Job Interviews: 10 Things to Practice

You have been practicing your whiteboarding and you’ve been studying data structures & algorithms inside out. You can effectively speak to your experience and qualifications.

But what about the part of the interview that has nothing to do with software development, and everything to do with interpersonal, social behavior? For a lot of companies, an applicant’s culture fit is as important if not more important than your technical chops.

Using your body language and non-verbal cues to display confidence (but not arrogance) comes down to how you naturally carry yourself.

Here are 10 things to practice that will help you walk into and out of the job interview with confidence.

5 Things You Should Do:

1. Smile and listen
   If you are engaging and attentive in the interview, it sends a strong signal to the hiring manager that you will be an engaging and attentive employee. Smile and nod in response to questions and conversation. Raising your eyebrows will also show interest. If it feels uncomfortable, try practicing in the mirror or with a partner. You may feel odd at first, but with practice, it will become much more natural.

2. Make eye contact
   Looking someone in the eye shows sincerity and validates the other person’s presence. It also helps you become more memorable to the interviewer. Especially when interviewing over video, be sure to position your camera so that you are looking directly into the camera.

3. Deliver a strong handshake (when in person)
   Match the other person’s grip, and give a full handshake (not one of those awkward tip-of-the-finger ones). Every form of expression during your interview, however small, gives the interviewer an impression of who you are. The handshake stands out as either firm and authoritative, or feeble and uncertain.

4. Stand (or Sit) tall
   How you carry yourself translates into your work, and hiring managers will take notice if your shoulders are slumped and your posture is collapsed. Be sure to position yourself appropriately in the camera.

5. Ask questions
   Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and genuinely care about the company and mission. Questions about the culture, history, current events, work/life balance, and team dynamics (in addition to specifics about the job) show that you want to contribute to each part of the company.

5 Things You Shouldn’t Do:

1. Look away from the Camera or at the floor
   Keeping your head up and your eyes focused will give you the chance to pick up non-verbal communication from your interviewer(s), which can help you direct your responses in the right direction.

2. Tell the interviewer that you don’t want the role you are interviewing for, but just want to get in the door
   It is great that you want to work for the company, but if this is the role they have, you need to embrace it, learn it, excel, and let your performance demonstrate your ability to do bigger things.

3. Fumble through answers
   If you get stuck on a question, start by paraphrasing the question back to be sure that you understand it. You don’t have to know every answer, but do tell the person what you are thinking.

4. Communicate that you don’t understand or know the company’s mission
   Everyone is happiest when employees share the company’s mission. If you don’t agree with the mission of the company, it’s a recipe for disaster. Even if you succeed in getting the job, it will be tough to do great work if your heart isn’t in it.

5. Interrupt
   You may think you know where the interviewer is going with a question, but resist the urge to jump in and answer. You might cut them off from providing important context, or take the question in a direction that’s incorrect. Give them plenty of time to ask their question, which will give you more time to think about how you want to answer.

There you go! Apply these 10 tips and you’ll exude confidence, and win interviewers over. Good luck!