Going for that job interview can be super stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. After all, most interviewers are simply normal human beings like you; they are not CEOs (in most cases) or rock stars. This actually means that you could be at an advantage. But, to exploit the situation, you’ll need to stay calm, gather your wits, and use some simple psychological tricks.

4 Psychological Tricks To Breeze Through An Interview

1.The Handshake

“Be sure to give a firm handshake, but not too tight; keep it short & make eye contact & smile while doing so”
It’s your first direct interaction and the only moment of physical contact you will have with your interviewer. This makes it extremely important to creating a first impression, as you can give away many clues to your personality through your handshake.

Firstly, make sure to warm and dry your hands just before you meet your interviewer, as cold and clammy hands are a put off, and indicate nervousness. As for the handshake itself, keep it firm and short, but not tight enough to crush; while handshaking, also try to make eye contact and flash your pearly whites!

2.Posture

“Never slouch or recline during an interview; keep your back straight & simply lean forward to show interest in the conversation”
Your parents always scolded you about your posture and now you should be grateful. Your posture isn’t just important to avoid spine problems; it also helps create an impression. How you sit, stand, and hold yourself, gives an interviewer insight into your frame of mind and personality.

So, make sure you do not slouch or recline completely in your chair, even if the interviewer asks you to make yourself comfy. Instead, try to keep your back straight throughout the interview and lean forward occasionally to show interest.

Whatever you do, do not play with your fingers, cross your arms, or fidget with any items that may be lying around. Such behaviors are clear signs of nerves or defensiveness, and you will come across as lacking confidence.

3.Eye Contact

“A study published in the Journal of Personality reveals that individuals who make and maintain consistent eye contact come across as more intelligent”
Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of any human interaction, especially during an interview. Failing to make eye contact makes you come across as shifty, dishonest, or completely lacking in social skills, which is undesirable for almost any job.

A study published in the Journal of Personality reveals that individuals who make and maintain consistent eye contact come across as more intelligent. Of course, you don’t want to overdo it, as constant eye contact is perceived as aggressive and it just makes everyone uncomfortable. Maintain eye contact when listening to the person and occasionally while talking, allowing your gaze to wander from time to time.

4.Be A Shrink

“Try to establish a rapport to influence a favorable outcome, by observing the interviewer’s personality traits & likes, & then mirroring them in so far as they are true!”
The great part about having an interviewer who is an ordinary human being like you, is that you can use mind tricks and simple logic to influence his/her responses. Be observant and perceptive, gauging as much as you can about the interviewers age, marital status, family, likes and dislikes, from the objects on his table, appearance, jewelry, and so on.

For example, if you notice a book on dogs or a poster for pet adoption, find a way to casually introduce your love for dogs into the conversation. This instantly helps to create a rapport and pretty much guarantees a favorable outcome (provided you’re good!). This is based on the psychological concept of “similarity-attraction hypothesis “, wherein we are biased in favor of people with similar views and attitudes.

Our Take

These tips are simple and effective enough to help get you through almost any interview, but we’d advise you not to overplay your hand. Prepare well for your interview, calm your nerves and relax before going in – once you do that, try to follow some of these suggestions and you should be fine. Think of it this way – they’re the ones who need you, which is why they’re looking to hire, not the other way around.

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