Four Tips to Help You Connect With an Interviewer
Approximately 118 people apply for every open position, and 20 percent are granted interviews, according to Forbes. So, even when you’re invited to interview for a position, you’re probably up against an average of 24 other candidates. With this much competition, you simply must establish a great connection with the hiring manager or you’ll just blend into the crowd. Use these tips to establish a lasting connection with your interviewer.
Find common ground.
Chances are, you’ll know the name of the person who will be interviewing in advance, giving you plenty of time to conduct some background research. Today’s tech savvy world makes it easier than ever to learn a few facts about the person that you can use to form a connection. Use social networking sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to discover where they went to school, what they studied, previous companies they’ve worked with, cities they’ve lived in, and more. Find a way to build common ground with a few of these facts and work them into conversation. Of course, you don’t want it to be obvious that you’ve researched them, so find a way to subtly work it into the dialog.
Let your personality shine.
A hiring manager wants to know you’ll fit in with their company culture, so you need to give them a glimpse of your true personality. This doesn’t mean you should start making jokes and talking about your weekend, but you should try to make small talk. Ask the person how long they’ve worked for the company or a few other basic questions to build a rapport. If at any point during the interview it feels appropriate to inject a (politically correct) funny comment, by all means, do so! Remember, people hire candidates they like, so present yourself as someone who would be fun to work with.
Imitate their mannerisms.
People are naturally attracted to others with similar body language, mannerisms and speech patterns, so closely observe the interviewer and subtly mimic them. For example, if the person is very quiet and subdued, you’ll want to tone your own enthusiasm down a notch. Of course, you shouldn’t get out of hand with this exercise as you don’t want to inadvertently disguise your personality or get so wrapped up in it that the person catches on to you. This activity is only effective if undetected, so keep yourself in check.
Ask questions.
No one wants to have a one-sided conversation. The interviewer will probably spend a great deal of time telling you about the job and the company, but that doesn’t mean you need to remain mute. Wait until there’s an appropriate pause and ask relevant questions. This shows that you’re genuinely interested in working for the company and want to learn as much as possible. If you stay silent the whole interview, you won’t have a chance to establish a dialogue with the recruiter, which could take you out of the running. Plus, if you claim to have no questions about the job, you’ll appear unenthusiastic, which won’t get you very far.
Building a connection with your interviewer is essential to getting the job. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you find your next behavioral health position, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at [email protected].