An effortless interview may give you false confidence that the hiring manager was impressed and considers you a top candidate. When the congratulatory phone call never comes, you scrutinize every detail of your interview answers in search of telltale signs. Some interviews fly by because the hiring manager quickly loses interest. By asking stimulating questions and offering thoughtful interview answers, you may earn a chance to reanimate a lifeless exchange.
Dig for More Information
Be suspicious of fast, easy interviews, since they are not likely to yield any useful information for a prospective employer. A hiring manager who immediately views you as unqualified or a poor cultural fit may stick to straightforward questions to avoid wasting time on a dud candidate. If your meeting is winding down with 10 minutes or more to spare, prompt the interviewer to give you a deeper description of the position.
Aim to revive the conversation by asking what an ideal hire should accomplish in this role or the most pressing problems a new hire is expected to solve. Prepare compelling interview answers that include engaging stories with examples of how you fit the company’s current expectations and long-term goals. Whenever possible, show your worth by sharing relevant ideas for solving problems, making it easy for hiring managers to picture you in the position.
Find the Balance Between Timid and Self-Centered
No matter how impressive you come across on your resume, showing excessive or inadequate confidence may eliminate you as a candidate. If you treated the interview like a personal infomercial and only talked about your winning qualities, you may fail to demonstrate how your skills can benefit the company. On the other hand, if you do not show confidence and only give terse, reserved interview answers, hiring managers may question how well you handle responsibility and interact with teammates.
Avoid rambling or being too quiet, and use a show-and-tell approach in your interview answers. For example, when an interviewer asks about your strengths, give a direct answer first, and then follow up with an example of how you used those strengths to win a new client, meet a deadline or improve a project.
Take Control of the Interview
In failed interviews, most hiring managers do not bother to give you a tour, elaborate on the company culture or explain the final steps of the hiring process. Instead of throwing in the towel and admitting defeat, use the question-and-answer segment to interview the interviewer. Ask deeper questions about the company culture and workflow, such as the most valuable qualities and accomplishments of the previous jobholder. Raising thought-provoking questions demonstrates your passion to learn about the company, and creates additional opportunities to promote your qualifications.
Take comfort in the fact that a fruitless interview is not necessarily your fault. Even when you make the effort to research the company and craft well-developed interview answers, you may be competing against an internal hire who was unofficially promised the job. Regardless of the reason you did not land the job, always evaluate your performance to sharpen your interviewing chops for the next interview.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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