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Win at interviewing, with a laugh
Let’s put a smile on that face
Does this inner monologue during a job interview sound familiar?
Ok, maintain eye contact. Show them that you’re confident. Am I making too much eye contact? Am I coming off as creepy? Did my last response make sense. Why are they asking me so many specific questions? What are they thinking about me!
If so, then don’t worry. This is completely normal. It’s difficult to act natural in high-stress scenarios such as a first date or job interview. I’m a victim as well, but I learned one way to make the interview process a lot easier. Make your interviewer laugh, just once.
From the first call from the recruiter to the in-person interview, I always try to get a laugh or even a small chuckle out of my interviewer. The reason why I think this is so important is because it puts everyone at ease. The recruiter is hyper-focused on nailing key words so that they can forward a good resume to the hiring manager. The hiring manager is trying to find out as many details about you as legally possible, to see if you can perform the duties required and if you’ll be a good personality fit within your immediate peers. A laugh breaks the tension from both-ends. It signals that “hey, it’s all good, we’re just having a relaxed conversation.”
