Editor's Desk

What a sense of contentment and pride it is when you walk out after a job interview that went well! Most times, it is your ability to build a conversation you are convinced about.Here are a few ways to turn an interview, into a good conversation that yields benefits. Reduce any pre-interview anxietySometimes our focus is so much on hiding our anxiety that our attention gets divided. It sure doesn't help the critical first impression. You’re sure better off visualizing yourself charming your interviewer, nailing all the questions, and being offered the job before you even walk out of the door.Here's the tip. The more time you spend preparing, the more confident you'll be at an interview. Know yourself, reflect on your experiences, and be able to articulate how you've developed the skills and abilities the interviewer seeks.Smooth the pathBuilding a rapport though sounds simple can be tricky to achieve. Generalities and clichés don't work all the time. You can bet that every other candidate is using those—and you want to be the one to stand out. Friendly chats about the weather are easy to count on. However, they aren’t very impactful or memorable.People generally enjoy conversation with those who are pleasant to speak with. Showing optimism and positivity throughout the conversation will let the interviewer enjoy the conversation and potentially want to work with you in the future.Track down a common interestResearch the interviewer before you arrive at a meeting. It’s ensuring that you’re as familiar as possible in advance with who the interviewer is. When you indulge in that polite digging through his or her social media profile, keep your eyes peeled for any common interests you share.To your delight, you might get to know that he takes a good amount of vacations every year and you might be an avid traveler too. This could work as an instant connection and lead to great conversations on a shared passion. Now, that does not mean that you tell them abruptly that you breached their privacy by looking into their social media account. What would work, is to bring up something relevant about yourself as naturally as possible when your interviewer asks those inevitable generic questions.Stay tuned as you waitAs you’re waiting for your meeting, be on the lookout for any clues you could use to start a conversation. A quick sneak peek into the company as you wait can be an awesome and highly relevant topic of conversation with your interviewer.You are in luck when you overhear two co-workers discussing a company-sponsored marathon that's coming up soon. Use the opportunity to demonstrate that you have an interest in marathons or to talk about the fun culture. A high level of engagement in what that organization has going on can work out to be a win for you.Be watchful of your non-verbal communicationsEven simple things, like sitting up properly in your chair, maintaining good eye contact, and concluding the interview with a handshake and a smile, can make a big difference to both your own mindset and how the interviewer perceives you.Research has also suggested that mimicking or “mirroring” another person’s posture and gestures helps build rapport. So, when it comes to the interview, be aware of how the interviewer presents themselves at all times.Work on some stories to shareYou’ll need to have more than one line ready, to give to each question you are asked in an interview. It is important that your answers demonstrate that you have actively listened to the question.What's better than having a few stories prepared and ready for your interview? Dig back through your history to find an example that shows you’re a creative, resourceful, and self-motivated problem solver who’s always there in a pinch. Come up with a real-life instance of when something stood in your way and you did everything you could to get around it.Ask questions throughout the interviewAn interview is a two-way street. To help the interview feel more like a conversation, you should ask questions throughout, be sure they are relevant, and not interrupt the flow of the interviewer.Create an opportunity for yourself to learn about the organization, its culture, your roles &amp; responsibilities, and your career path by asking questions. To explore jobs across some of the best SaaS and tech companies, please register with us at <a href="https://yourtribe.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">www.yourtribe.io</a>

Discover simple strategies to transform job interviews into conversations. Learn how to reduce anxiety, build rapport, and make a memorable impression.

Turn Interviews into Conversations: Simple Strategies 

Here are a few tips to turn an interview into a good conversation that yields the best results.