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Engaging your Interviewer in a Face to Face Interview

A job interview is a process in which a potential employee is evaluated by an employer for prospective employment in their company, organisation, or firm. It involves a conversation between two or more people – the interviewer(s) and the interviewee, where questions are asked by the interviewer(s) to obtain information from the interviewee. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job.

To be a successful interviewee, a candidate needs to do more than just talk about their skills and experience. Effort should be made towards engaging the interviewer, creating a connection and ultimately a unique bond. Some people have the natural ability to connect with people easily and need not concern themselves with how to engage, but a large number of people do not. Fortunately, it can be learned. Below are five useful tips to help candidates.

Pre-interview Preparation:
An interview is an opportunity to sell yourself in more ways than describing your skills and experience. Employers always look out for “proactive” and “enthusiastic” professionals. One way to show this is to do a proper company research – (it is important to cover such areas as values, financial statements, competitors, stakeholders and strategic plans if possible) before an interview. This information can almost always be found on a company’s website or in an online search. No one expects a candidate to know everything, but a candidate who shows he/she has done some research, particularly as it relates to a relevant role is always a winner. In addition to impressing the interviewer, the candidate is also able to tailor his/her answers, engage in meaningful conversations and ask relevant and interesting questions throughout the interview.

Keep Them Guessing:
The most engaging candidates are those who occasionally say the unexpected. You do not have to be too elaborate to “shake things up a bit”. It is important to use your imagination and consider how you can make your discussion more interesting. Researching your interviewer is one good way to do this, you would be surprised what you can find out about people if you "Google" them on the Internet. For instance, if you find a press release about the company’s new product that specifically quotes your interviewer or is directly related to the role you are interviewing for, it may be a good idea to talk about it during your interview or ask questions. It may also be helpful to use professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, to view your interviewer’s profiles and get insights to his/her background, this can help you tailor your conversation.

Make Eye Contact:
Making an eye contact can be tough for many people, but it is an essential element to becoming an engaging interviewee. Eye contact shows confidence, but also gives a candidate the opportunity to quickly ascertain the interviewer’s disposition as questions are answered. Candidates are able to see the reaction of the interviewer and determine if the two way conversation is going well and quickly change the direction of the conversation or explanation if it is not.

Listen Listen Listen:
One feedback from interviewers is that many candidates “do not listen to questions carefully before answering”. To some extent, this may be attributed to scripted answers or nervousness. Whatever the reason, if you prepare adequately before hand, you will be well equipped to answer questions correctly. To help reduce nervousness (but without feeling over confident), remind yourself that you are there because your interviewer has reviewed and analysed your CV and feels your experience is relevant to their business. An interview is an opportunity to convince a potential employer that this is true. Listening carefully to questions and answering correctly will help ensure this is done effectively.

Slow It Down and Smile:
It is hard to engage when someone rushes his or her information. Not only is fast-talking difficult to understand, a candidate may also risk appearing embarrassingly nervous. A clear conversation can go a long way.  A simple smile once in a while during an interview can have the same effect. Always remember that during an interview, an interviewer will also be looking out for personality/cultural fitness. You possibly have this one chance to show that you are personable and easy-to-get-along with, ensure it is effectively utilised, particularly if the person you will be reporting to is present at the interview.

Engaging must start from the moment you meet your interviewer, regardless of how long your interview takes. Without trying too hard, be conscious of giving an excellent first impression as this may be the only chance you have and ensuring that throughout the interview, the impression is sustained.

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