Interviewing is an art, and just like intelligence or charisma it is a characteristic of the person–inherit or developed. Just as it takes a special individual to be a teacher or police officer, it takes a special person to be able to conduct an interview masterfully. When I think of a professional screening system, Bill Gates and Microsoft comes to mind with multi tiered system that is connected allowing for the tailored precision and raw power with each successive passes. When I think of a interviewing process i think of an admissions officer, who must cut with a scalpel through the thousands of applications to yield an end result based on predetermined criteria and intuition. But on average, a typical interview for a typical firm is usually haphazardly conducted and what is contained in this article is important for haphazardly people like us to understand.
The following is for the interviewee to consider:
Listen more, talk less- don’t lead yourself down dark roads that you will need to climb out of and pant “fascinating” vocabulary in your speech that reinforces positive and humble aspects about yourself when people dig for dirt.
Follow up on what is said-create positive opportunities, be clear about negative things and abstract about positive. Lead the questions through your responses.
Ask questions when you do not understand- interviews are long in nature; cumulative and chronological. Inflating the ego (subtly) of an interviewer will avoid clarification statements that may pop up at in opportune times. Take your language seriously and keep your comments precise to avoid turmoil.
Ask to hear more about a subject- be expected to unravel (go into depth) a couple stories so drop a few lingering statement or unanswered questions so as to have the interviewer “we’ll” up inside and invest in and investigate that particular story.
Explore don’t probe- be aware that they are probing and the more comfortable you feel the more you should be aware-there is an agenda
Listen more, talk less and ask real questions- keep inviting the interviewer into the dialogue (through the sharing of mutual experiences and understanding) and keep feeding the interviewer direction (misdirection)
Ask open ended questions & Avoid leading questions- don’t jump in (dangerous), ask to be lead (agenda)
Follow up and don’t interrupt- enjoy the silence and pauses. Allow the interviewer to interject. Don’t go down roads that need not be explored.
Ask participants to talk to you like you were some one else-he/she is your enemy, not your friend. Never trust an application intent or admissions officer sincereness.
Explore laughter and Ask participants to tell you a story- use your apparent comfort as leverage and pull the interviewer in. Through gestures and comfort demand the interviewer to reciprocate you story telling efforts
Keep participants focused and on task-keep your guard up, but occasionally run wild and appear to be vulnerable and off guard.
Don’t take the ebbs and flows of interviewing personally- yea, don’t get into a power struggle
Share and experience-they are good, don’t let them fool you, keep focused.
Avoid reinforcing you participants response-look for reinforcing cues and ask for validation and reinforcement to aid in possible discourse paths
Use an interview guide cautiously-be prepared
