These tips will help you when going for a new job, a new promotion or new client meetings (sales).
TIP 1: RESEARCH
Before you do anything you should spend some time researching the company and the person whom you will be meeting. In this day and age you can be fairly certain that they have already Googled your name and looked through your social media accounts. Level the playing field and make sure you do the same. You will want to build rapport quickly and try and get a sense of their personality. Find out what people on LinkedIn have said about them in the recommendations section.
Once you have completed your research, if you can establish that the hiring manager is into motor sport, hockey or reading autobiographies, then you can add some comments about the same interests into the discussion. You will then find that your audience will start to subconsciously like you more. People like similar people and you can be sure that if the decision comes down to you and another candidate, and they have common ground with you, the job or promotion is yours.
The better researched you are on the company, the more relaxed and confident you will feel.
TIP 2: MINDSET
The next thing to prepare when going for an interview or sales appointment is your mindset.
You’re pitching yourself. As Oren Claff Says in his book Pitch Anything as soon as you walk into their office, the theme has been set for them to have the upper hand. This starts from when you first engage with the receptionist to waiting in the lobby. This is their home ground and you’re being put in a submissive environment.
You need to remember that you hold as much value as the person whom you’re about to meet with. This interview is as much about determining if this is a company that you want to work with, as it is about the hirer trying to figure out if you’re the right fit for their organization.
From the moment you shake their hand, take control and start asking them questions. Make them pitch you.
Ask questions that are positive and clearly show that you’ve researched their organization, but also make sure the questions put them in a position whereby they automatically start pitching their company to you.
An example question maybe I see you guys have won some great awards on your website, I’d love to know what makes your organization such a great company?
How often do you see extremely capable and intelligent people freeze up in the last moment because they’re nervous? This happens all of the time.
TIP 3: ANTICIPATE
Anticipate some likely questions and objections.
If there is something on your resume or something about your offer, which you know is a little weak or unclear, make sure you have prepared good reasons and justifications for this.
Research has often proven that you’re more likely to be believed if you’re confident verse just knowing all of the facts.
You should also raise common objections before the person interviewing you does. This technique will remove doubt in their minds and demonstrate that you’re confident and honest. More often than not they will feel the shortcoming is less important than they may have initially anticipated.
Together we have conducted over 1,000 interviews and for you, the good news is that success leaves clues and typically the good, the bad and the ugly tend to share similar traits. Here are some short and simple do’s and do not’s:
The Good:
- Know the company some key dates, divisions, and people
- Know your interviewer
- Practice asking at least 3 questions.
- Smile and hold eye contact
- Use the interviewer’s name at least 3 times
- Ask for the position
- Follow up with an email or letter or phone call
The Bad:
- Lie
- Be late
- Be underdressed
- Ask no questions
- Talk too much or ramble on
The Ugly:
- Badmouth a former employer
- Complain
- Blame circumstances outside of yourself for failures
- Having a soft wet handshake
BONUS TIP: CLOSE, CLOSE, CLOSE
The final step is close.
At the end of any interview, it is the interviewee’s responsibility to ask a closing question for feedback. It is normally best done when shaking hands as the interview is finishing in a curious off hand manner. Often people mistake this point and say something like:
- Do you have any reservations putting me forward for this position?
- Any reason you think I cannot do this job?
Although I think it is better to ask, that than not ask at all. You run the risk of asking for a negative response and once they voice/express a negative opinion of you it may be difficult for their subconscious brain to reverse. Try one of these instead:
- Thanks for your time today, before I leave, do you think I have the right skill set for this role?
- What skills do you think I have that match this role?
Or what about this:
- After meeting me, what strengths do I have that you think will work for me in this role?
And finally, this simple line works well:
- Can you see me succeeding in this role?
What happens next is the interviewer has to come up with some of your positive traits and tie them to the role. When they hear themselves mentioning your strengths aloud and matching it to the role, they are actually subconsciously selling themselves on you.
If you know someone who is looking for a new job or who could benefit from these tips please share this post.
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