7 Seconds of Magic: The Real Secrets of Interview Success

I have been privileged over the last 30 years to have interviewed over 4000 people for various jobs; for top Universities

By Tim T Dingle BSc (Hons) MIBiol PGCE MBA

I have been privileged over the last 30 years to have interviewed over 4000 people for various jobs; for top Universities, the Armed Forces and for positions in teaching, banking, hotels, restaurants and management. Without doubt the skills I have learnt in this process have enabled me to understand the qualities required to be successful at interview. It was my joy during my MBA to look at interview success and write my dissertation paper was on this subject. Did you know that:

They will decide in 7 Seconds on 11 factors whether they like you, dislike you or are indifferent.
41% of interviewers know within the first 90 seconds of an interview whether they will hire someone
Having little to no knowledge of the company is the most common mistake made during interviews
70% of bosses say that failure to make eye contact is a common nonverbal mistake
When meeting new people, 55% of the impact comes from the way the person dresses, acts and walks through the door
65% of bosses indicate that clothes could be a deciding factor between two almost-identical candidates
The number one question most likely to be asked is still the rather tedious: Tell me about yourself.

The skills required to be successful at interview are relatively simple. However most people choose to ignore them believing that they have some access to excellence without perhaps understanding the background required to be successful. Knowledge of body language, your own values, how people interpret what we say and establishing rapport, are at the heart of being good at interviews. So my 11 nuggets and a bonus:

Start well: 7 seconds….make those first impressions count. Greet your interviewer with a smile and firm handshake. Give great eye contact. Try to make small talk during the walk from the reception area to the interview room.
The secret is in the preparation. So the basics like, re-reading your CV and the job advert just before the interview. Do your research thoroughly. So many candidates have no idea about the company. I have had restaurant general managers who had not even visited the premises for a £100k position! The bare minimum is to look at the company web site, watch the videos or obtain literature. You may be asked about the salary you are after so make sure you research that as well. This cannot be stressed enough. All too often job applicants get knots in the pits of their stomachs because they don’t know what to expect. Not knowing what kind of curve balls employers can throw at you can be pretty nerve wrecking. But an easy way to walk into your scheduled interview with confidence is to plan ahead and think through all of the worst-case scenarios. This includes not only formulating answers to common interview questions such as “why do you want to work here?” and “why should we hire you instead of the other applicants?” but also jotting down answers to the questions you fear the most. For example, is there a particular question that you are just dreading that the interviewer will ask? If so, face your greatest fear and try coming up with an answer that is both honest and will reflect you in a positive light.
It is a negotiation: why should they not hire you? Most job adverts will list qualities they're looking for (classically they want a team worker and a good communicator) so it's up to you to think of examples of how you can demonstrate these skills. Be ready to talk about your knowledge, experience, abilities and skills. Have at least three strong points about yourself that you can relate to the company and job on offer.
If you don’t believe in you, who will? Your interviewer will be thinking about what it would be like to work with you, so the last thing they'll want to hear is you talking about your boss or current colleagues behind their back. Interviewers like to see someone who enjoys a challenge and is enthusiastic.
I see you: remember your body language. It is not what you say, but how you say it. During the interview, do not fold your arms and lean back or look to the floor. Sit upright and try to maintain good eye contact. Use your hands and lean forward when making a point. Many people cannot think and control their body language at the same time, which is why you need to prepare.
Expect the unexpected (know expects the Spanish Inquisition/ Comfy Chair) Your interviewer may try to catch you off guard. A survey by the people atOffice Angels has revealed that 90 per cent of employers ask killer questions in interviews. It is impossible to plan for every difficult question, such as "How would your colleagues describe you?" but try to appear relaxed and in control. Ask the interviewer to repeat the question if necessary but do not evade it.
Develop and learn the skills of rapport. Show energy, a sense of humour and smile. Ask your interviewer questions about themselves and any issues the business is facing. They don’t say laughter is the best medicine for nothing. Not only has studies proven that laughing can help cure the body of certain diseases and illnesses, but it can also reduce the levels of stress hormones and anxiety. This is because when one laughs, the body releases chemicals called endorphins. These are the same chemicals that are released when we exercise and the same chemicals that naturally help fight-off depression. So to replace any negative, jittery feelings with positive, confident ones simply fill the hours leading up to the interview with laughter. Go visit your funniest friend or watch that one movie no matter how many times you see it always leaves you in stitches. Come learn stand up comedy with me. If all fails, you can even make yourself laugh by making a few funny faces in the review mirror.
Clarify if you don’t understand. If you are not certain what are meant by a particular question, ask for clarification. At the end, ask the interviewer if there is anything else he or she needs to know about. Do not be afraid to ask when you are likely to hear if you have been successful or not.
Remember your manners. It is better to choose than to be chosen. Tell the interviewer why you are interested in the company and job opportunity. Ask them for a business card and follow it up by sending a thank-you e-mail or letter, saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and how interested you are. Take the opportunity to detail the key advantages you bring. Write a thank-you note in the old-school way – on paper with a nice black ink pen.Unless it is for Rymans. Make sure you spell their names correctly. So few people write thank-you notes that this alone will create a positive impression.
Bring a planner or pad of paper and a pen. This way, you can take notes or even write down your questions if you tend to get nervous.
Be Open About Nervousness. Lastly, if you start feeling nervous during the interview remember that it’s ok to admit it. During the beginning of the interview or if you start to stumble on a question, it’s ok to say something like, “I apologise, I’m extremely nervous. This is my first interview” or “It’s been quite some time that I’ve been in this position.” This will only make you appear more human and the interviewer may just be able to relate to you more. Who knows, the interviewer may even be just be as nervous as you are.

One bonus tip, choose one of these quotations that most suits you. Learn it. Write it down and use it.

“A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men.” – Plato
“Achievement results from work realizing ambition.” — Adam Ant
“Big thinking precedes great achievement.” — Wilferd A. Peterson
“Death comes to all, but great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” — Napoleon Hill
“High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.”— Charles F. Kettering
“I’m glad I did it, partly because it was worth it, but mostly because I shall never have to do it again.” — Mark Twain
“It’s amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions.” — Charles F. Kettering
“Never mistake activity for achievement.” — John Wooden
“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” — Anthony Robbins
“Success each day should be judged by the seeds sown, not the harvest reaped.” — John C. Maxwell
“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.” — Abraham Lincoln
“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.” — Denis Waitley
“If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.” — Vince Lombardi
“Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people.” — Nido Qubein
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” — Zig Ziglar
“You have to ‘be’’ before you can ‘do’, and do before you can ‘have’.” — Zig Ziglar
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” — Albert Einstein

Follow the three Ps – prepare, practise and perform.

Be Amazing Every Day

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