Cementing a positive impression on the interviewers’ minds 

  Since you will never be allowed a retake or second chance to undo the blunders of the first introduction, here is how you can wrap your head around the stressful and complicated process of in-person or face-to-face interviews. Keep the Deets Ready  Well, it is not improbable to be asked for a brief summary of your key achievements and relevant experiences so far. The “Tell me about yourself” question is pretty open-ended and requires a substantial chunk of information interspersed with insightful observations and pauses. Days before attending the interview, prepare a list of your selling points that would highlight your candidature for the job. While you are on this task, reflect on a couple of other pertinent points that would not make your response sound clichéd –

• Your interest in the position
• Values and beliefs
• Skills and achievements
• Passion and aspirations

Learn the Right Non-Verbal Cues  Maintaining appropriate body gestures and poise is as important as spoken words. Body language conveys a lot about your confidence, attitude and candour and affirms if you would be a valuable addition to the organisation. You would want to know the nitty-gritty of essential body language to perform during the interview even if it pushes you out of the comfort cocoon. Prepare a list of essential body postures to maintain ad polish to make them more spontaneous and natural. A few templates, such as using a firm handshake, maintaining eye contact and sitting upright, are embedded in the annals of successful interview sessions. Each is a testimonial for your strength, agility and potential to perform. Interweave Accomplishment and Goals in Conversation  Modesty might not be the best trait to showcase when it is your one chance to toot your horn. The conversation would be extremely easy to execute if you prepare a mini paragraph summarising the key highlights of your career, which should align with the company’s goals and values, in a crisp and precise manner. Even the listener would be keenly drawn to your conversation and anecdotes. Quite an opportunity to shine, defeating the hamster wheel that interviews could be. Your goal should be to come across as a future employee and not merely a potential candidate. If you are easily distracted or tend to lose track of thoughts, practice before a mirror to increase focus and concentration throughout the session. Mini practice sessions would help you regulate body language and make sure that you do not involuntarily slump on the chair or use the wrong tone.