How to communicate effectively in a job interview

Take a few deep breaths to calm down if you feel yourself getting nervous or overwhelmed

Communicating effectively is one of the key steps to performing well in a job interview. It lets an interviewer know you are articulate, educated and personable. Learn a few methods on how to communicate effectively in a job interview so you make a good impression on potential employers.

Utilize small talk:

Use small talk at the beginning of the interview to your advantage. Smile, respond to pleasantries and be sure to shake your interviewer’s hand. This will help the interviewer gain an understanding of your personality and how you communicate with people.

Stay positive:

Focus on positive or neutral topics. Avoid mentioning any negative issues or controversial current events that will cause the mood of the interview to shift in a negative direction.

Answer the questions:

Communicate clearly in a job interview by answering the questions you are asked succinctly without elaboration or extra examples. Your interviewer will ask for examples if they are needed. Answer questions thoroughly and completely, but do not ramble or stray far from the original questions asked.

Be professional:

Your interviewer will likely be friendly and might try to make you feel comfortable, but this does not mean you should treat the interviewer like your friend. Remember that you are in a business setting, interviewing for a professional position, so conduct yourself accordingly.

Skip the slang:

Speak professionally during your interview with complete sentences and avoid slang terms or colloquialisms. This does not mean using big words outside your normal vocabulary. Just speak in a professional polished way.

Avoid fillers:

Avoid using filler words like ‘um’ or ‘like’ in sentences or to fill gaps in the conversation when you are speaking during the interview. This habit will make you sound unpolished and unprofessional. Practice conducting an interview-length conversation with a friend and focus on eliminating these words from your speech if this is something you tend to do when you are nervous or speaking in public.

Let the interviewer run the interview:

It is important to let your interviewer steer the interview in the direction he wants or needs it to go. Do not interrupt or change topics if he is discussing something. Ask for a moment at the end of the interview if you feel you have an important qualification to mention or skill that you would like to highlight.

Breathe:

Take a few deep breaths to calm down if you feel yourself getting nervous or overwhelmed during the interview. This pause will help you regain focus and maintain your level of confidence.