Looking For a Job? Create Rapport with Your Interviewer

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading...

By Nick Ronald, Toastmasters International

In a job interview, however relevant your experience and skills are, a lot will depend on how you present yourself. At one point in my career, I was having great difficulty getting the new job that I really wanted. I joined my local Toastmasters club as I thought that improving my public speaking skills would build my confidence and help with my interviews. In the process, I realized that presenting yourself at an interview is a form of public speaking. What I learned, helped me to get the role I wanted.

Image: Yay Images

Let me share what I wish I had known earlier and help you fast-track your interview success.

What is it that makes interviews scary?

Fear or anxiety about job interviews is very common, and job interviews are a form of public speaking. We fear job interviews because they tap into many of our most common fears:

1. Being judged

We’ll be facing people sitting across the table, judging us, forming an opinion about our suitability based on the answers we give.

2. Being rejected

With interviews, you either get the job or you don’t. So, it’s natural to be fearful of rejection.

3. Selling yourself

Selling is an activity that many of us find hard to do at the best of times, and selling ourselves can be the hardest sell of all.

4. The not knowing

We don’t know what the person interviewing us will be like, what questions they will ask, or how difficult those questions will be.

You can reduce your fear through preparation and practice. The best way to build a great relationship and influence people is to create rapport with them. In other words, establish a connection, a feeling of mutual understanding, of seeing common ground, and liking and respecting each other. Rapport building is an essential step to interview success.

Start as you mean to go on

As you enter the room, walk purposefully toward the interviewer(s). In a Zoom interview, be ready when you first see them. Shake hands, if appropriate, with a firm relaxed grip. And, most importantly, look them in the eye and smile. These body language actions are the most obvious way people will judge our confidence and trust in us.

Body language

Your body language should reinforce the rapport you create. As you listen to a question, turn slightly to face the person who is speaking and nod your head. This signals, ‘I understand, I agree, and I am listening to you’.

Using hand gestures can help to reinforce what you are saying if they are natural and not excessive. You should avoid pointing or clenched fist gestures as these can be seen as arrogant or aggressive. In general, gestures with open palms will encourage communication.

Make sure you use their names

Using the interviewer’s name is a good way to establish rapport, as we are automatically programmed to react to our own name. Imagine the difference in the answer; ‘Well, there was one time, when I worked at….’ And then the same phrase, but with their name; ‘Well, John, there was one time, when I worked at….’.

This is about you

You are selling yourself, so never give other people credit for the work you have done or your achievements. The interviewers don’t care what your team or colleagues achieved, only what YOU achieved. So, with every single example, you must say; ‘I created, I managed, I achieved.

STAR approach

An important technique for job interview success is the STAR method for answering competency questions:

Situation

Briefly set the scene; what was the problem you had to solve or improve.

Task

What were the challenges, and what approach did you take?

Action

What specific actions did you take to solve the problem and improve the situation?

Result

Demonstrate the successful outcome of your actions (and how you measured the success of the outcome).

The STAR method works well for questions such as:

• Tell us about a time…
• Can you give an example of …

Do your research

As a starting point, read the job description. What are they asking, what are they looking for, and what are the essential requirements? You need to prove in your answers that you are what they are looking for and you can do what is required.

As with any presentation or public speaking, you need to know who’s in your audience before you prepare your speech. It is the same for any job interview. It is increasingly likely that interviewers will research you on social media when looking at your application, so do the same. Google them or look them up on LinkedIn, as you might find that you have something in common that you can then use as a point of reference in establishing rapport when you meet. Connections help build trust and rapport, and you can make a note to mention something (a common interest) you share in the interview.

The power of the pause

In Toastmasters, we learn the power of the pause. If you have a mind blank, take a pause. If you start feeling anxious, take a pause. If you notice you’re speaking too quickly, take a pause. If you want your point to have more impact, take a pause. A pause can be very powerful, especially if you combine it with a smile.

Conclude strongly

When an interview ends, like any good speech, you must end with a strong conclusion. You need to make sure you are memorable at this point. There are two ways you can do this (and you can use both). One is by asking questions that help to engage them and show your interest in the role. The second is by finishing with a strong concluding statement like; “thank you for your time today, I have enjoyed talking to you. I am excited to be applying for this role as I see this role as a great fit for my skills and experience, and I know I can make a difference to the success of the xx project/team. I look forward to hearing from you again soon”. Craft your concluding statement to include three bullet points of why you should get the job.

Always smile and maintain good eye contact when delivering your concluding statement.

And finally

If you don’t get the job, ask for feedback. Some companies will give it, and when they do it can prove invaluable. Use the feedback you received to improve your performance at your next interview. Practice makes perfect with public speaking, and it is the same with job interviews, so keep practicing and hone your skills. By putting in the work, you’ll ace your next interview.

      Nick Ronald is a member of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organisation that has provided communication and leadership skills since 1924 through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 400 clubs and 10,000 members in the UK and Ireland.

Members follow a structured educational program to gain skills and confidence in public and impromptu speaking, chairing meetings, and time management. To find your nearest club, visit Toastmasters International.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post or content are those of the authors or the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.