[Article] How to be S/U-ccessful in your interviews

Mar 15, 20207 min read

Updated: Apr 29, 2020

Introduction

As Summer break closes in upon us, there begins a frantic race to secure internships during this period. Internships and their screening processes have evolved over the years, largely due to digitalisation and hence we would like to ensure that you are equipped with the necessary skills to perform for best for these assessments.

Companies such as Unilever, Goldman Sachs and the like are utilising digital platforms such as HireVue to screen their numerous applicants therefore it is imperative that you prepare adequately to excel on these platforms. Even so, it is still important to prepare for face to face (F2F) interviews as they still form the succeeding rounds of interviews for these companies before an internship offer is made.

We will be discussing general guidelines for interviews as well as specific pointers on both digital and F2F interviews below.

General Guidelines

Research the company and role

Sun Tzu, the author of ‘The Art of War’, once mentioned, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles”. Researching the company is an important part of the interview process as you understand the company’s structure, vision and values along with the requirements of the role you are applying for. Aligning your capabilities and characteristics with the job and company culture is a surefire way to create a positive impression on your interviewer.

Some websites to consider for research are the company’s LinkedIn page, website, GlassDoor reviews as well as on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Research the interviewer to better connect with them

Similar to the above, knowing your interviewer can give you a leg up in the interview as it allows you to build a deeper interpersonal impression on them. Remember, an interview is not only a test of competency but also one of interpersonal capabilities.

Find ways to connect with your interviewer but do not be carried away and remember to keep it cordial without sounding excessively stalker-ish. Best practices are to include interpersonal examples where it highlights your strengths for the role or characteristics to fit the company culture.

A good platform to use is LinkedIn as a majority of the labour force can be found here nowadays!

Dress Appropriately

As with any impression-based event, dress appropriately for the occasion! According to a recent survey by Adecco, 75% of hiring managers believe the top interview mistake millennials make is wearing inappropriate attire. Even for digital interviews, dress appropriately as these algorithms do take into account your attire in their analysis. A general rule of thumb is to dress one level above what you think is the appropriate workplace attire for that company.

Bring your most updated documents

These include your resume/CV, Cover Letter as well as any relevant recommendations, especially pertinent if there are any updates to these items. Even if there are no updates, bringing your documents highlight your level of preparedness for the interview and can also serve as a physical refresher of your past achievements.

Mind all non-verbal cues

Non-verbal cues also contribute to the impression you give off in interviews. We have compiled a list of common non-verbal cues to take note of during interviews.

Smile at appropriate times.
Have good posture and lean in a bit to show interest.
Enunciate your words, try not to stutter or have long pauses. Exuding confidence allows the interviewer or algorithm to see the strength of your answers.
As much as you have prepared for the interview, do remember to sound natural and avoid sounding robotic or rehearsed in your answers.
Hand movements like touching your fingertips, clasping palms, and moving your fingers as you speak are signs of honesty and openness.
Avoid clenching your fists and waving hands while speaking as it hints that you’re nervous and unpredictable.
Mirroring your interviewer subtly has been proven to be a way to connect with your interviewer, so try to mirror nods or shifts from your interviewer but don’t overdo it as you risk looking in-genuine.

Be mindful

In an age where soft skills are increasingly valued in organisations, it is crucial that you continue to show mindfulness in your interview approach.

This would include being courteous, polite and displaying a sense of being a team worker with a positive outlook. One major issue that often comes up is to not speak badly of any past experiences you have in your previous work or internship experiences. It reflects poorly on you as a person and may cause interviewers to do a double take on their impression of you.

Other than that, do be aware of subtle social cues from your interviewer in the case where they want to proceed to another question or such. Sometimes this can be a clue as to when you’re beginning to deviate off the question so take note and quickly pivot back appropriately depending on the situation.

Project a Positive Attitude

Enthusiasm, passion and energy during the role pays off well as they are the qualities that make a person attractive to others. It’s nearly impossible to fake those qualities, and frankly it’s one of the main reasons people get hired. Being able to convey a positive attitude is critical towards creating a positive impression in your interviewer.

Rehearse and practice the interview responses

Research and preparation can only go so far in theory, to truly excel you have to put it into practice. Before your interview, find time to rehearse your responses with a friend, family member or even more formal tracks such as through mock interviews (the Careers Office is your best friend in this, please do approach them!). Go through common interview questions specific to the applied role (Google it, you’d find plenty of interview question banks online!). Rehearse, get feedback and continually refine your interview skills to ace your interview!

Digital Interviews

As mentioned, digital interviews are becoming increasingly common as the first layer of screening from companies. Furthermore, in periods such as now during the COVID-19 crisis, companies are moving towards digital interviews in line with regulation practices. Regardless, there are some pointers in addition to the above that you should take note of in such situations.

Location matters!

Location matters with regards to your digital interview impression. It showcases to the interviewer the level of professionalism you present in this interview in addition to your attire.

General tips include choosing an appropriate background (no messy beds or such in the back!), free from noise or other disturbances (which could interrupt the interview and show poor planning on your part) with appropriate lighting (unnerving your interviewer with a shady video screen is not only intimidating but also shows a lack of poor planning on your part). It also goes without saying that you should find somewhere with a stable Internet connection, having your connection cut off halfway through an interview can put a real damper to the process.

Check your tech

Ensure that your preferred device or browser is able to handle the digital interview platform that the company has specified, ie. ensure that Skype, Zoom, BlueJeans, etc. is able to run smoothly during the interview. As before, ensure that you have a stable internet connection, and that your microphone and speakers are working before the interview commences. Remember to maintain solid and appropriate eye contact with the interviewer or with the lens of your webcam.

F2F Interviews

Eventually, in almost all selection processes, there will be a F2F interview portion which usually indicates that you have progressed enough in the process to meet an actual employee. Congratulations are in order but to not rest on your laurels, the next step is to distinguish yourself from your peers. Below are some tips to take note, also, these tips also apply to online F2F interviews (where possible, an online handshake while cool, is not feasible at the moment).

Be punctual

Unlike video interviews (such as in HireVue), F2F interviews are scheduled in between the already busy days of your interviewers so do be punctual. This ties in with the idea of courtesy towards your interviewer’s time and consideration. Plan your commute to the interview location and ensure ample buffer time. It is common practice to arrive at least 15 minutes earlier ahead of schedule in case the interview can be pushed forward or for any other matters. Furthermore, the excess time before the interview can be used to mentally prepare yourself for the event to come, usually leading to better interviews!

Have a Firm Handshake

It may sound obvious, but how you shake hands says volumes about your personality. Practice on someone you trust if needed. You want it to be firm, but not so tight that it feels like you are trying to break bones! The worst is a completely limp hand. Almost as bad is grabbing someone around their fingers instead of fully locking hands at the base of the thumb. This may sound overly picky, but you’d be surprised how much your handshake contributes to that all-important first impression.

Prepare a list of questions you can ask

Almost every interviewer asks near the end of an interview: “Do you have any questions?” Candidates are often judged by the quality of the questions they ask and candidates who have no questions at all might be perceived as having no interest in the position. Some suggested ideas for general questions are: “How long have you been with the company, and what do you like about it?” “How would you describe the company culture here?” “What characteristics have made your best employees successful here?” You might also want to think of more specific questions about the role, company or their products, based on your research.

Post-Interview

Give thanks to your interviewers

As mentioned before, your interviewers took the time off their busy schedules to have an interview with you. Regardless of their roles, it is gracious and courteous to drop them a quick email thanking them for their time and the opportunity to learn more about the company through the interview. This would put you in their good books and give them strong signals of your good character. If you are unable to directly contact your interviewer for any reason, it is generally acceptable to email the recruiter where appropriate to pass this message on to them, but do thank the recruiter as well for doing so!

Follow-up where necessary

Have yet to receive any news from your recruiter in the following week? Fret not! Sometimes corporate processes take time for deliberations. In such situations, do not fear to contact your recruiter or interviewer to check on the status of your application process. Trust us when we say this will relieve a lot of the stress or anxiety anticipating interview results would otherwise bring. Remember to keep it polite and to the point.

Conclusion

Applying the pointers above guarantees you to be better prepared for interviews in the future, be it digital or F2F. Even so, while they may improve your chances of progressing to further rounds or receiving an internship offer, it still boils down to the situation.

You still have to be able to satisfy the four ‘fits’ - Job Fit (competencies), People Fit (interpersonal skills), Group Fit (subculture adaptation) and Organisational Fit (overall culture adaptation). We hope that this guide is able to shed some light on how to prepare for interviews and we wish you all the best in your career endeavors.

If there are any other topics related to HR, feel free to drop us an email at nushcsoc@gmail.com and we may consider it as the topic for our next article. Until then, thank you for your support of the NUS Human Capital Society! :)

#Interview #HR #Prep

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