Psychological Tricks to Help You Ace an Interview

Summary: A few simple tricks can help you get successfully get through an interview instead of unconsciously turning the interviewer off.

Body language is as much a part of a job interview as the answers to questions. A nervous tick can ruin an interview over and over again unless you prepare a way to prevent it from taking over the interview. Use these psychological tricks to make your interviews go as smoothly as possible.

Warm up your hands – Arrive early to job interviews so you can warm your hands under warm water or a hand dryer. Don’t overdo it and make your hands sweaty. Dry, warm hands represent confidence whereas cold clammy hands are a big unconscious turn-off to employers.

Mirror, don’t mimic, their movements – Copying subtle movements such as hand gestures and breathing will show that you are on the same page as the interviewer. Do not completely copy their every move, it just makes you creepy. When they cross their legs, cross yours the other way. When they scratch their nose, touch your face with the opposite hand.

Be aware of your nervous habit – If you don’t already know what your nervous habit is, ask someone. Common habits are cracking knuckles, playing with a pen, or picking at your hands. The language your body movement gives can provide the wrong impression to the interviewer. Avoid crossing your arms to show that you are open and willing to understand new things. Sit calmly with your hands folded in front of you to reduce fidgeting.

Find a way to bond with your interviewer – You can conduct research before the interview in an attempt to learn something about them or during the interview compliment them on an aspect of their personality. If you visit their desk and happen to see personal photos, then comment on the activity or place in the photo. Finding something to bond over will make for a better thank you note later.

Understand facial cues – The language your interviewer gives can provide valuable feedback on how the interview is going and if they are searching for more. If the interviewer locks eyes with you, they are probably expecting you to elaborate more on an answer. When you are able to pick up on these small clues, you are able to better your chances on the successfulness of the interview.

Visualize an ideal interview – Imagine yourself in the interview a few days before. Imagine that the interview is going extremely. You can picture yourself handling your emotions so that your nerves don’t get the best of the interview. Preparing that mindset will help you when the actual interview takes place.

Photo: jobswithlanguage.com