Taking control in the interview _ Guardian Jobs.pdf

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Taking control in the interview

Not all interviewers are trained in interviewing techniques. If

yours is inexperienced, unprepared, or doesn't ask the right

questions, use these strategies to manage the interview and put

yourself in the best possible light

Steer the conversation away from irrelevancies by offering to talk

your interviewer through your CV, referring to an aspect of the job

description where you have expertise, or asking your own

questions to get back on track.

This tactic is especially useful if the interviewer isn't asking

questions which allow you to showcase your strengths. Ask a

job-related question, let the interviewer answer, then reply, linking

your strengths and achievements. For example: "Is troubleshooting

the most vital element of this job? This was a crucial part of my

previous role and I (insert your achievements here)."

Questions that allow you to highlight your suitability include those

relating to the sort of person they're looking for, the expectations of

the role and how the ideal candidate could exceed these

expectations.

The interview is also your opportunity to decide if you want the

job. Don't wait until the end of the interview for your questions if

you feel the interview is faltering. A great question to ask is why

the interviewer enjoys working there, as it usually generates an

unrehearsed, and therefore honest, reply.

A successful outcome often depends on your ability to join

everything up for the interviewer the extent to which you align

your strengths and skills to their requirements and remove any

doubts about your suitability. Checking you've answered a

question fully or if you should give further information invites the

interviewer to raise any concerns, which in turn gives you the

chance to reiterate or expand.

Feedback allows you to gauge how the interview is going and

means you can deal with issues as they arise. It's especially

Guide the interview

Interview the interviewer

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important to check your interviewer is satised with your

explanations for potentially thorny areas (such as why you left a

job) before you move on.

In a Live Q&A on , Michael Buchan

says

"Feedback is a great way of helping you control the urge to say too

much in the hope that you hit the right points."

Curb a garrulous interviewer by waiting for a pause and then

interrupting. Leaning forward indicates you have something

important and relevant to say.

Also from the Q&A, Denise Taylor suggests "Try not to encourage

the interviewer by your non-verbal language or supportive

comments. When the interviewer draws breath, you might say

rmly "I'd like to respond to what you've been saying" and keep

going. Without being discourteous, you can also sometimes

tactfully ignore the cues that the interviewer wants to speak again."

Refusing to answer an inappropriate question (such as something

relating to marital status or your plans for children) can make you

look argumentative. Instead, address the concern behind the

question (how you'd cope with long working hours or extensive

travel) without getting drawn into no-go areas.

Alec Grimsley recommends asking for thinking time. "When asked

a question like this, you may be split between wanting to give the

right answer so you're still perceived as a good candidate, yet

another voice in your head might be saying 'That's an unsuitable or

inappropriate question'.

"My advice would be to give yourself some thinking time by asking

for clarication or by phrasing the question in a way that allows

you to test out your assumption. By asking for clarication it forces

the other person to be more clear giving you time to think and also

to not make any incorrect assumptions yourself."

Don't be thrown by a stress question, such as "If you could be any

animal, which would you be?" Work out what personality trait the

interviewer is interested in and how this relates to the demands of

the job or the company.

How to succeed at interview

Interrupt politely

Deal with unexpected questions calmly

Manage the atmosphere


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It's irritating if your interviewer is late or appears not to have read

your CV. Always bring a copy of your CV to the interview, so you

can refer to your skills or achievements to get the ball rolling. Avoid

seeming impatient with nervous or inexperienced interviewers,

instead aim to build rapport to reinforce your image as someone

who will be a pleasure to work with.

Published: 19 Jan 2011

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Taking control in the interview _ Guardian Jobs.pdf