Interviews – Who’s In Control?

Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives. Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Today’s guest author is Emma Ford (UK)
Interviews are often seen as the domain of the interviewer. A situation when someone will be interrogated and pressurised, but perhaps this is the view of the candidate and not (always) the intent of the interviewer.
If a candidate approaches the process of interviews thinking that something is going to be done to them and that the interviewer is in sole control of the conversation, then maybe that is what happens; so how can they change the way they think?

• Change the wording used, an ‘interview’ becomes a ‘meeting’
• The ‘meeting’ subject matter is the candidate
• The ‘meeting’ is an adult conversation to ensure the candidate:
• has the skills, knowledge, experience and ability needed
• Is motivated to do the job and work for the organisation
• will add value to the team and the organisation
• The candidate is the expert on the subject matter – That’s YOU

If you attend a meeting you have an understanding of the agenda and do your preparation, in this ‘meeting’, your preparation might cover:

• Researching the organisation, industry, sector; being up to date with the latest news and views
• Understanding what the organisation looks for when recruiting people – use your network
• Be able to talk about yourself confidently; can you talk about each of the areas in the diagram below?

Remember that this ‘meeting’ is a two-way process, it costs an organisation time and money to carry out interviews so if you are invited the organisation is interested in you; it is your opportunity to decide whether you like them and if the role offered delivers what you want and need, so think about your own questions.
The more research and preparation you do about a subject matter (you) the more confident you will be before you attend the ‘meeting’. There is another piece of preparation that is often missed and that’s you as a person, Piero Vitelli (www.island41.com) an expert in presentation skills, suggest that before we make a presentation we prepare our content but not ourselves, we tend to do the same for ‘meetings’. So to complete this short overview of ‘meetings’, add yourself to your preparation list, don’t warm up during the ‘meeting’, think about what you can do beforehand:

• Be ready to have a conversation
• Talk to the receptionist or fellow candidates
• Chew gum to get your lips, mouth and tongue ready to speak
• Warm up your body – release extra energy
• Go for a walk
• Exercise before you travel
• Use stairs, not a lift
• Reduce your stress levels
• Meditate
• Eat and drink
• Create the right environment for you

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