The skills you display at your job interview play a critical role in whether or not you get that job offer.  And with interviews in short supply given the current economic climate it’s probably never been more important for you to make the right impression and succeed when you have an interivew.

Job interview skills – it’s all about attitude

Being successful in an interview has as much to do with the attitude that you go in with as what you say. If you think that the interview is about catching you out and finding out what you can’t do, then you are more than likely going to fail.

The real reason for the interview process is to give you the interviewee, the platform to demonstrate your abilities, capabilities, credentials and talents. There is a certain amount of self promotion needed here.

There is no question that humility and modesty are admirable qualities. However, these very admirable qualities also can be stumbling blocks on the road to success. There are so many talented people whose skills, achievements, and potential go undiscovered due to their desire to remain modest.

Through the proper use of self-promotion and understanding of modesty, one can remain both humble and modest while being recognised for your achievements and talents.

Job interview skills – putting some flesh on the bones

Put your self in the interviewer’s position for a moment. If you wanted to employ someone, wouldn’t you want to know as much about them as possible before you make the decision? You can only gain a very basic idea of what someone is like from their CV, it is really only a few pieces of the human jigsaw. At best, it provides the interviewer with a basic skeletal frame-work; it is during the interview that you have your chance to fill in the missing pieces.

If you were faced with 2 potential candidates who seemed pretty equal, you are more likely to choose the candidate who can express themselves with clarity and confidence and takes a certain amount of pride in what they have accomplished. If you are not prepared to tell the interviewer what you have achieved then the interviewer will never know.

No one ever won a job based on what they didn’t talk about.

The 3 Cs of your job interview

If you demonstrate your skills in the 3 Cs of interview, then you are well on the way to fulfilling most interviewers’ major requirements:

Capability

This is where you show the interviewer that you have the technical skills and expertise that are required. Don’t just talk about your aptitude in theory; find examples or stories that prove that you can do the job effectively. Use your past achievements to demonstrate that you have experience and initiative required.

Chemistry

How you come across to the interviewer is a vital skill. The more genuine you are the more likely the interviewer is to like and trust you. It is much more enjoyable talking to someone who is confident in who they are and comfortable about what they have to say, as opposed to having to continually ask questions to extricate all the information out of them. Most of us would prefer to work with someone who is open, warm and friendly.

First impression count, so working on your tone, facial expressions, posture and body language can go a long way to enhancing your interview skills, making the right impact, and make you feel more confident.

Commitment

After spending so much time, money and effort trying to find the right person for the role, an employer will want to believe that you are going to be fully committed to the job. It is your responsibility to demonstrate to the interviewer your enthusiasm and desire to work for their organisation. Make sure that you have done your homework and know as much about the organisation and work requirements as possible. If you really want the post you will make the effort to find out.

The interviewer will also wants to feel that you are there for the long-haul and not just using them as a temporary stepping stone to other things. Although, it never does any harm to express your interest in personal development and what opportunities they can provide within their organisation.

Interviews are not just for the interviewer to find out about you, it is your chance to find out more from them. Never be afraid to ask them questions, as this again demonstrates your interest and confidence.

Communication is key

Interviews are all about building relationships and building relationships are all about communication.

Excellent communication skills are vital to your interview success. 

So make sure that you can communicate all the elements that makes you the right person for the job.

About the author of this Job Interview Skills Article

This article was written by James, one of Skillstudio’s consultant trainers. 

James is based in London, is an excellent trainer; and runs many of our job interview skills; presentation skills; and media training sessions (from 1-2-1 coaching and small group courses through to Masterclasses). 

Read more about James’ bio here.

Convince the interviewer you’re the best candidate for the job

If you want some expert coaching from James or one of our other job interview skills coaches to ensure you excel at your next job interview and get that job offer then Skillstudio are there to help.  We provide:-

Job Interview Skills 1-2-1 Coaching
Half day of full day, 121 coaching in Interview Skills by an expert coach.  Held throughout the UK and always tailored exactly to your personal requirements.

Job Interview Skills Public Courses
This is a one-day, highly interactive public workshop designed to build your confidence and the critical job interview skills required to ensure success at your next job interview. Its held regularly in Central London, Birmingham, Leeds & Glasgow.

Job Interview Technique In-House Workshops
We can also run our job interview skills workshop for your organisation on an in-house basis at your premises throughout the UK and Europe.

Call us today on 08456 444 150 if you want to discuss how our training can help you excel at your next job interview.

We hope you found this job interview skills article useful

Please use the buton below to bookmark this page as a favourite, email it or share it with friends or colleagues.   And good luck with your next interview!

Job Interview Skills is one of many articles from Skillstudio Limited providing expert help, tips & advice on how to improve your business communication skills. See Skillstudio Help & Advice for the full list of articles.

The exposure the media can give you and your company is enormous and equivalent to thousands of pounds worth of advertising. For this reason it is worth being prepared so you can make the most of what is essentially a golden opportunity.

Why are Media Interviews a Challenge?

When we talk to the media we are required to use all our personal style and communication skills to put over our message clearly and effectively. For anyone who has had experience of this will know that it is not an easy thing to do, even for the professionals, as it requires extensive preparation and more specialised communication skills than we use normally.

Below are some of the fundamental rules to follow when giving a media interview:

Media interviews are never neutral

The journalist will always have their own perspective, so you need to make sure you have your own angle. You will need to think about who your audience is – find out when the interview will be aired or published and consider who may be watching, listening or reading.

Try to identify the issues and subjects that will most appeal to your audience. Television, radio and print interviewers are often focused on presenting a lively, entertaining article/program – not on promoting you or your company. If your angle can fulfill the journalists brief as well as your own, then you have more chance of succeeding in getting across the message you want.

Preparation is vital for your next media interview

Do your preparation thoroughly and try to cover who, what, when, how and why. Be confident in your knowledge, you should know your subject better than the journalist. Make sure you have prepared some notes on the subject you will be talking about before the interview.

If a journalist comes on the phone for an immediate quote spend at least a few minutes preparing your ground before you call them back. Try to anticipate what questions the journalist is likely to ask you and rehearse your replies.

Learn to Speak in Sound bites

Because of the nature of media interviews being in very short segments, it is good to come up with short statements or phrases (sound bites) around which you can build your interview. Most audiences will only remember 2 or 3 statements so it is best to work on a maximum of 3 sound bites.

Work on making your sound bites memorable; try using: Strong emotions, analogies, quotes, bold actions or statements, or rhetorical questions. A good test of the effectiveness of your sound bite is, does it answer the “So what?” question. The more succinct you are the more memorable you will be to your audience.

The 3 main Principles

Be confident in what you are saying – You are the expert after all and the audience/readers want to feel that they can trust what you are saying.

Use a concise and conversational style – Try not to patronise, lecture or get too technical.

Keep control – Use sound bites, stick to your prepared plan and make sure you get your pre determined message across.

About the author of this Media Skills Article

This article was written by James, one of Skillstudio’s consultant trainers. 

James is based in London, is an excellent trainer; and runs many of our media, presentation and interview skills training sessions (from 1-2-1 coaching through to Masterclasses). 

Read more about James here.

Media Coaching from Skillstudio

If you’d like James or one of our other media coaches to help ensure you excel at your next media interview and get the media exposure you actually want then Skillstudio are there to help.  We provide:-

Media Interview Training & Coaching  – 121 Coaching
Half day or full day, 121 coaching and training in Media Interview Skills by an expert media coach.  Held in London,  Reading, Oxford, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and throughout the UK and always tailored exactly to your personal requirements.

Media Training Courses  – Public Courses
This is a two-day, highly interactive public workshop designed to build your confidence and the critical media skills required to ensure success at your next media interview. Its held regularly in Central London and Birmingham.

Media Interview Training Course  – In-House Workshops
We can also run our 2-day media interview skills workshop for your organisation on an in-house basis at your premises throughout the UK and Europe. Our in-house workshops can also be tailored to your specific needs – both in terms of content and duration.

Call us today on 08456 444 150 if you want to discuss how our training can help you excel at your next media interview.

We hope you found this article useful

Please use the buton below to bookmark this page as a favourite, email it or share it with friends or colleagues.   And good luck with your next interview!

Face the Media with Confidence – a Media Coach Writes is one of many articles from Skillstudio Limited providing expert help, tips & advice on how to improve your business communication skills. See Skillstudio Help & Advice for the full list of articles.