Synchronized breathing is an obvious way to hack a technical interview ......but first you have to footprint then..you proceed to the rest:

* You meet a nice sexy lady (anchoring)
* You take her out
* Then comes the part you start complementing and all crazy about getting to the hacking (footprinting)
* You get down... (post-footprinting)

did I miss anything?

the_gank

This article comes at a very good time for me. Thank you!

-Ronny

RonnyNussbaum

Most of these things have nothing to do with a technical interview, but rather interviews in general.

Let me summarize: build rapport by mimicking your interviewer, ask questions about the interviewer and the position, associate yourself with powerful statements, and others with weak statements.

The shocking part for me was the response of the audience. The audience appears to be very engaged, but laughing at many things that are actually extremely true, and not necessarily funny. It shows me that the people in the room were pretty much like every other technical person out there, which is to say that they think they will win purely based on their technical merit. When is the last time that happened in a company?

ffejie

That was a great video, NPL is indeed very powerful whatever you're trying to achieve, mostly during negotiation, I think I got my last job because I've been able to follow these steps.

dronnac

This is very sad for me. I do not connect. I'd better stay where I am until I die. Hopefully that won't be an extended period of time :(

GasGiant

@GasGiant: ooh..don't give up ...:-) is this a condolence blog? lol because if that was the case, I have a friend who has had interview with ibm, toyota, M$, Intel, Timken, you name it... and still no job... i know this guy is good at this stuff and he recently obtained his masters....so can some1 tell me what he is suppose to think about this video?

the_gank

great piece. thanks a lot!

Cee Bee

@gasGiant,
I know exactly how you feel, but can tell you also that right when you won't expect it, you'll land your next gig.

Trust me and hang in there bud.

-Ronny

RonnyNussbaum

Great talk from Vj and it's particularly important to become aware of these 'layers' in job interviews because there is such a wealth of similarly qualified/certified and similarly experienced candidates out there. As such, the interviewer's decision to hire/not hire is rarely based on someone who is head and shoulders above all the other candidates on a technical level.

Ask most managers who have just made a hire when they knew they had the right person and you will hear some version of "As soon as he/she sat down." Human beings use thin slicing whether they want to or not. Human beings select by mirroring whether they want to or not. Human being are prone to cold reading and seduction techniques whether they want to be or not. So, yes - you have to have the appropriate certifications and have your technical ducks in a row. But this kind of 'soft' skill is far more important in the hiring room. Your qualifications and experience get your foot in the door. At that point, the interviewer is asking "What else ya got?"

Rowan [fortifyservices.blogspot.com]

manahan-the-magnificent

This kind of thing can be funny at times. A few weeks ago, there was a young man asking for a job in the Human Resource office just accross the hall from my desk. The wall is made of thick glass so any passer-by can see what's going on inside. At first, I didn't notice anything particular, but at second look I realize the young man was mimicking pretty much every move made by the interviewer (we've known each other more than ten years.) I left my desk and discreetly went for a closer look at what then appears to be like a natural phenomena of some kind. The all thing was mesmerizing. As I was asking myself How did he do that, I heard a familiar beep from my computer. The interviewer in his glass office had managed to send me a short e-mail while interviewing the young man. It said: "Praise The Lord! Mime Marceau is in the building!" (Mime Marceau passed away last year [en.wikipedia.org]) Of course, the youg man didn't get the job, not because he was not qualified, I think...

SamVed

"People like people who are like themselves. Syncing is way by which you can establish deep rapport with anyone by mimicking their physiology. By sitting
in the same posture, nodding in the same way, breathing at the same rate, you can create a strong connection with the interviewer."

As Woody Allen said, I think it was in "Annie Hall" :

"I may throw up"

I think you have to be yourself and not believe in that kind of BS.

Not being yourself, trying to make up some one you have never met before you are most likely to make a mistake.

I want to contribute in my work, not being a mirror, an imitator :
either they hire me for myself either I go and see another company

I am not (neither do I want to become) the master of the world, I do not look to get full power on everything
But I least I want the right to be myself,
a respectfull of others myself but not an offspring invention or an instant clone

Thibault

Video is no longer available.

PatrickTulskie

NLP, Hypnosis, and Mind Tricks. Yes I have tried all of these in interviews, selling, influencing people. This subject is very laughable but true. The better you get at these skills, the better communicator you are becoming. Remember, communication happens at all levels.

danahyatt

It's like a B-Grade comedy with an poorly synched laugh track... Seriously - what's funny about any of that?

wordsmith

This is absolutely the truth. Don't let the job description throw you. I interviewed many years go with a professional services firm. The description had requirements and qualifications that included the kitchen sink. I was experienced in some of them, but rather than addressing my skills I got caught up in trying to prepare to answer for each of the items in the JD. Wrong move. Rather than being relaxed and selling the interviewer why I was the right person for the job, I flailed helplessly in the water and did not get the job. Fast forward to a couple of years ago and another opportunity with a large healthcare firm. I went in very relaxed and got the job. I wasn't experienced in each of the items in the JD, but I was able to show that I had enough knowledge to learn what I didn't know.

Hongfiately

I'm not sure why people were laughing, except maybe that it was so simple they thought he must be kidding.

This is excellent, and completely true. I believe him when he says he has received offers from all of his interviews.

@Thibault: I think you need to be true to your skills. Don't present experience or workmanship that you do not have or are not interested in doing. However, when it comes to interviews, there is a human factor that has nothing to do with skills. That's what this guy is saying. Eliminate the human, subjective, personality quirks and make them focus on your resume, ability to speak, and experience.

almostlucid

One tip he didn't mention: sneak a leaky tank of nitrous oxide into the room 15 minutes before you enter.

Seriously though, I think a lot of people will rank how well they get along with their coworkers next to or above their technical abilities. Great tips for making a great first impression.

I love seeing these things on lifehacker, keep it up!

SamburgerHandwich

"I think you have to be yourself and not believe in that kind of BS."

I don't like the way this guy spins this. He makes it sound very manipulative. I've been using similar tactics for years without knowing anything about "NLP" or any of this stuff - I just worked it out.

The thing is, it's not about manipulating people (or shouldn't be). It should be about making them comfortable and making whatever experience you are sharing (a conversation with a strager on a bus, an important conversation with your spouse, or - yes - an interview) enjoyable for the other person. Isn't that just human decency? Showing concern for your interviewer is a great way to make them like you, and like-ability is actually an important trait for most jobs. Unlikeable people have to work twice as hard to accomplish anything, since their peers don't like to support them (I'm thinking of someone specific right now).

Sadly, for this guy I think it *is* about manipulating people. His statement about using anchoring not just to make yourself look good, but to make the other person look bad? That strikes me as unethical - do make yourself look good, but not at others expense.

Plus, focusing too much on being likeable is a waste of the interview. If you are interviewing with a potential teammate or lead, remember that you are interviewing them as well - see how they respond to you.

The basic ideas seem sound to me, but I really don't like the presentation. I know he's trying to be funny, but this is stuff that can be manipulative. The "negative anchoring" he discusses can practically be emotional abuse if overused in the wrong situations.

ethele

Isn't Andy on The Office pretty much based on this?

Johnay

Wow. I needed this yesterday. It's so very uncomfortable having to say "I don't know" many times during and interview. It's funny too, I used to ace these.

Does anyone ask for people skills any longer?

spacecowgurl

20 offers in 20 interviews and his gift to hackers is neuro-linguistic programming? This is common people trickery lifted from fashion magazines, rebranded for geeks. @ffejie called it.

lifesmack

I agree that the information VJ presented here is really a list of things specific to interviewing in general...though I don't think that demerits the value of the information.

The reason I think VJ was brought in to give his presentation in the first place is that many technical employee candidates lack these skills (syncing, anchoring and footprinting) while they excel with their technical skill.

So, the skills VJ presents, coupled with the technical skill we all hope you have (otherwise you shouldn't be interviewing in the first place), should give you an edge over the competition and (hopefully) win you the job.

Good luck with those interviews everyone!

--DVO

dvo

I agree with what ffejie says that the information VJ presented here is really a list of things specific to interviewing in general...though I don't think that demerits the value of the information. The reason I think VJ was brought in to give his presentation in the first place is that many technical employee candidates lack these skills (syncing, anchoring and footprinting) while they excel with their technical skill. So, the skills VJ presents, coupled with the technical skill we all hope you have (otherwise you shouldn't be interviewing in the first place), should give you an edge over the competition and (hopefully) win you the job. Good luck with those interiews everyone! --DVO

ChaunceyDarnified

Why aren't my comments posting?!

omegahelix

I was wondering if they were laughing at his delivery...it was a very disorganized speech.

omegahelix

What the hell was he talking about?

omegahelix

Um....what the hell was he talking about?!

omegahelix