The term ‘know your customer’ is often used by people in the workplace. For example, IT staff need to ask questions to understand exactly what the colleague in HR really wants. Sales people must get to know what makes their current or potential clients tick. You can apply this logic to every job in any organisation.
When it comes to interviewing it is essential to ‘know your customer’ – i.e. the interviewer.

So, what’s likely to be on your interviewer’s mind before, during and after the interview? Let’s consider the case of our fictitious but typical interviewer - Abigail:

Before:
Abigail probably read your CV 2 weeks ago when the interview was set. She’s behind schedule so didn’t manage to prepare in the way envisaged. This means only a quick scan of your CV, picking out a few key points to discuss in the interview to make it sound like she’s prepared. Whilst you wait in the lobby, Abigail grabs a few sips of coffee to get her energy up for the meeting since she’s conscientious and wants to create a positive impression about the company she works for.

During:
First impressions do count. Abigail readily admits the first 5 minutes are likely to affect her decision. Fear not if you’re a slow starter – interviewees who keep level headed, have insightful questions and appear genuinely enthusiastic about the company have an equally good chance. Abigail looks for compelling reasons to hire throughout the interview. This usually means evidence of over-achievement or interesting experiences that distinguish a candidate. She also says people who understand their capabilities meaning strengths AND weaknesses also tend to fare much better. Smiles, positive body language and appearing to “fit” with the culture are also vital.

After:
Abigail goes back to her desk, writes a few balanced notes and ponders how she will “sell” your case to her boss. She to make you an offer but needs to be sure her manager will agree. The last thing Abigail wants is for her manager to disagree, since it reflects badly on her judgement and subsequent career prospects. This is why final interviews are often easier than first interviews.
Interviews will of course differ. You may face a competency based interview with a recruitment or HR professional and we will tackle this in a future newsletter. The case of Abigail will be important for you to know when you are faced with an interview by your potential manager.

4 points to take-away:
• ‘Know your customer’
• Your CV got you the interview, but since then it’s probably only been looked at for a couple of minutes.
• There are 4 or 5 things you need to do in an interview to perform well (as per last week’s newsletter). Not difficult tasks, just be aware and take time to prepare.
• The interviewer wants to support you and will work with you to find reasons why you should get the job.

Try treating your CV, application form and interview process like a game – know the rules, get prepared, give it your best shot and enjoy it.