not your

Along with answering the questions correctly and having enthusiasm, it is important to keep a smooth flow during your interview.  We have all been at a party where a group of guys are standing around telling jokes and laughing.  Then somebody says something that doesn’t quite fit and the mood is gone, there is that uncomfortable silence.

One of the places I have seen this is when someone is asked a question like, "What if you are on duty and a co-worker smells like marijuana smoke?"   The candidate, thinking he will get extra points for being innocent, says, "Well, I don’t know what marijuana smells like."  Then there is that uncomfortable silence.  You see, the oral board wanted to find out how the candidate would handle a drug problem in the work place. Now they have to explain that he does know what it smells like, and pick back up with the interview.  But he never regains the smooth flow.

Another candidate, when asked if he had anything to add, or any questions for the panel, said "I just wanted to know if you could think of any mistakes I might make in training, after I get hired, so I can avoid them?"  This was met with the opened mouths of the interview panel, they didn’t know what to say.  He had taken an excellent interview and just flushed it.  The last impression they had of him was that he might be kind of goofy.

In both of these situations, the person had done something they thought would make them stand out.  Well it did, but not the way any of us would want.  Don’t try any funny stuff in the interview. It is just too hard to recover if it goes bad.

The best way to keep a smooth, steady flow is to practice, talk into a tape player, talk in your car on the way to work.  Do mock interviews. Jump at any chance you have to be speaking your stuff.  Get to the point that it is like pushing play on a tape player.

So when you go in for your next interview, you can relax and be yourself. Getting to the point that your script is so well memorized, that there is no way you could forget any of it. It can make a big difference. Even if they don’t ask all of the questions you have prepared. It is just the way you carry yourself when you know you have done all you can to be ready. It is a great feeling.

CAPTAIN ROB (Thank you)
NRTC@SONIC.NET
http://www.eatstress.com

You can read more of Rob's wisdom by visiting

http://www.eatstress.com/robs_corner.htm

Captain Rob is Captain Bob's Son. He does all the entry level coaching
by phone nationwide. You can contact him direct with your questions or
set up a coaching appointment at 707-869-1330. or e-mail Rob at
nrtc@sonic.net

For more on entry level coaching visit
http://www.eatstress.com/private%20coaching.htm

Home

Back to 101 Inside Secrets