There are so many people sourcing for jobs, many turning up for interviews and still, many go home without an assurance of the same. There are interviews where as much as ten people can be called for an interview for a single position.
Interviewers use different criteria in choosing a candidate suited for their company. You can easily win the hearts of your interviewer by being extra ordinary, outshine your competitors so much so that they can see that you are a possible asset to the company. Be confident and bold in the way you express yourself and the way you appear in general. There are many measures that can guide you on how to stand out in an interview.
Arrive Earlier than the Stated Time
It is wise to familiarize yourself with the environment you will be interviewed in. it adds a lot of positive energy to you, physically and psychologically. When you arrive early, you get some time to compose yourself. The people in charge of the interview might even notice your enthusiasm and be impressed by it. While many of your competitors may opt to come to the venue of the interview at the exact time that was communicated, you should show up maybe thirty minutes before.
You can use the free time to go over how you practiced for the interview or just to learn a thing or two from the surrounding. You can even have conversations with the people at the office, show them your curiosity, be friendly, this may earn you admiration from them. You might coincidentally connect with an interviewer.
However, you must be careful not to say something that may negatively affect your image. Chances are you have no idea what positions every person you come across holds in that office, if you share or engage in pointless conversations, you might be surprised on the kind of image you will have created in their minds.
Dress Smartly and Appropriately
Proper grooming is very vital when it comes to interviews. The first impression you make is what sticks to the minds of people and as it is known, in any situation, the first impression could make or break you. While it is recommended to be simple in your dressing in interviews, do not shy away from showing your boldness even in your dressing. Wear bold colors, the ones that make you stand out among the rest. Your dressing may speak volumes about the kind of person you are.
Being bold in your grooming makes you appear more confident. While many people may submit to the average and sometimes non-impressive codes of dressing, strive to be different. Do not however wear too much color in the name of standing out. Dress to an acceptable standard. You also need to ensure that you are comfortable in whatever you wear otherwise your attention may shift from the interview to the discomfort from your tight dress or pinching shoes.
You can wear comfortable outfits and still be able to stand out from the rest of the interviewees. Put on cologne so that the fresh scent makes your presence in the room known. If you come to an interview reeking of sweat, you will just be as uncomfortable as you will make the rest of the people in the room. Do not put too much cologne that will distract the interviewers and the people around you. Be subtle but ensure you smell nice.
Let your Body Language Represent your Confidence
Showing confidence through your body language is an important guide on how to stand out in an interview. Body language speaks volumes on the kind of attitude one has. Every employer wants a person who not only tells them that they can do the work, but also shows them the same. You can be a perfect match for a position to be filled in an interview but your body language could show your possible employers something different.
You can unknowingly express a bad attitude in the way you position your body during the interview. For instance, poor sitting habits or the way you generally answer the questions asked using a body language that may express rudeness. In as much as you should be confident, remember to stay kind and respectful. Sit upright in front of the interviewers, do not throw your hands when answering the questions posed.
The panel of interviewers may ask a trick question that may agitate you so that you act disturbed or make unpromising remarks about your resume. Remember to stay confident, you may even be hired based on your courage and ability to stand out even if you are not quite experienced. You must however not act as though you are too confident like the job is already yours. Some employers may find that unpleasant, you might make them feel like you are difficult to work with.
Be Inquisitive During the Interview
If you want to know how to stand out in an interview, engage the interviewers. People tend to think an interview is all about the interviewers posing questions to the interviewee all through the session. You might actually impress interviewers and possible employers by being curious about matters that concern the company or the interview process itself. Show them that you are an active gatherer of information, that you want to know more and probably give suggestions on how to approach problems they might have.
For instance, you can do prior research about the company before the interview. Perhaps check for the profits they made in that year. During the interview you can make your observations known to them. You could say something like; “I noticed your profits reduced this year compared to the previous year, don’t you think this could be because you are short staffed?”
Then you can tell them how hiring you would bring a positive impact on the company. Do not shy away from wanting to know more about the company, being inquisitive can easily impress the interviewers and make you stand out from the rest of your competitors. Don’t ask too much questions otherwise you might be seen as a bother.
Verbalize Things About Yourself That are not in the Resume
Be confident enough to express yourself during the interview. Being expressive is another measure you can take on how to stand out in an interview. There is definitely more than what meets the eyes, there is more helpful information that may not appear in your resume but can score you more points in the interview. Talk about your previous work and how you being there helped maximize profits. Tell the interviewers more about yourself, your capabilities, weaknesses. Tell them about your social life while remembering to stay relevant.
You can let the interviewer know how you got into that field and what attracted you to it, your past accomplishments and future goals. Tie your answers to the employment you are so much in need of. Express your need for growth as the reason why you left your previous job if you did. Let them know how their company would help you as much as you would help them. Be careful not to get too personal or give irrelevant information that may ruin your reputation.
Leave the interviewer with the impression that your life revolves around the need to be a better person and that your goal is to be an asset wherever you go. You also have to refrain your self from taking too much time in doing this otherwise you may be told by the interviewer to stop and this may embarrass you or kill your morale.
How to Stand Out in an Interview? Take Notes
During the interview, the interviewer may give important information about the company or the job title. Jot down the key things that you may forget and that may be useful later. Even before the interview there are relevant information that you may stumble upon as you wait for your turn to be interviewed. As you wait in the lobby, you can get magazines or brochures that have a lot of information regarding the company.
Put this information on your small notebook and use it during the interview. Having the information with you will show how enthusiastic and knowledgeable you are. This may impress your interviewer or possible employer. Don’t do this too openly though and don’t write down everything. The interviewer may be irritated by you stopping to write everything down. You could ask the interviewer if they do not mind you taking notes.
Perhaps you may need to write down their e-mail address. Information that can be relevant to the interview may be history of the company or its current state. You can also use the notebook to write a list of questions that you may want to ask in the interview. Do not keep referring to your notebook when answering questions that you are asked. You may not require a physical notebook; you can also mentally note important information if you will be able to remember later.
