Careers: Interview Skills

Interviewing skills are one of the most critical skills needed for your job search and career development. Interviewing is your in-person (or virtual) opportunity to impress the employer. It's the best opportunity to sell your skills, experience, and qualifications for the job. It's important to note that it's your job to exude confidence, body language, and dress appropriately for interviews. These are just the basics of interviewing, but there are five stages that you should be aware of when it comes to successfully delivering on your skills:

• Introductions - deliver a confident introduction of yourself by conveying information that the interviewer has yet to ask. Stir up intrigue to get them to ask you to elaborate.
• Small talk - share informal information -- but don't get too personal. Perhaps share information that you've researched about the company.
• Information gathering - the interviewer is going to begin to ask you to complete statements like, "tell me about yourself" or "tell me how you fit this position.' This is when you should rely on the job posting and align your skills and experience with what they are asking. Tell a career story.
• Questions and answers - this is the part of the interview that makes people nervous -- the question and answer segment. Ensure that you are answering questions thoroughly and concisely. Listen, think, respond. 
• Wrapping up - ask at least three questions of the interviewers further indicating your interest in the role. Also, wrap up by mentioning when you look forward to hearing from them.

Although most people are nervous about interviewing, it's important to remember that it is just a two-way communication (conversation). Interviewing is a fact-finding mission. Proper preparation, energy, enthusiasm, and strategy will set you up for success.