even if you made a good impression initially, talking too much can make the employer forget the key information, and you may end up putting him or her off. So, say only what needs to be communicated.

5.  Your questions can work wonders

If you are asking questions about the job, the company, and the projects; it shows that you are involved. It also shows that you have done your research and you are serious about the job. You need to also ask questions to make sure you are a good fit for the company. By asking questions, you are not just receiving information, but also telling the interviewer what matters to you and if you are motivated enough to perform well. Interviewers like it when you ask them about key attributes of top performers, what you can do to bring results, and how you will be evaluated.

6.  You are expected to follow up

Interviewers expect that you send them a brief follow up note that says that you enjoyed meeting them and will be willing to answer any other questions. But this may not set you apart from the other candidates. You can become a preferred candidate if you follow up based on the discussion during your interview. You can go beyond the usual follow up message by recommending some techniques or set of tools that can improve company processes. What sets you apart can get you a job!

It is good to remember that interviewers are humans and therefore they might not be able to stay totally objective about a candidate. Instead, they will look for cues that make them think that a candidate is likeable. Your professional attitude with a strong understanding of an interviewer’s mind can work wonders. You will need to make yourself likeable, provide only relevant information, and stand out from others (in a positive way).

Candice Smith is interested in online education and regularly writes for Excite Education Blog.  She has a passion to help students with her writing and loves to be part of the growing web industry of education. She also loves nature and contributes as an active social media member sharing her views across different platforms.

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