4 Little-Known Tips for Better Interview Performance

Research suggests people are more apt to hire people they'd like to hang out with, than the best qualified candidate. 

While it's important to demonstrate your fit (see this article if you need help mapping your skills and abilities to a role), you can use your knowledge of the phenomena of interpersonal chemistry in decision-making to your advantage.

Here are 4 off-the-beaten-path ways to prepare your brain to make a better connection with an interviewer.

HAHAHA!

Right before your interview (sitting in your car in the parking lot--don't do this while driving, please), watch YouTube videos of things that make you laugh such as crazy cat videos, babies laughing hysterically, or whatever tickles your funny bone. There's so many benefits of laughter, one of which is presenting a more relaxed and positive demeanor, which people find appealing.

Nom Nom!

Eat 1/8 of a cup of almonds an hour before your interview. Almonds have magnesium, which plays a major role in the development of serotonin, contributing to feeling happy and mood balancing. Happy people are also more attractive.

"Gratitude is the sign of a noble soul" - Aesop

There is so much research on gratitude. It's an article by itself. Did you know gratitude makes people like us better? People with 10% more gratitude than average have 17.5% more social capital. Start making a daily list of things you're grateful for (nothing is too small!) and it will shape your personality and what you project to others.

V for Victory!

Before your interview, head to the bathroom and stand in a victory pose (arms up in a "V" overhead) for two solid minutes. I prefer the wonder woman pose, personally. Power poses release testosterone, which increases confidence, and decreases cortisol, which reduces stress. Confidence -- that happy place between self-doubt and arrogance -- is an attractive quality.

You can combine these 4 tips with these conventional interview preparation techniques to coax your brain to put your very best foot forward and create better chemistry with interviewers. If you'd like to also leverage personality to make an even stronger connection, here are some tips!

All the best to you!

Kristin

Kristin Sherry, International Strengths-based Career Coach, is Owner and Principal of Virtus Career Consulting.
www.virtuscareers.com

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