Coffee chat: interview skills

Redvespa Senior Consultant Pam Wright reflects on a coffee chat with her colleagues, where approaches to interviews were the topic in focus.

The day was going well, like peanut butter & jam or plain chippies & vanilla ice-cream. 
I was riding the bullet to Wellington.  

Ok that last bit was a lie, I was on your standard, Wellington, no-one-is-calling-this-a-bullet, train to town.
Suddenly there's a text,

“Are you ok for a client interview at 2.30pm this arvo?”

Woosh, response sent.

“Sure, why not.” 

Prior to my interview that day, quite coincidentally, I joined some colleagues for coffee. The conversation turned to interviews. I couldn’t have asked for a better planning session if I’d tried. Casually, over a steaming hot black coffee, I absorbed the conversation, reflecting on what I already knew and the fresh tips I was picking up from the group. 

Someone started us off, philosophically,

“Life is a journey, not a destination. Just roll with it and enjoy the interview.” 

With that, the conversation began to flow. 

“I always smile during an interview, it tends to be reflected in my voice.”

“I totally agree, I’m careful to speak with confidence.
Use intonations too, they help make you appear animated.” 

The ideas were pouring out. 

“You could pick a good speaker to watch and get a feel for how they present themself.
Remember though, whoever you learn from, always be yourself, you bring your own skills so let the people know what those skills are.” 

I made a quick note to myself: check out who I consider to be a good speaker.
When I heard someone say, “sit forward and be engaged”, I found myself sharpening my focus. 

“That is, sit forward in a figurative sense, not necessarily physically.” 

“You might also want to try a bit of mirroring.
But be careful, you don't want to appear too obvious and make things creepy.
Just use it to make someone feel comfortable.” 

“Hey, remember to personalise the interview.
Let them know something about you: your passion for the tango or ice sculpting, it doesn’t really matter what, it’s just something that sets you apart from being a number in a series of interviews.
Suddenly, they see you as a person and sometimes there’s some common ground where you might make a connection.”  

I mentioned to the group that I hate the part at the end of an interview where they ask, “Do you have any questions for us?”
My mind usually goes blank and I quietly shake my head and say, “no thanks” while feeling like I should be saying something. Just then, from a quiet corner of the room I heard,

“Bring your curiosity lens to the interview, what's the work about, what platforms do you use?
I don’t wait until the end, I ask questions all the way through the interview.
It helps show I’m engaged, and I’m not just listening to them, I’m hearing what they say.”

Post interview thoughts were shared too, with experience from diverse sources. 

“It can be helpful to think of an interview like an audition, if you don't fit, that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you  - you may not be what the director had in mind, you won’t fit everywhere.”

After that motivational coffee, I went away to look up speakers and I landed on Robin Roberts. Effervescent, bold, and motivating - and that’s just when she spoke, her personality was big and bold too. I knew I had found my speaker of choice.

2:30pm 

I walk into the interview channeling my best Robin Roberts: smiling, enthusiastic, and a little animated. I think back to the coffee session this morning, selecting the appropriate tips and tricks for this interview. 

Ears wide open, hearing and taking it all in. I present myself as a person, not just a name. I share that I recently joined a roller derby, mostly to keep fit but I also love meeting people. Now they are seeing me as a person.   

I start asking questions progressively throughout the interview, it shows I am engaged in the conversation. 

“Have you selected a vendor yet?
What platform are you going to use?
Do you have an inhouse test team?” 

Pretty soon they realise I understand what they are looking for and my questions inadvertently tell them that it could be me.

I am not sure what predefined image the director has for this role but I am making every effort to let them see me. Displaying both my work and social skills. “Fit” is high on their agendas. 

The interview is over and it’s time to wait. Regardless of the outcome I have done my best. 

If the role is not mine, but I have interviewed well, then I have won. I am what I am, no pun intended Gloria Gaynor*, and being me is ok. There will be another interview so I will keep polishing those interview skills.

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* Quite coincidentally, Robin Roberts produced I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story 

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