It is often said that over 70% of communication is non-verbal. This means there’s a lot going on during an interview other than the words that come out of your mouth. Most interviewers will admit that having seen several people with the right skill sets, the person hired just ‘felt right’
So you’re a graduate looking for your first job, how do you make your interviewer just ‘feel right’.
Consider a conversation you once had with someone with a very strong accent. It’s the same language as you but your straining to understand. It’s and uncomfortable feeling and a little embarrassing. The reverse can be seen when far away from home, perhaps abroad on holiday, when you turn around in the bar to hear the same local accent as yours from back home, it brings a warm fuzzy comfortable feeling. Well, the same uncomfortable feelings can apply to other aspects of speech and language. If someone speaks really quickly, and you are naturally slow, once again, the language is the same, but it will feel awkward. The same applies to volume, degrees of animation, intonation in voice and so on.
If you’re careful you can adjust your style towards theirs with dramatic effects. When you first meet someone try to assess
Speed of speech
Volume of speech
The amount of intonation in the voice
The amount of animation with the accompanying body language and facial expression.
If you can match their style, you will induce that inexplicable warm fuzzy feeling you felt in that bar abroad when you heard that familiar accent behind you.
You still, of course, need to be well researched, well dressed, punctual and all the other things you can find on interview techniques on the net. Practice this technique with everyone you meet, it may make the difference in the career pathway you ultimately achieve.
Good luck
