IMPRESSING EMPLOYERS WITH YOUR INTERVIEW SKILLS

Congratulations! You have been selected to attend an interview. What do you do now? I advise all my clients to go on YouTube and look up ‘Live Interview Skills’ or ‘Video Interview Skills’ to fully prepare for the interview (see my previous Blog on Acing Video Interviews). Your job interview has gone well and is now coming to a close, and then the interviewer asks you whether you have any questions about the role. This is an ideal opportunity to stand out from other candidates – when it’s your turn for questions, what you ask can go a long way to helping you learn about the role and the people you will be working with.

You may have heard about the Power of the Question – questioning is a uniquely powerful tool to gain better insights and enable you to assess your understanding as well as that of others. Asking good questions is one of the most overlooked skills in business today. Asking questions puts you in control – insightful, thoughtful questions can help you gain a deeper understanding of the role you’re applying for and ensure it’s a good fit for you, as well as demonstrating your intelligence, confidence and interest. Many industry experts advise that having questions prepared can be a strategic move that sets you apart from other candidates. Here are some examples of the best questions to ask in an interview.

Why has this role has become available?

What would a typical day in this role look like?

What do you think are the three key qualities someone needs to excel in this role?

Thinking about employees who have filled this position previously, what set apart those who were good from those where were great?

Would I be working with a small or large team?

Can you tell me more about the people I’ll be working with?

Will I have a chance to meet my potential manager or colleagues during this process?

How would you describe the dynamics of the team that I would be working with?

If successful in the role, do you have someone in my team who would act as a mentor or buddy to help me settle into the position?

How would you describe the workplace culture?

What do you enjoy most about working here?

What would your staff say is the most challenging thing about working here?

What makes people want to continue working at this company?

What type of professional development opportunities are there?

If I was offered the role, is there any training I would need to undertake immediately?

What would the career path be for someone in this role?

Can you tell me about your employee performance review processes?

What is the timeline for making a decision and when I can expect to hear from you?

Is there anything else you need from me to help you make your decision?

Asking intelligent, well thought out questions is a great way to close your interview off with confidence. I also recommend reiterating that you are very interested in the position, believe you would be a very good fit and will be waiting to hear from them.

WHY WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE SO IMPORTANT

Businesses are primarily made up of a group of people. Whatever the size of the business you are working for, communicating effectively across all levels is vitally important. Demonstrating that you relate well with your peers, managers, external parties and perhaps, most importantly, the customers, can have a big impact on your success in securing a new role. You need to demonstrate to potential employers that you are exactly the sort of candidate they will be eager to employ.

Effective communication is a process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, knowledge and information in a way that the purpose or intention is fulfilled in the best possible manner. In simple terms, it is the presentation of views by the sender in a way that can be best understood by the receiver. Everybody is capable of doing this. I recommend using YouTube as a great resource for training – you can upskill on interviewing techniques and also learn from some of the best people in the industry worldwide on how you can become a more effective communicator.

Clear, concise and effective communication skills are very much in demand by employers and any examples you can demonstrate will give you a real edge over other candidates. Listing communication as an ability in your skills section is not enough on its own. You need to show why you are effective at getting information across to others, whether it’s being a particularly good writer, emphasising that you have great listening skills, enjoy working with large groups of people, have delivered successful presentations, gained excellent feedback from customers, or are confident speaking in public.

Your communication skills can be showcased across your CV, from the skills section, to work experience, even in hobbies and interests. You don’t have to be an extrovert to have good communication skills – relating well with people is not about being outgoing or having a lot to say. Being sincere, authentic and measuring your words are all excellent traits. A healthy office environment is achieved by good communication – team members at all levels need to understand their place in the business and how they work in with other people to achieve goals and KPIs. Poor communication can lead to low morale or high turnover due to employee dissatisfaction. Effective communication can have a direct impact on your ability to perform your duties, particularly in customer facing and people centric roles such as hospitality, call centre and retail roles. 

Everybody can improve their communication skills – it is not just about diction and perfect grammar, effective communication includes active listening, showing that you are paying attention to the person who is talking; ask questions for clarification, demonstrate focus and concern and make affirmative comments. Speaking clearly involves finding a balance between conveying a lot of information while being concise and brief. Ensure you speak loud enough for everyone to hear and control your pace. Gather your thoughts and ensure your audience can follow your points. Use positive body language, provide clear expectations for tasks, maintain a friendly tone and provide constructive feedback, emphasising positives while providing ideas on how an area can be improved. Avoid criticism. Always maintain a high level of professionalism.