You’re unemployed and understandably worried about how you’re going to pay your mortgage and the credit card bills that are piling up and up and up. It’s little wonder that that you are a bit tense and perhaps overly eager when you go on job interviews.
One way around that is to force yourself pay attention to every word the interviewer says from the minute you walk in the door. Ask yourself if the information he is providing is important enough for you to write it down. But, before you start scribbling away, make sure to ask him whether he minds if you take notes. This is a simple courtesy that so often gets forgotten.
Chances are that far from being disturbed that you want to take notes, he'll welcome your initiative as a sign of interest in his position. Listen tow hat he is saying and jot down any questions that come to mind. Then, towards the end of your interview, ask those questions if they’ve not already been answered.
In addition to helping you focus on exactly what is being said, you’ll come away from your meeting with a copious amount of information—information that you can later use to compare and contrast that job with others. Your interviewer will be impressed by your attention to detail and by your thoroughness.
Always try to let your interviewer know that you have understood what he just said—if only by nodding your head. You might also want to react by saying “I see.’ Or “that’s great!’ but be careful not to interrupt the flow of his dialogue. Try to curb your tendency to provide TOO much information: you can easily talk your way OUT of that job by providing more information than is appropriate.
Don’t appear to be overly eager: your interviewer will equate that with being desperate, which could mean to him that you’ve applied for the job just to HAVE a job—any old job! That is guaranteed to lose you the position. Instead, try to behave calmly, ask good questions and show some interest in HIS background. You may want to ask how long he’s been with the company; what his previous position was, and what he perceives as the best/worst part of the job. His answers are bound to enlightening.
By coming across as cool, composed and confident you’re more likely to be invited back for a second round of discussions.
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