Conclude with Pleasantries

A sociable conclusion needn't be phony. Interviewee can ex­press appreciation or concern, or he/she can mention future interaction:

· "Your ideas were terrific. I know I can use them."

· "I appreciate the time you've given me today."

· "Good luck with the project."

· "Let me know if I can help."

· "I'll see you Thursday. [2, 173]."

 

Nonverbal cues for success in Interviews

Many interviews fail because of lack of proper communication. But communication is more than just what interviewee says. Often it is the nonverbal communication that we are least aware of, yet speaks the loudest. Following are the top five nonverbals, ranked in order of importance, when it comes to interviewing (3):

· Eye Contact - Unequalled in importance! If interviewee looks away while listening, it shows lack of interest and a short attention span. If he/she fails to maintain eye contact while speaking, at a minimum it shows lack of confidence in what interviewee is saying and at worst may send the subtle message that he/she is lying.

· Facial Expressions – It’s amazing how many interviewees are totally unaware of the sullen, confused, or even mildly hysterical expression plastered on their faces during the entire course of the interview! Interviewees should modify their facial expressions—first eliminate any negative overall characteristics that might exist, and then add a simple feature that nearly every interviewee forgets to include—a smile! Not some stupid Bart Simpson grin, but a true and genuine smile that tells that he or she is a happy person and delighted to be interviewing with the company today. Interviewee does not need to keep the smile plastered on for the full interview, but should remember to keep coming back to it.

· Posture - Posture sends out a signal of interviewee’s confidence and power potential. Height is not what's important, posture is. When standing, interviewee should stand up straight. When interviewee is seated, he/she must make sure that sits at the front edge of the chair, leaning slightly forward, moving within an overall range of no more than 10 back or 20 forward, intent on the subject at hand.

· Gestures- Contrary to popular belief, gestures should be very limited during the interview. Interviewee should not use artificial gestures to try to heighten the importance of the issue at hand. When interviewee must make sure that he/she is natural and meaningful.

· Space – One shouldrecognize the boundaries of his/her personal space and that of others and be prepared, however, not to back up or move away from someone who has a personal space that is smaller than his/her own. For most of us, merely the awareness of our personal space is enough to consciously prompt us to stand firm when speaking with someone. If interviewee has a smaller than average personal space, he/she must make sure that does not intimidate someone who possesses a larger personal space (3).

Neal Conan suggests another list of ten critical success factors [5]:

· positive attitude toward work;

· proficiency in field of study;

· communication skills (oral and written);

· interpersonal skills;

· confidence;

· critical thinking and problem-solving skills;

· flexibility;

· self-motivation;

· leadership;

· teamwork.

Body Language Glossary
Jennifer Rae Atkins gives some examples of body language cues and their possible interpretations [1]:

· crossed arms – closed off or defensive;

· fidgeting, running tongue along teeth, playing with hair or jewelry, or tapping feet – nervous or bored;

· lack of eye contact or, conversely, staring too intently without breaking a gaze – untrustworthy;

· leaning back – uncomfortable;

· leaning forward – interested in the conversation;

· clasping hands behind the head while leaning back – looking to gain power;

· smiling or attempting to be humorous – friendly;

· eye contact with occasional, natural breaks in the stare – focused and curious;

· nodding while listening – attentive and alert;

· open palms – approachable and trusting;

· gesturing with hands while talking – genuinely involved in the conversation.

 

Dressing for Interview

 

Jennifer Rae Atkins says that interviewee should get comfortable with the techniques and tactics before his/her first interview and remember, every interview counts.

But not only interviewee’s knowledge, attitude and behavior are so important, clothes are significant too.

Many companies have relaxed the internal company dress code, interviews still follow the conservative standard.

Chances are, interviewees already know the conventional wisdom when it comes to dressing for interviews. While following that advice is unlikely to get interviewee disqualified from any job, the more pre-interview research he/she does, the better his/her chances of looking the part [1].
Jennifer Rae Atkins names and explains some factor, which interviewee should take into account:

Culture

Interviewee should consider not only the culture of the company and industry that he/she is searching in, but also the prevailing norms of the department or division with which interviewee'll be interviewing. For instance, the finance department of a newspaper is bound to be more buttoned-up than its editorial department.

Location

To make things even more complicated, the location of the company might also have an impact on employees' dress. Take a Web company: If it's located in New York City's Silicon Alley, it might tend towards the more conservative side of business casual, but if it's located in San Francisco's South Park, a tie and sports coat might make you stick out like a sore thumb.

Experience

Interviewee’s experience and the level of the job he/she is applying for will also affect his/her ideal mode of dress. For an entry-level candidate, the objective is to come across as capable and mature. A mid-career candidate, on the other hand, may want to accentuate his or her adaptability to a new office culture by foregoing the generic corporate uniform [1].
Jennifer Rae Atkins gives basic style guidelines for men and women (because they need to know the "rules" before they can break them) [1].

For Men and Women:

· conservative two-piece business suit (solid dark blue or grey is best);

· conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best);

· clean, polished conservative shoes;

· well-groomed hairstyle;

· clean, trimmed fingernails;

· minimal cologne or perfume;

· empty pockets – no bulges or tinkling coins;

· no gum, candy or cigarettes;

· light briefcase or portfolio case;

· no visible body piercing (nose rings, eyebrow rings, etc.).

For Men:

· necktie should be silk with a conservative pattern;

· dark shoes (black lace-ups are best);

· dark socks (black is best);

· get a haircut; short hair always fares best in interviews;

· no beards (unless he is interviewing for a job as a lumberjack!);

· moustaches are a possible negative, but if he must, make sure it is neat and trimmed;

· no rings other than wedding ring or college ring;

· no earrings (if he normally wears one, he should take it out).

For Women:

· always wear a suit with a jacket; no dresses;

· shoes with conservative heels;

· conservative hosiery at or near skin color (and no runs!);

· no purses, small or large; carry a briefcase instead;

· if she wears nail polish (not required), she should use clear or a conservative color;

· minimal use of makeup (it should not be too noticeable);

· no more than one ring on each hand;

· one set of earrings only.

One final note on interview dress: while it goes without saying that interview clothes should be neat and clean, very few interviewees give the same time and attention to their shoes. Many have said that people can judge a person by their shoes. Many ex-military officers are especially aware of a person's shoes. It is not enough to be clean, pressed, and ironed. Interviewees must make sure your shoes are conservative, clean, and polished [1].