Interviews by telephone and those in person are both chances for you to shine, and with a bit of preparation and anticipation they can be things that add a sense of urgency to the mind of a potential employer about the need to hire you/keep the interview process going. Many parts of the interview are things you can successfully anticipate and practice for, and devoting some time to the predictable ingredients is well worth the time and effort! This post imagines a scenario when it is a one on one interview, but I'll post a blog about panel interview dynamics in the near future.
For telephone interviews, I ALWAYS encourage clients to have a page with as many possible comfortable answers to the predictable questions on it, answers that address the exact question and play up your candidacy with action words and experience examples that will help. Why NOT do this? You should practice delivering these answers so they don't wind on too long, or just give clipped, non-interesting responses when more is called for. Ideally, have someone who has had some interview experience listen to your answers and give you some feedback on both content and length. Of course, it shouldn't sound as if you are reading from a sheet, so that's something to practice, as well. What clients have often found is that by practicing and having the sheet with them, they didn't refer to it much, but having it there gave them a sense of comfort and if they got flustered or nervous, there it was for easy reference. Info about the company that you have located through your own research is also a super idea to have on this sheet, you are ready with gentle "arrows in the quiver" to expand the conversation with related information YOU bring up.
First off, getting the greeting and introductory phase of the interview set is the way to set a launch pad for the rest of it being successful. Make sure you are clear on the person's name and use the name every so often, but not every sentence! The interviewer will ask how you are, and having a planned, pleasant and easy response to this basic query is important, to give you a chance to settle in to the interview and to mentally clue the interviewer in that you understand what's expected of you. Asking them in a similar fashion how they are (and waiting for them to answer and then responding briefly) is also a type of social convention that the more you engage in, the interviewer continues to think "Yes on hiring this person."
Moving into the heart of the interview, there will probably be early questions about why you think you should work for the company. Being prepared to show you know your own strengths is critical, and weaving some information about the company needs that shows you have looked at their website and their upcoming events and press releases or news stories about them and can give this information back in a concise fashion will continue to burnish your image with the person you are speaking to. Here is where you are not boastful but confident and secure in your abilities and past work, and can speak about it without embarrassment or reluctance. If you can't give them reasons to hire you, who can?
Working in bits and pieces of the research you did about the company is also a key move. Don't just talk about what they bring up about the company, show that you went out on your own to find out more and that you can bring up items that relate to what's being talked about at the pertinent times. I'm not saying you should ignore their questions and control the conversation, I'm saying that having command of a wide range of topics that relate to the company and their past, present, and future is a characteristic that will separate you from other people who are not as resourceful and forward-thinking. These things fit well on the prep page I mentioned earlier, by the way.
You will be asked "Do you have any questions for me?" HAVE SOME! If the interview has gone on a long time, maybe one or two are enough. If it's been short-ish, here is where you control the extension of time and your exposure. Questions about the extra information you found out through research before the interview can be used here, and also a variation on "Well, in your experience at COMPANY, what are some personal qualities (or work style characteristics, or personal values, or habits, etc) that successful people at COMPANY have had?" Then, when they answer, follow up by connecting your qualities/characteristics/values/habits with the ones they mentioned, with examples of you exhibiting them if possible. By doing this, you get some personal insights from the person, and then align yourself with things that mattered to them...more "Yes on hiring this person."
When they signal that the interview is winding down, be clear on what the next steps might be, whether they need anything else from you, and if you have mentioned something about your past and sending some sort of report copy or work product to them be sure to get the right email or mailing address so you can do this promptly. Be clear on when you can expect to hear from them, or if they are waiting for something from you. Thank them for the time and attention, and sign off. IT'S NOT OVER, HOWEVER! Sending a thank you note (ideally handwritten, but emailed is better than nothing) right away is crucial! Don't start with "Thank you for ...," start with something like "I was happy to speak with you earlier today about the POSITION NAME..." and then go on, with a thank you somewhere later. Mention something that was helpful about the conversation, or something that impressed you about the talk, or a factoid that came up, so that it is clear that the note was written after the interview and that you were paying attention. Get it sent, then wait for the next communication that the interview indicated, and give it "some time to breathe."
Congratulate yourself on a job well done, and then get to work applying for another gig and setting up another interview with another company rather than resting on your achievement...you are HOT and in a groove...stay that way with continued effort until a job offer than you accept comes to you! DON'T LET UP!
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