…by way of Interview Skills.
The other day I was training an individual in interviewing skills. While she was smart and astute, she needed some polish to her presentation. This is where I came in. She needed help in speaking more formally than casually (given what she was applying for), in sitting and standing and shaking hands with good posture and presence (manners and body language suggest a lot), and in learning to go into appropriate detail and stay focused when answering questions. Weakness in any of these areas would cost her the opportunity. When the market is more competitive, we all have to rise to the level that’s needed. Those who do, make it. The others sink to the level at which they present themselves.
Common Communication Mistakes
- going off on a tangent and forgetting the real question
- being too brief and not showing your true skills and abilities
- talking too much without saying anything useful
- thinking that your body language and what you say are not connected (55% of what our bodies say gets remembered, while only 7% of our verbal communication will be.)
What to do:
- Listen and stay focused on what is being asked and why you’re there
- Be descriptive so interviewer can imagine you doing what you say you can do (this works wonders)
- Be intentional and relaxed
- Find your truth (in your answers and stories) and the rest will follow
There are so many books out there providing insight into this. At the same time, don’t be afraid to hire an expert to teach you. It can be an investment well worth the cost and a mere fraction of your new salary!
Practice really makes perfect. I had a follow-up call with my client after the training session. She was told to practice what I had taught her (behavioural changes need time to change). To my delight, she did great in our call and also commented how she had begun to reduce the “umms” and “likes” in her usual way of conversing which she hadn’t been aware of before. Her answers were now more refined and complete, while her confidence was shining through as she learned to share more of herself.
