Chika Uwazie’s TalentBase: 4 Ways To Sell Yourself During An Interview & Get Hired

So you have finally been called for an interview (after months and months of applying to different firms) by your potential future employer and you are completely over the moon. You call your Mum, your Dad, your siblings and basically anyone that is available to hear your awesome news. This is it, this is the moment right? Hold on just one second! Are you really ready for this interview?

You know deep down that you are the woman/man for this job; You are passionate , energetic, loyal,over efficient; What more could they want right? Yes, that is exactly what they want, but if you don’t give them that impression, if you don’t sell yourself well during that interview, they might never get to experience how awesome you are.

Here are ways to sell yourself during an interview;

Body Language
This is non-verbal communication through conscious and unconscious gestures or movements.

• Your posture and facial expressions should radiate confidence (not arrogance because some seem to confuse the two) and intelligence.
• While waiting on the interview, sit up straight with your chest open (under no circumstances should you hunch your back).
• When the receptionist or assistant comes over to lead you into the interview room, follow his/her pace (don’t be too slow or too fast).
• You are in the interview room and you must know that a handshake is about to happen. Make sure you prepare your right hand before you enter the room (all your belongings should be on your left hand so your right hand can be free). The handshake should not be too strong or too limp (you can practice handshakes with a friend a day before).
• Don’t put your belongings on the interviewer’s table unless you are presenting something. Otherwise, put it on the floor beside you.
• After the interview, stand up calmly, smile, shake hands again and leave gracefully.

Know the Company
It is very important to do proper research on the company before the interview. Find out everything about them; Their culture , recent news and events, size, and so on. There are many candidates that make this mistake (knowing nothing about the company/industry), make sure you are not one of them.

Don’t Complain About Your Former Boss
Yep, you might be tempted to do so (maybe because he/she was an absolute nightmare) but make sure you don’t. If you do, it will make the interviewer think you are difficult to work with, and that is exactly what you do not want.

Remember Your CV
Be prepared to talk extensively about the contents of your CV which include your skills, education, certificates, experience and so on. Make sure to backup each claim with relevant stories from your previous jobs; Let your interviewer know that you are an asset to his/her company.

Last but not the least; you need to be yourself ( the better version of yourself, of course; because we all have our bad sides).

Remember do not try to pretend or fake anything, just be you.