If you’ve been considering a career change, or know someone interviewing, take time to consider a few additional items critical to the success of your interview, namely your style of presentation and your communication skills. Being mentally prepared for the interview is very important. Presenting yourself as an effective communicator qualification in great demand by employers.Here are a few tips for before and during the interview process:
- Exercise. A short workout the morning of your interview will get your blood and breathing going and will help you present yourself with energy and vitality.
- Breathe. Take slow, deep diaphramatic breaths before the interview. This will help you center yourself, reduce stress, and keep your voice steady and confident. Your abdomen should extend outward upon inhalation and deflate upon exhalation. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Be positive and enthusiastic. Speak with a positive tone of voice. Your vocal tone should register enthusiasm for learning about the company, the position, and opportunities for advancement. When you hold an upbeat attitude, it is easy for the interviewer to respond in kind.
- Articulate clearly. Pronounce clearly the beginnings and the ends of words as you punch up the positive aspects of your qualifications. Take your time speaking.
- Pause for additional emphasis. Well-timed pauses give special emphasis to a phrase or a couple of words that you really want the interviewer to digest and remember. Practice those key phrases with pauses before your interviews.
- Be comfortable with silence. Take a moment to gather your thoughts before answering a question. Say what you need to say and quit talking; don’t restate unless asked for clarification. Think twice before volunteering information that is not requested, unless you are absolutely sure it will advance your cause.
