In an Interview, Be Smart; Be Witty!

In an Interview, Be Smart; Be Witty!

Whether one is academically intelligent or not, this is not what counts in an interview; it is smartness that mainly counts and not only intelligence. It is social smartness that can get us anywhere nowadays, well, at least in most cases.
Let’s take the interview as a social and professional situation where you should be smart. And don’t, by any means, think you are not smart because each one of us is smart in their own way.

By being smart, I mean knowing your points of strength and working on using and showing them instead of lamenting having those points of weakness that you find difficulty to get rid of. It is not enough and certainly not the right decision to start an interview with the over-confident aura of “I have all the right qualifications that make me the desirable candidate for the job.” The employer already knows that or else you wouldn’t have been called for that interview in the first place. You have passed the first stage successfully, that is the CV stage. So remember that your CV has opened an opportunity for you and that you are on the right track. The employer probably interviews tens of candidates on the same day. What does that mean? It means that what remains after you leave the interview is not what you said but how you said it. It is the impression you leave that remains. Increase your chances of getting the job by showing what awesome person you are; that you have not only the qualifications but also the character and of course the enthusiasm.

Be witty! It is not a good idea in an interview to say, “I don’t know.” Yes, honesty is required but showing your abilities and skills to the best is necessary as well. For example, if asked whether you can use a certain program in your field, say you can use the older version and you are working on learning the newer one, or say that you are currently working on learning about this program. Show knowledge. Employers like to see that the candidates are aware of what is going on around them, especially in their fields. Indeed, some jobs require candidates without experience and that would make things a lot easier. The most important thing is to show much enthusiasm for learning. Show you are a quick learner by nature! Being chosen among tens or hundreds of CVs means a lot. The interview is the face-to-face version of the CV. It is your chance to show how great you are and how you are the most fit for the job, so instead of being nervous before an interview, look at the positive side of it. It is your chance to show who you are and what you can do. Being witty is something that is not taught but rather developed and practiced.
Be confident! You should enter an interview with an aim, that is, you want to get that job and you can get it. There are hundreds of articles which give tips about what to do before or during an interview but remember to act naturally, be yourself, which is very important. Don’t be over-confident. Employers sense that and it is quite annoying to them.

Be positive! It’s ok to talk about your weaknesses when asked about them. The fact that you show you are aware of your weaknesses shows the employer how you understand your own character, but try to show that you are not succumbing to them but rather doing your best to overcome them.. For example, if you think that you can’t work in a team, don’t say that you don’t know how to work in a team, but you can twist it to I “prefer” working by myself or I “think” I am more productive when working on my own and follow it by, “but certainly I go along well in a team as well.” When asked about your strengths, try to talk about your skills in a professional way that relates to the job. After all, you want to show that you are the right employee for this job.

These are my main tips for an interview; be confident, be positive, be smart and of course be witty. And remember to have faith in your abilities that can get you hired.