Job interviews are almost always complex situations in which doubts and anxiety can easily arise. Of course, everything depends on the personality of each one and the context that has been experienced during the previous days, but going through a selection process that could significantly change what our life will be like in the coming months, is something capable of putting the Cracking nerves.
In this article we will see Some tips on how to speak in a job interview based on relatively simple and easy-to-remember guidelines.
Even if you are a person who normally doesn’t have too many problems socializing or engaging in dialogue in non-formal contexts, You may be afraid of the possibility of being soft, of saying something inappropriate , or not knowing how to make yourself understood in a job interview. Many of these problems arise from the anxiety and fear caused by uncertainty and the doubts of not knowing what to do.
Therefore, following a series of guidelines on how to speak in a job interview can help you. Following you will find several key ideas to apply in that phase of the personnel selection process
1. Don’t abuse fillers
Using informal expressions is not totally prohibited, but since you are interested in showing your most professional side, it is good to moderate their use. On the other hand, using any of them in a very specific manner and showing that you are aware that their use is a kind of license to make yourself understood, usually conveys an impression of honesty and transparency as long as it is not based on foul language.
Ambiguous and unclarifying answers, explaining secondary ideas of little interest or little related to what we have been asked, are always something negative.
Therefore, even if the question we must answer puts us in an uncomfortable situation, it is preferable to give a clear answer than to make up excuses for not giving the information requested. That way, at least we will show signs of honesty, whereas if we beat around the bush, in addition to seeming uncooperative, Interviewers tend to imagine the worst possible answers
3. Do not speed up the pace of speech
This is one of the most important tips when it comes to knowing how to speak in a job interview, because opting for this communication style offers two advantages.
On the one hand, speaking more slowly makes us adopt a calmer mental and physiological state , and at the same time problems such as getting stuck combining words or having a dry mouth will be less likely to appear, phenomena that can make us feel more insecure. In short, it improves the quality of communication, as long as you do not speak extremely slowly. The key is not to rush when pronouncing the words, rather than taking very long pauses between them.
On the other hand, it helps mask the moments when we hesitate about what to say. But be careful, remember that you must avoid going around the bush, and taking too long to respond can be interpreted as a variant of rambling.
4. Lean on non-verbal language
It is important that the nerves you are going to experience do not limit your mobility. That’s why, Accompany what you say with some hand gestures although these should be rather subtle and not take away from your words (in addition, when sitting in front of a table, the range of movement of your arms is limited).
In addition, it is good that you train to work on the richness of your non-verbal language in regards to the tonality and musicality of your way of speaking. The objective is to avoid using a tone that is too monotonous, very typical in some people who want to adapt to a very formal communication style. Of course, avoid consciously memorizing parts of what you want to say accompanied by a certain way of intoning, or it will be very artificial. It should arise spontaneously, without you putting any effort into it
On the other hand, it is very important to look in the eyes and project your voice well, without it being too muffled due to shyness or insecurity. This is something that many people master even in conversations where there is a certain degree of anxiety, but in some cases it is something that needs to be worked on.
5. Save the questions for the end
It is important to show interest in the job offer and ask some questions about what we are curious about or need to know. However, it is preferable not to ask these questions just when they arise, but rather to remember them and present them at the end of the interview. In this way we will not break the rhythm of the dialogue
6. Make references to the CV
If you support what you are explaining making references to the information contained in your resume , the interviewer will have an easier time connecting the dots and knowing what you are talking about. Remember that the way you make yourself understood also has an impact on the way they will value you.
Remember that, unless other topics are introduced, these two aspects are the ones that most interest the people in charge of carrying out the selection process. Don’t change the subject unless you have a very good excuse for it, and if you do, try not to take too long to explain it.
