Showing your personality during a job interview can help you connect with the other person and let them see what kind of person you are. It also allows him to see your cultural affinities, which is vain for both of you. Either way, stress can make it difficult to show your personality in an interview. The information in this article can help you relax and show your personality during an interview.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Before the Interview
Step 1. You need to understand the importance of the first impression
In the first five minutes of the interview, your interlocutor will form an opinion about you. This first impression tends to be permanent and can be quite difficult to change, particularly during the short time frame of the interview.
- For example, if you show up for an interview as a salesperson but behave shyly and awkwardly, your interlocutor may think that you are not as outgoing as you claim to be.
- At that point, it doesn't matter how many examples you do or how much you try to explain how proficient you are in this type of work; your interlocutor will continue to see you as a shy and awkward person. So, you will want to do what you can to be yourself and to show your best qualities, those qualities that make you the best choice for that company and the position you are applying for.
Step 2. Simulate the interview and be prepared to answer questions about your life
If you simulate the interview and prepare the answers to the questions that may be asked, you will feel more relaxed during the real interview. This is because you will be able to answer questions without thinking too much.
Step 3. Arrive early so that you have time to relax and organize your ideas
Having a few moments to sit quietly will help your mind relax and enter "interview mode".
Step 4. Try to relax
Being able to relax during an interview is the first step to being yourself. Being relaxed during the interview means not letting stress hide your best self, which would prevent you from showing your best self.
- An experienced interlocutor will try to relax the candidate, starting the interview with an informal chat before moving on to the professional part of the conversation. This is best for both of you, as it builds the relationship and allows you to speak more openly for most of the interview.
- In any case, the fact of building the relationship and feeling comfortable during the interview does not happen every time.
Step 5. Be confident and take the time to answer the questions
Be confident and think positive. If you start thinking negatively, you will end up getting nervous. You have come this far; now you have to prove that you are the right person for this job.
Remember to breathe and take your time to respond. Long, deep breaths will help you stay calm and clear your mind when answering questions
Method 2 of 2: During the Interview
Step 1. Remember to smile
Your personality can be shown by smiling. For example, if you come to the interview with a nice smile, you will give the idea that you are a happy person, who loves to have fun, and this could be your true personality.
- If, in any case, you are a person who appears quite serious, showing your naturally discreet and reserved smile (and not a fake smile, like those in a photograph), you will highlight this characteristic of yours.
- In any case, starting the interview with a spontaneous (not forced) smile will be useful for you to become familiar: you will feel more relaxed, you will be able to show your personality and self-esteem.
Step 2. Be yourself but have a professional attitude
You might be a bit silly, quirky, or have a weird sense of humor. Sometimes it is good to bring out these aspects of character during an interview. However, remember to always have a professional attitude, if necessary by toning down some sides of your character.
- Don't forget why you are doing the interview! Remember that you are not on stage, but you are here to show your strengths and your personality, to convince these people that you are the right man for this job.
- The best possible advice in this situation is to think before saying or doing something a little "over the top". You certainly do not want the interlocutor, at the end of the interview, to think: "Wow, what is this up to?". Instead, he must think: “This person is professionally competent and temperamentally suitable for this company”.
Step 3. Answer the questions by giving relevant examples that show your personality and uniqueness
One of the best ways to answer a question is by giving examples that highlight your ability to do that job. To show your personality you can choose examples that show how certain sides of your character help you get the job done successfully, leading you to make the right choices.
For example, you can tell your interlocutor about when you organized a small competition within your team to reduce errors in the reports, rewarding with a dinner who, after two weeks, had made the least number of errors. This will show your interlocutor that you have a unique personality, and the ability to motivate your team in a fun way
Step 4. Avoid posing
Showing your personality does not mean posing; this must come out naturally. If you try to force this, you will be perceived as a fake person, and it will become apparent that you are trying to appear as someone you are not. And this is very tiring for you too!
- For example, introducing yourself to an interview too forcefully, speaking loudly and too high might prove to be boringly excessive, as it would not be seen as spontaneous. And by the middle of the interview, you will probably be so tired that you can't concentrate.
- Remember not to act like the kind of person you think the company wants to hire, but be yourself.
