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6 Things That Can Make All the Difference in Your Next Job Interview

2 minute read
Ideas
Barker is the author of Barking Up The Wrong Tree

First impressions matter even more than you think. They’re the most important part of any job interview. And once they’re set, they are very hard to resist. Optimize first impressions from the outset by framing the conversation with a few well-rehearsed sentences regarding how you want to be perceived. This will end up being the structure the other person forms their memories around.

Your handshake, body language and appearance all matter. In fact, the weather matters.

If you have the option, schedule it earlier in the day. People prefer things that are first and are more likely to say “yes” to things when they don’t have a lot of things going on.

Getting the interviewer to explain why they wanted to bring you in is a good persuasion technique.

A course that was successful in making managers more charismatic focused on these techniques:

  • framing through metaphor-stories and anecdotes
  • demonstrating moral conviction
  • sharing the sentiments of the collective
  • setting high expectations
  • communicating confidence
  • using rhetorical devices such as contrasts, lists, and rhetorical questions together with non-verbal tactics such as body gesture, facial expression, and animated voice tone.
  • Finally, don’t get too stressed out. People who have no job are happier than people with a job they don’t like.

    This piece originally appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

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