What the Performing Arts and Interviewing Have in Common

Although they may not seem similar on the surface, a performing arts event and a job interview have a great deal in common. Both place similar demands on the individual involved — the performer or interviewee — before and during the event. By approaching an interview the way a professional approaches a concert or play, you can ensure a better performance.

Preparation Is Key

Before they set foot in front of an audience, performers spend hours in rehearsal. They practice full pieces and smaller passages until every word, note or movement is ingrained into their muscle memory. Successful interviewees also spend time practicing before a job interview — which is, in essence, a professional performance — by participating in mock interviews and rehearsing answers to common questions. Like performers, a well-rehearsed interviewee usually comes off as more natural and confident than someone who has not taken time to prepare.

Valuing the Warm-Up

Professional performers never go onstage without warming up their bodies and voices. The process enables them to speak naturally, articulate clearly and feel comfortable as they move about the stage. The same practice does wonders for your performance in a job interview. Warming up your voice by humming or singing clears out raspy sounds and creates a smoother tone in person or during a phone interview. Exercising or moving around prior to the interview loosens your muscles and helps release tension so that you can sit with ease and good posture.

Understanding the Audience

A great performer knows the audience and adjusts a performance accordingly. Musicians often choose their concert material based on the people in the audience. Children may not respond well to serious art songs, and a teenage audience might be bored during a concert of Jazz Age standards. Likewise, you must understand how to tailor your responses during a job interview based on the interviewer's and the company's needs.

Reading the Room

During a performing arts event, the mood in the room can shift dramatically, and the performers must adjust accordingly. The adjustment may be external, as in the case of stand-up comedians and people who ad-lib material. More often than not, however, it is internal. Great performers know how to maintain high energy levels, even when the audience is unresponsive. A job interview is equally demanding; if the interviewers do not react well to a joke or a tone of voice, you must perceive the reaction and change your behavior on the fly. When the other people in the room seem bored or uninterested, you must carry on with enthusiasm and professionalism.

A job interview and a performance are both high-stakes professional events. By adopting a performer's mindset and preparation style, you can become a stronger and more compelling interviewee.

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