If you’re looking to take the next step in your climb up the corporate ladder, you may be considering interviewing for a new position. Before you do, make sure your interview skills are up to the task. Poor communication skills can hold you back and cost you your dream job. Last week, we discussed three essential tips for landing the job. Today, we wrap up our series with three more great strategies for an interview that gets results!
Keep It Concrete and Concise: When answering your interviewer’s questions, focus on responding in the most concise, clearest way possible. While you don’t want to leave anything out, rambling will lose the interview’s interest and decrease the impact of your response. Use your words wisely, focusing on concrete examples of why you’re an excellent candidate, rather than wasting time on vague adjectives.
Keep It Positive: How your interviewer feels during your interview can have a significant impact on how they remember your performance and abilities. Establish a connection by addressing the interviewer by name—hearing one’s own name out loud can subconsciously make you feel more connected to the speaker. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of a smile. While you clearly want to convey that you take your job seriously, smiling and projecting a relaxed air will make you appear friendly and approachable—important qualities in a future colleague or employee.
Clarity Counts! It doesn’t matter how strong your resume is or how well you answer questions if your listener isn’t absorbing your message. Take care not to drop sounds, particularly at the ends of words, and don’t run your speech together. Articulating all of the sounds of every word will not only make your speech easier to understand, it projects professionalism and intelligence.
Do you want to take your communication to the next level? Give us a call and see how Corporate Speech Solutions can improve your professional life! Call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at info@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!