Standing out during a job interview will increase your chance of getting an offer from the company that you have applied to work for. Along with how you present yourself during the interview, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the different techniques that employers use throughout the hiring process to make it easier for you to showcase your skills, demonstrate your work experience and make it clear that you are a good fit for this job.
What Does Standing Out Mean?
Standing out from the crowd during a job interview means leaving an unforgettable impression on the interviewer that can increase your chance of getting hired. For example, your knowledge of the organization or your inspiration for applying for this role might help you stand out and encourage the company to take more of an interest in you.
Steps to Standing Out During a Job Interview
If you have a job interview coming up and really want to be offered this position, there are several things that you can do to stand out from the crowd and make the best impression during the interview.
Be Prepared for All Questions
Not being able to answer a question during the interview is going to make you stand out for all the wrong reasons. Understanding the type of questions that you are likely going to be asked and having your answers prepared will ensure that you avoid any awkward moments and keep the interview going smoothly. Questions about your resume are to be expected in any job interview; your prospective employer is always going to want to know more about your previous education and work experience, so that they can determine if it has prepared you for the role that you have applied for. Check out Placement’s guide on how to answer walk me through your resume questions to make the best impression on your prospective employer when talking about your previous experience. Placement offers further guides on writing resumes and cover letters, standing out in applications, and job listings that you can explore.
Research the Company
One of the main things that interviewers will want to know is how much you know about their company. Researching the company not only shows that you are excited about this opportunity and serious about getting the role, but it also demonstrates your skills to employers when it comes to finding out things for yourself and learning about something new. Before you head to the interview, make sure that you are familiar with the company’s mission statement, target audience, product and services, and history.
Wear Bold Colors
How you present yourself in the interview can also be a simple yet effective way to stand out. Make sure that you follow the dress code and are smart and well put together; however, consider adding a bold accessory, such as a tie or scarf, that can make you visually stand out from the other candidates. The trick here is to not go overboard, but wear something that blends in well with the rest of your outfit but can be used to differentiate you from the other candidates such as ‘the lady in the red scarf’ or ‘the guy in the blue tie’.
Showcase Your Strengths and Your Weaknesses
No employer expects candidates to be completely flawless. In fact, showcasing both your strengths and weaknesses can help you stand out by showing that like everybody else, you are human, and have some areas for improvement. While it is always easier to talk about what you are good at during an interview and leave out the things that you’re not that great at, talking about your weaknesses and areas for improvement can actually put you at an advantage, since it gives you an opening to discuss the things that you think you could learn and improve on while working at the company. To balance it out, highlight how your top skills and strengths could be used to help the company reach its goals.
Arrive Early
Bear in mind that being right on time might be considered late when you turn up for some interviews, so it’s always a good idea to arrive a little bit early. Along with making a great impression from the start by showing your eagerness to get into the interview, arriving early gives you some time to compose yourself before you walk into the building, take some deep breaths, and get familiar with your surroundings. If you have enough time, you can also spend this reading over any notes you’ve taken and preparing for the questions that you might be asked before you go into the interview room.
Watch Your Body Language
How you verbally communicate is important in an interview, but the interviewer might also be taking note of your body language and how you present yourself physically. Non-verbal cues can tell employers a lot about you and how you really feel about the job, so it’s a good idea to watch your body language and make sure that you are using it to give them your undivided attention. Avoid crossing your arms or legs; while this might help you feel more comfortable if you are nervous, it can give the impression that you are closed off, or not confident in yourself. Sitting up straight and giving the interviewer eye contact are both signals that demonstrate you are engaged with the interview and interested in the information you are discussing.
Ask Unique Questions
The job interview isn’t just about answering questions – in most cases, you will also have the opportunity to ask some of your own. It’s a good idea to spend some time preparing questions to ask beforehand. You can use any information that you have gathered while researching the company to ask impressive and unique questions. Companies usually like answering questions from prospective employees as this demonstrates to them that you are interested in learning as much as possible about the business and the position you have applied for.
How you handle a job interview is usually the main difference between getting hired or rejected. If you have a job interview coming up in the future, keep these tips in mind to help you stand out.
