Confidence is not all about self-esteem, being positive and smiling. Practical confidence comes from knowing you’re prepared. The store of confidence you get from good preparation can bolster your interview performance and help you cope with any unwelcome surprises.
Likewise, saying the right thing at an interview is not just a question of being friendly, enthusiastic and articulate. Yes, it’s important to say things well but not quite as important as saying things the interviewer wants to hear.
So, I’ve prepared some questions that you may well be asked. It’s worth taking some time to think about them because in the heat of the moment, while the adrenaline is running, your answers might be less cohesive and more rambling than you’d prefer.
By thinking about your answers now, you’re less likely to be unnerved or falsely flattered by these questions, many of which are designed to test your response. You’ll look and feel in control of the interview.
Types of questions
There are four basic types of questions you could be asked:
- Icebreakers
- Requests for information
- Attitude Questions
- Trick Questions
We’ll deal with each of these in 4 parts over the next few weeks and today I will start with…
Icebreakers
These are usually innocent enquiries. There is nothing to fear from the questions themselves, but their position, at the beginning of the interview means they will form a large part of the initial impression you make. So you should aim to sound relaxed and not take too long over making your answer.
Typical examples are
- Come a long way to get here?
- Find us easily enough then?
- Traffic okay?
All of these questions are simply about breaking the ice. The interviewer is making polite conversation before the real exchanges begin. However, even within this situation, they will be alerted if your answer rambles on or reveals too much about you all at once. Just be polite, brief and positive. Even if you have a very hard time with the buses or tubes, there’s no need to go into detail about the shortcomings of the London transport network. This is not the place. Remember: polite, brief, positive.
“They may forget what you said but they will not forget how you made them feel.”
Watch out for my next post when I will inform you about ‘Requests for Information’.
