#interviewtechnique

Interview clothing had never really interested me until I was asked to do an interview this week via Google Hangouts. That's cool and digital I thought until I realised I'd have to find a backdrop that didn't show my house as a bombsite. Having been made redundant I needed a job and in middle age, I couldn't afford for the small details to trip me up. Then came the burning question of what to wear? I mean, I would be at home, so a suit and tie was out. I guess. At the same time a Megadeth t-shirt (if I had one) might show me as a trendy young thing, but with my body shape there would be room for all sorts of mis-spelling issues. A shirt would make it look like I was doing Friday dress down at home, which has a slightly desperate feel.

This is what I'd like to look like in an interview I did think of wearing plain white as it means I would be a "blank canvas" and nothing could be drawn about me in those first few precious seconds from what I was wearing. Although this might force someone to consider my bed head hairstyle and winning smile instead. Also white doesn't work for me, with the risks of unnoticed tea stains or jam flecks. And so what was my interview clothing? In the end it was the dark polo shirt that won the day. Plain to prevent prejudice. Dark to hide the physical undulations of my expanding belly that appear whilst slumped in my chair. Smart enough to be office casual but also eminently home wear. Job done. However it did spur me to question my whole interview and office clothing thinking. I had a second interview in the diary for the following week. This was to be held in the company's office, on a Friday and according to the recruiter required "formal business attire". By this I assumed suit, rather than DJ or tails, but even then, on a Friday? It did turn out to be like 'spot the interviewee' day, when everyone else (who were commuting only because they had some social occasion after work) was dressed casually, and gazed on my smart awkwardness with pity. At least on this occasion the only decision was tie or no tie. I decided no tie. as who does wears a tie nowadays? The only people I've seen recently sporting ties have been politicians wearing them like a football shirt to show you allegiance to the colour. You never see a Tory politician wearing a red tie, or vice versa for Labour, despite them going much better with their suits and shirts. Obviously there are other things you can do. Shaving helps (unless you're growing a beard), and trimming any unsightly nasal hair has to be a bonus. No one wants to see that. Male grooming may be a minefield, but occasionally it's worth it. It should go without saying that before interviewing check the dress code that the company has or ask what they expect. However not everyone does. Nowadays, and especially as you get older, you don't want to be the stuffy suit wearing executive. Or worse, the stuffy ex-suit wearing executive squeezed into a Megadeth t-shirt trying to look cool.

I have just returned from the 2017 Mock Interview Morning and the performance of our L6th students has made me so proud yet again. Those students now approach their final week of term and an exciting summer with much excellent practical advice from their interviewers and a boost in their confidence.

Preparing for the event, completing paperwork on time, investigating the interviewers’ professional backgrounds, rearranging diary clashes, waking early on a Saturday, preparing mentally for the interview and stepping into the EDM Foyer are crucial elements of this exercise. Every student who reaches that stage is a winner already.

The interview itself - either with a panel or individual - is a separate part of the morning. Inevitably, there is always something candidates can do to improve her or himself, but everyone excels. Every year, the interviewers are amazed at how much every student does and how well they express this... and 2017 was no different.

Students learn to sell themselves, and as well as receiving advice on how to sharpen their interview performance, they are given pertinent instruction on how to turn a silver performance into one that is golden. 

Bablake students are modest, humble, exciting to talk to and so clearly going to achieve in the future. In my 30 years at the school, that has always been the case and it is a delight to work with such impressive young people.

More will be said and discussed about this year’s event - LinkedIn is still a resource very few are using yet - but today was once again a very proud moment for me as Head of Careers seeing our interviewers - 60% of whom were former pupils - and current students interact so brilliantly and all stand out.

 It’s perfectly possible to read about body language for interviews, and end up feeling like your arms are too long, and you have too many feet. Body language rules often leave us tied up in knots. One person’s relaxed posture, makes someone else look half cut. 

The best thing to do is be yourself. 

If you’re not sure what being yourself looks like at the moment, ask a friend (of the helpful and perceptive variety) to give you a mini mock interview (“tell me why you want to read this subject?”). Ask them to pay attention to what you’re doing with your body. 

Stay away from interpretations of what the angle between your feet says about your commitment to your subject (or similar claims). What you do want to pay attention to is how natural you feel, and how you might play around with your posture. For example, people often fiddle with their cuffs as they don’t know what to do with their hands. They might learn from some helpful feedback that having their hands clasped on their lap looks good for them.

Yes, there are a few general guidelines, like face the interviewer, and avoid crossing your arms. But the thing is, you’ll be most compelling and interesting to listen to when you’re not even thinking about where your arms are.

So keep it simple. The most important thing is, you be you.