Think about the kind of impression you want to convey to your interviewer or hiring manager: experience, ability, and confidence. Your confidence comes out in your physical presentation, your body language, and what you say and how you say it.
Yes, you must research the company, prepare quality documents, and deliver substantial answers to interview questions, but employers are also looking at the intangibles: energy, drive, enthusiasm, and great communication skills.
Confident speaking is an interview skill that is essential to presenting yourself as a winning candidate. Here are 3 major areas where candidates fall short:
You convey uncertainty with your phrases:
Sounding even remotely uncertain of your ability to do the job you’re interviewing for (and do it well) is an interview killer. No employer is going to hire someone who isn’t even sure himself if he is capable, or who promises to bring inferior communication skills to the job-especially in sales. What phrases convey uncertainty?
I think
I hope
I would hope that…
Hopefully
If
Try
Maybe
Sometime
With luck
If possible
Possibly
You don’t want to “hope” to handle this job, and you don’t want to “try” it. You want to do it.
There is no try, only do or do not. – Yoda
These phrases often sneak into your everyday conversation, but you don’t want them in your job interview.
Speech fillers:
Job interviews generally make people nervous, and understandably so: you’re being judged. And when people get nervous, they often start peppering their speech with “ums,” “uhs,” “like,” “you know,” and other space fillers that ultimately detract from their message.
What’s the message you want to send? That you are absolutely the candidate who can take this job and run with it. That you will make your new boss look like a superstar for hiring you, and that you have no doubts about your ability to be successful. To convey this message, you need to speak clearly, concisely, and confidently. No “ums” or “uhs” allowed.
Watch your language:
Inappropriate or unprofessional language is generally frowned upon when you interview. Everyone “knows” that, but it bears repeating. For instance, it seems obvious that you shouldn’t say “crap” in your interview, but it’s happened–and the candidate lost the job. An interview is a situation where you’re putting your best foot forward. If your best foot is less than completely professional, what are you going to be like on the job?
If you need help with polishing your communication skills, consider joining Toastmasters or a similar group so that you can practice speaking publicly. Also, a good career coach can help you spot those tendencies in your conversation, and give you the kind of constructive feedback that will eliminate any uncertainty you may have about your interviewing skills.
About the Author: Peggy McKee has over 10 years of experience as a nationally-recognized sales recruiter in medical sales and has helped thousands of jobseekers succeed. http://www.career-confidential.com/
Popularity: 6%
Related posts:
