Picture this: you’re at a job interview, talking to your second interviewer, and all of a sudden they ask ‘so who have you met so far’? Then you realise you can’t actually say their name, because you’d forgotten it already, and it was gone the minute after they told you. You freeze, and panic, and straight away any connection you had with your interviewer is gone… broken.

You would be surprised at the number of people that forget a person’s name just after meeting them. This happens even more so in an interview scenario, which can create a problem since it is a fact that, psychologically, people love to hear their own name! The simple act of using someone’s name can have a dramatic effect on your success in an interview. However, many people struggle with this simple interview etiquette. So, how should this be tackled?

To find a solution, we must ask one simple question: why is it that we tend to forget such basic, and yet vital, information?

In an interview scenario it is always difficult to remember someone’s name due to the obvious fact that you are so focused on the initial meeting, and undoubtedly running on a bit of adrenaline. True, there is so much for you to think about, be aware of, and consider as you conduct the interview. Your handshake, body language, facial expressions, what you are saying and how you are presenting it, are all running through your mind… it is certainly easy to see why the basics, such as remembering a name, slip by the way-side.

This is no excuse. If you can remember all of the above, you can certainly remember a name, and this one little addition to your interview technique will work wonders for your career.

After all the hard work that you have put into securing that interview for your perfect job, it is essential that you make a lasting impression. Winning over your interviewer, building rapport, and impressing them with your personality is all part of the game.  Simply remembering their name makes the interview a far more familiar setting, and brings greater strength to the impression that you give, as well as your answers to the questions that asked to you. Where team-fit is just as important as your technical knowledge, this simple act will assist you throughout the interview to become a person in the interviewer’s eyes, rather than just another candidate.

Here are some hints and tips to fix that person in your mind, and add that little extra personal touch to your interview:

•         Repeat the names of the people in conversation immediately after meeting them

•         Find a reason to say their name at least three times during the conversation

•         Always repeat their name at the end of the interview to make a lasting impression and create a familiar environment

•         Write down names of interviewers between your interviews so that it sticks in your mind

•         Keep any business cards out on the table, this way their name is in your eye line •         If you have forgotten, then show the initiative and ask them again. This way the interview itself will feel more personal as you have made a concerted effort to you’re your interviewer, and in any later interviews, you are more likely to remember their name having had it repeated.

You want to be a positive anchor in the mind of your interviewer. A simple gesture such as using someone’s name will greatly increase your chances of interview success.

So, if you want you keep that all-important connection with your interviewer… the connection that you have worked so hard to gain… and the connection that will secure you that dream job…

Engrave your interviewer’s name into your brain from the moment you meet them… all it takes is this one, simple, step.

Picture this: you’re at a job interview, talking to your second interviewer, and all of a sudden they ask ‘so who have you met so far’?

Then you realise you can’t actually say their name, because you’d forgotten it already, and it was gone the minute after they told you. You freeze, and panic, and straight away any connection you had with your interviewer is gone… broken.

You would be surprised at the number of people that forget a person’s name just after meeting them. The simple act of using someone’s name can have a dramatic effect on your success in an interview. However, many people struggle with this simple interview etiquette.

So, how should this be tackled?

To find a solution, we must ask one simple question: why is it that we tend to forget such basic, and yet vital, information?

In an interview scenario it can prove difficult to remember an additional team member’s name due to the obvious fact that you are so focused on the initial meeting, and undoubtedly running on a bit of adrenaline. Your handshake, body language, facial expressions, what you are saying and how you are presenting it, are all running through your mind… it is certainly easy to see why the basics, such as remembering a name, slip by the way-side.

Still, this is no excuse. After all the hard work that you have put into securing the interview, its essential that you make a lasting impression. Winning over your interviewer, building rapport, and impressing them with your personality is all part of the game.

Here are some hints and tips to fix that person in your mind, and add that little extra personal touch to your interview:

• Repeat the names of the people in conversation immediately after meeting them
• Always repeat their name at the end of the interview to make a lasting impression and create a familiar environment

• Write down names of interviewers between your interviews so that it sticks in your mind
• Keep any business cards out on the table, this way their name is in your eye line
• If you have forgotten, then show the initiative and ask them again.

So, if you want you keep that all-important connection with your interviewer… the connection that you have worked so hard to gain… and the connection that will secure you that dream job…

Engrave your interviewer’s name into your brain from the moment you meet them.

Nick Clegg & Interview Technique

Having listened online to the live question and answer debate with Nick Clegg, the Deputy PM in Bristol, he raised one very interesting point about communication and how we express ourselves.  He confirmed that he believes live television debates are here to stay and that they actually engage a huge amount of people to watch and listen.

Nick Clegg spoke about an interview he watched whilst on a train, which involved Bill Clinton, George Bush Snr and Ross Perot.  Having lost the sound briefly, he still felt engaged by looking at the individuals in terms of their body language and direct eye contact with the camera. Clegg commented that it may not always be what we are saying, but actually how we communicate it and the body language we portray, that is just as important.

Common factors which contribute to making a weak first impression at an interview are timidity, a limp handshake and no eye contact i.e. your body language. First impressions are vital and I believe it is critically important to give a confident and memorable first impression at your interview in order to increase your chances of succeeding. My top tips are:

1. Ensure you give a firm handshake

2. Maintain plenty of eye contact

3. Answer the question you are asked

4. Avoid jargon

5. Finally don’t digress!