How to Win a Job Interview

Interviewers are human beings only, so you don’t have to be scared. That means they're susceptible to the same psychological preferences and cognitive biases that affect the rest of us. Here are few strategies to Win Interviews.

Be on Time 

The best time to arrange an interview is the time that's best for the interviewer not the time that's best for you. So if the hiring manager offers you some flexibility in choosing an interview time, ask if you could come in around 10:30 on a Tuesday. That's likely when your interviewer is relatively relaxed.

In general, you should avoid early-morning meetings because your interviewer may still be preoccupied with everything she needs to get done that day. You'll also want to avoid being the last meeting of the workday, as your interviewer may already be thinking about what they need to accomplish at home.

Dress for Interview 

Different clothing colours convey distinct impressions. Twenty-three percent of interviewers recommended wearing blue, which suggests that the candidate is a team player, while 15% recommended black, which suggests leadership potential.

Interviewer Age Matters 

You can learn a lot (but not everything) about your interviewer and what she wants to hear based on her generational age.

Generation Y interviewers (between 20 and 30): Bring along visual samples of your work and highlight your ability to multitask.

Generation X interviewers (between 30 and 50): Emphasize your creativity and mention how work/life balance contributes to your success.

Baby Boomer interviewers (between 50 and 70): Show that you work hard and demonstrate respect for what they've achieved.

Positive Body Language 

Your hand movements contribute to the impression you convey in a job interview. Showing your palms generally indicates sincerity, while pressing the fingertips of your hands together to form a church steeple indicates confidence. On the other hand, you don't want to hold your palms downward, which is a sign of dominance. 

Match with Your Interviewer 

We tend to like people who share similar attitudes. So if you know your interviewer really values community service and you do, too, try to work that topic into your conversation. 

Be candid about your weaknesses

In answering the question "What's your greatest weakness?" your initial impulse might be to craft a strategic response that really emphasizes your strengths. For example, you might say, "I'm such a perfectionist" or "I work too hard." But recent research suggests that boasting concealed by a complaint, can be a turn-off in interviews. It's wiser to say something genuine like, "I'm not always the best at staying organized," which sounds more honest, and could make your interviewer more inclined to recommend you for the position.

Speak Expressively

If you want to sound smart, avoid speaking in monotone. If two speakers are speaking, one speaks a little faster and louder in volume, that speaker will be judged to be more energetic, knowledgeable and intelligent. Expressive speech with voice modulation gets good impression.

Be Positive

Be confident in your Expression. You need to make sure you sell your skills. Don't be afraid to take ownership of your performance achievements. Prior to Interview, Prepare the list of achievements that you can share with the Interviewer.

Remember the Future

You might be tempted to tell your interviewer all about your past accomplishments but expert suggests you should focus more on what you could do in the future, if the organization hires you. Wish you all the best.