Interview Survival Tips: Arm Yourself With Casual Converstion Topics

It’d be nice if we could summon confidence at a moment’s notice, but sometimes that wellspring of courage can be hard to find. Arguably, going to an interview is one of the more important experiences that requires a plentiful supply of conviction. If you’re not the most extroverted of people, here’s some advice that might help.

Image by studio tdes, licensed under CC BY

The Muse’ Aja Frost has compiled a few tips to aid interviewees that find preparing for the big moment a challenge. For instance, it’s more than likely you’re going to talk about more than just the job and its duties, so make sure you have a couple of specific conversation topics up your sleeve:

I’ve learned that it helps to come up with a couple “casual” questions in advance that you can throw in as needed. In fact, this is a great opportunity to ask questions that don’t feel so pointless!

For example, instead of bringing up the weather, ask your interviewer what her favorite seasonal activity is. Or, instead of discussing each other’s respective hometowns, ask if he knows any local “hidden gems” in the office’s neighborhood.

Frost also suggests that if you can’t decide what to do with your hands and body, take cues from the interviewer:

To make sure this discrepancy doesn’t happen during an interview, subtly copy the interviewer. Is she using lots of gestures? Amp up your own motions. Is he telling jokes? Give your answers some levity. Is her tone professional and courteous? Follow suit … without going overboard, of course.

Hit up article below for a number of other tips that’ll help you survive your next grilling.

5 Survival Tricks Every Introvert Needs to Know Before Going on an Interview [The Muse]


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