Interviews: Toolkit for Selling Yourself

So, you have been through the tedious process of applying for job sonline and calling endlessly and finally discovered my article Instant Impact CVs. You've implemented my simple tips, re-vitalized and individually-tailored your CV. Hurray! Now you're offered an interview.

But until the offer letter is in your hand, the competition still goes on, and the impression you give in your interview can influence what you get offered. Your CV was the attention-grabbing movie poster; your interview will be the high-impact theatrical trailer.

With competition among vacancies high, it simply doesn't cut it to turn up with polished shoes and unravel you life experiences. A great interview is really a sales pitch hidden in a two way conversation. You have to persuade your audience, build a relationship, create trust and energize the interviewer. This is the art of any sales pitch but this time the product is you, so you better believe in it.

If you think of an interview in this way you are sure to succeed. I have highlighted some easy to learn points to help you ensure you do your best.

1) Presentation

You cannot be too presentable or too early for a job interview.If unsure, don't take risks and go overly dressed rather than underdressed.You can, however, wear too much make-up or cologne: easy does it.

2) The Three Ps - Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Take copies of your Instant Impact CV and, most importantly, know exactly what is on it.Certificates, references and examples of work should also be to hand.

3) Do your research

If you were a salesperson, you would do enough homework to be able to identify useful connections that you can trigger throughout the conversation. The same applies for interviews.

Get the low-down on the company. Study their website. Google them. Get a copy of their last annual report. What is their mission statement, their competition?Rehearse for: "What do you know about us?" and "Why do you want to work here?"Get closer. Ask who will be interviewing you. Google them. Learn names, roles and areas of interest or expertise.Get inside. Best of all, find someone who has worked in or with the company and grill them.

4) Keep Calm And Carry On

Nerves are one of the biggest challenges. Unfortunately, they show and don't look good. You will think more clearly and build rapport far more effectively when calm.

While waiting for your interview clear your mind, try and relax and get comfortableRemind yourself that you have been invited to this interview. You are already succeeding.Any dancer will tell you. Smile. Act confident even if you're shaking inside. Keep going even if you made a mistake.

5) Body Language

However well-rehearsed you are, non-verbal cues are picked up unconsciously and talk far louder than words.

Shake hands well. An overly-aggressive handshake can be as off-putting as a limp one.Eye contact. People hear us better when we hold their gaze.Take a lesson from James Bond. He sits still, without movement or fidgeting, with his hands away from his face. And it warms with power and intelligence.Avoid "closing" yourself off by clutching a briefcase in your lap.Room positioning: if possible don't sit directly opposite but at 90 degrees.

6) Ask Questions and Listen

Most candidates prepare answers but forget to prepare questions. Asking key questions-and listening carefully-lets you direct the conversation into the areas where you excel. It also has a powerful effect in building trust as showing empathy and allows the interviewer to express whats in their mind gives a helpful feel good factor that they will remember.

Build a bond. Ask about their rise to success. How they got to their position. Where they started out. People love to tell about their success story and it builds a bond and helps you understand them.Join the tribe through finding areas of commonality. If you spot a link, be sure to use it to build a bond. Through creating rapport, interviewers will trust you, overlook weaknesses and accept you as a likeable person.Detect Hot Buttons: An interviewer's unspoken concerns. Use their answers to frame your ongoing conversation. You'll connect with the interviewer instantly if you sell yourself based on his or her motivations."What do you consider an ideal candidate?" Be prepared to compare yourself to this.

7) Ready for Questions

A top salesperson would never waste an opening by answering "Yes" or "No". Nor would they regurgitate a rambling summary of their entire life. "Tell us a little about yourself," is an opportunity to use relevant anecdotes that align with the company's mission to offer information they haven't already seen in your Instant Impact CV.

Listen carefully and breathe. Don't rush to answer.Ask yourself, "Is he really interested in what I did in college, or does he want to know what I learned from the experience?"Use key messages and sound-bites to sell. An effective headline communicates the benefits of the product in a succinct, meaningful, memorable way: "I've designed logos for three Fortune 500 companies." To come up with your sound bites, ask yourself, "What were my greatest achievements at my most recent job?"Use examples and tell a story. People can relate better in this way.

8) Be the Solution

As a salesperson (interviewee), what can you offer (product), to the customer (employer)? What do you have that will fill their needs (job requirements)? What is unique or of added value that sets you apart?

Meet Needs. Any great salesman will tell you that the most persuasive pitch is the one that speaks directly to the personal needs of the buyer.Read between the lines. "Position requires collaboration on all levels of staff and management," means that "strong interpersonal" and "communication" skills will be needed. Make a list of "key requirements" and match them.Companies create positions because they have problems to solve. Identify the challenges hinted at in the job ad.Presentyourself as an employer benefit. Any answer you give must convey how hiring you will give concrete benefits to the employer. If you increased managerial productivity by 25%, say that experience will help this company attain its goals.

9) Use the interview as an opener

As a clever salesperson identifies the small steps needed to move the sale forward. Understand the necessary stages to keep the interview process moving forward toward a job offer.

Don't negotiate salary or benefits at this stage. Leave this for the second interview.Next steps. Asking for the next interview may seem bold, but try it. You'll find yourself invited back more often and feel more in control of the interview process. Try: "Who will I meet in the second interview?""Who, besides yourself, will make the final hiring decision?""What challenges would you have me tackle first?"Leave on a High Note. Have a 20-second thank-you speech. Thank them for their time, reiterate your interest in helping them be successful.

10) Manners

It may sounds obvious, but the best salesmen are almost over-the-top with politeness. This is even truer in the Middle East.

Pay particular attention to the interviewer's name. Use it.Thank them and shake hands before you leave. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and indicate your interest in the job.Send a follow-up thank you email. This shows good business etiquette.

11) The Return of the Three Ps - Practice, Practice, Practice

So, now you have all the inside tricks of the sales trade. BUT, an interview is no place to try these strategies out for the first time.

The secret to effective selling is practice. Stand in front of the mirror or rehearse with friends. Whatever works.Have a shot at an interview even if you don't see yourself working for the company. Its good practice. Give it a go.You cannot forecast the exact questions you will face, but the process of sifting through your experience for specific examples to potential questions will better prepare you.The better you are at weaving your key messages into your answers, the more likely you are to stand out in the interviewer's mind. And setting yourself apart is what interviewing is all about.

The last factor for your sale is to let the employer know that you will "fit in" and be a "team player". The interviewer will not only be looking to see if you can do the job, but also if you will be a good addition to the team and fit the corporate culture. So be likable and be you. These skills could make the difference between yourself and an equally or better qualified candidate getting the job. Good luck, be confident and just remember a famous quote by someone who got it right -

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

Henry Ford.

For more articles, career advice or information on our mentoring program and how we can help you succeed in your career goals please visit our website at http://www.riseuae.co/

Or email paris@riseuae.co

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