| Athletes, performers and presenters across all | | | | It is important to play this game full out. Pretend that |
| disciplines know that practicing is only way to be sure | | | | you are there in the interview. Like a musician |
| of increasing the probability of consistently achieving | | | | practicing a piece of music, if you lose your place or |
| the desired result. Assessing practice sessions in a | | | | make a mistake, recover and continue, do not stop |
| constructive manner will develop a personal set of | | | | your presentation. In a real interview this situation can |
| tools and strategies to overcome paralyzing stress, or | | | | and does happen. It only becomes significant to the |
| deal with distractions that are often present in | | | | interviewer, if you fail to deal with it in a professional |
| competition and/or performance situations. In | | | | manner, in other words, maintain composure and |
| basketball, it is common to see a player preparing to | | | | continue with your response to its logical conclusion. |
| attempt a goal by repeatedly bouncing the ball. Then | | | | 3. Evaluate the Adequacy of your Response. |
| with single-minded focus on the hoop they aim and | | | | Reviewing your delivery, content, organization and |
| throw to make the shot. The preparatory bouncing of | | | | presentation is essential to improving your |
| the ball is designed to tell the player's mind and body to | | | | performance. If another person can observe you, then |
| remember what they have practiced and to do it | | | | ask for their feedback. Were you convincing? What |
| exactly as rehearsed, right there and then. | | | | did they like? What could you improve? Sometimes it |
| Preparing for a job interview requires the same | | | | is good to give your evaluator a form with the specific |
| practice discipline. An interview performance requires | | | | areas you want them to assess, like "Did I talk too fast, |
| the applicant to | | | | if so, where?" If practicing on your own, staple the |
| 1 Listen and interpret the interviewer's questions | | | | question slip to the top of a sheet of paper. Make |
| 2. Formulate and organize thoughts and ideas, and | | | | notes about how you felt you performed, what went |
| 3. Verbally present a confident response in an | | | | well, and indicate what you need to practice again to |
| engaging manner. | | | | give a better response this question and why. These |
| The stress of an interview situation along with the | | | | sheets become an excellent reference source for |
| surprise factor of hearing a new question makes | | | | review of future responses or as checklists on similar |
| concentration and logical thinking a challenge for many | | | | subject matter. |
| applicants. As a result their responses may not include | | | | Many people avoid listening to recordings of their |
| all the requested information. A hesitant delivery will | | | | voices, or even worse, seeing themselves performing |
| damage a candidate's chances of being considered | | | | on video. The rewards of reviewing your audio or |
| competent to perform all requirements of the role. In | | | | visual interview performance far outweighs the |
| fact, the candidate may be qualified, experienced and | | | | impediments created by excessive self-judgement. |
| capable, but let down only because they present | | | | Using recordings to confirm whether the required |
| themselves poorly in an interview situation. | | | | standard has been achieved, and to identify areas of |
| This strategy has three simple phases - collect | | | | improvement is now a standard practice for any |
| questions, present your response and review your | | | | serious performer. As World Public Speaking |
| answer for adequacy of content, organization and | | | | Champion, Ed Tate once said, "You look like that. You |
| delivery performance. | | | | sound like that. Get over it." |
| 1. Collect Sample Interview Questions. The wider the | | | | Listed below are the benefits of practicing a job |
| range of questions the better; both the standard | | | | interview response out loud, just as if you were there: |
| interview questions on written, verbal and interpersonal | | | | - Being able to assume a relaxed state prior to being |
| communication, teams and organization as well as | | | | asked a question |
| those specific to the role, discipline and industry sector | | | | - Avoiding auditory paralysis brought on by excessive |
| being apply for. For example, if the job specialty is | | | | stress or fear |
| computers, then make sure to include technical | | | | - Enabling the analytical and logical parts of your brain |
| questions. Surprisingly little time is required to search | | | | to work creatively together |
| interview websites and copy text to create a list of | | | | - Allowing access to a higher intelligence to assess |
| over 200 questions. These need to be printed onto a | | | | how the interview is progressing, and if not favourable, |
| sheet of paper, and then cut into strips so there is only | | | | to have intellectual and emotional capacity to make |
| one question per strip of paper. All are to be placed in | | | | adjustments to your presentation and/or engagement |
| a single container. HINT: Try not to read, interpret or | | | | of the interviewer |
| think about questions as you gather them. | | | | - Becoming accustomed to instantly thinking and |
| 2. Practice Listening to Questions and Delivering your | | | | organizing your thoughts on any subject |
| Response. To recreate the surprise element, questions | | | | - Increasing the likelihood of presenting confidently using |
| should be pulled at random from the container. As | | | | appropriate voice and body language |
| most interview questions are asked by an interviewer, | | | | - Confirm, practice and consolidate good performance |
| it is ideal to have someone read the question to you. | | | | techniques |
| However when this is not possible, simply select a slip | | | | - Develop and rehearse a repertoire of stories to |
| of paper from the container, read the question and | | | | illustrate a particular skill or competency |
| promptly launch into presenting a response. HINT: Read | | | | - Identify and address any weaknesses in presentation, |
| the question once or twice only, and then get rid of | | | | organization and content, and |
| paper to avoid the temptation of rereading and | | | | - Practice talking about yourself in a positive way. |
| disturbing the flow of your response. | | | | |