21 Psychological Tricks to Help You Get Interviewed PART 1

Recruiters are also people and you can influence them by using some psychological tips. It isn’t our goal to teach you how to manipulate people, but we’ll tell you about simple psychological tricks that got scientific approval. In this article, we show you some psychological tricks to help you get interviewed. Let’s get started!

1. Choose The Right Time for Your Interview

What is the best time for an interview? The perfect time is equal to the perfect time for the HR specialist. For sure, it is not necessary to turn your schedule upside down, but try not to alter the proposed time too much.

If HR-manager offers you to set the time for an interview, do it cleverly, and think about how long it will be convenient for the recruiter. Glassdoor's research suggests that it’s not the best decision to schedule appointments at the very beginning or end of the workday or in the afternoon.


2. Find Out Other Candidates for The Position

Studies show that interviewers evaluate candidates not only by their characteristics but also in comparison with candidates already interviewed.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard found that HR-manager underestimated job-seekers interviewed late in the day after a series of strong candidates. On the other hand, after talking with weak candidates, recruiters overestimated subsequent applicants. It is an unclear moment whether this is an unconscious phenomenon or interviewers specifically rate the latest candidates above or below their real level. One possible reason is a reluctance for managers to think that the recruiter gives all candidates a similar assessment.

More often than not, we don’t know who else is trying to get a position, but if you suddenly managed to meet other candidates or accidentally learn about them from a recruiter, try to use it to your advantage. Objectively evaluate whether this person is stronger or weaker than you and, based on this, skip ahead or respond first to the interview.


3. Dress in Blue

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder among recruiters and HR showed that the color of clothes affects the impression of a person. 23% of interviewers recommend using blue in the wardrobe because this is the color of team players. 15% believe that black characterizes leaders. The worst color for clothing for an interview is orange shades, according to 25% HR.

What, according to recruiters, other colors say about the candidates:

You can put on all the colors at once so that the recruiter sees that in front of him is an organized and reliable leader with excellent analytical skills, who love to work in a team.


4. Determine The Age of the Recruiter

In Crazy Good Interviewing, the authors examine an interesting theory, according to which we must behave differently in interviews, depending on the age of the interlocutor. What tricks do authors recommend to use to recruiters?

HR Generation Y (20-30 years old): Give specific results of your work and focus on the ability to work in multitasking;

HR generation X (30-50 years): emphasize creativity and specify that work-life balance helps to achieve success;

HR generation Baby Boomer (50-70 years): show how much you work and show respect for their achievements;

HR Silent Generation (70-90 years old): emphasize your loyalty and loyalty to previous work. This is necessary to show how you feel about work - not as a series of changing companies, but with respect and real interest.


5. Keep Your Palms Open

According to the book "Crazy Good Interviewing," if you put your hands on the table with your palms down, you demonstrate dominance over the other person. To hide your hands under the table is also not the best option - it seems that you are hiding something from the recruiter.


6. Find Something in Common with the Interviewer

Look for the recruiter’s profile on social networks and try to find out about his interests or hobbies. You don’t need to collect the dossier and the whole ins and outs - just find a couple of topics for conversation that will interest the person you are talking to.


7. Copy Gestures

Many people know about this psychological trick, we’ll just remind you that “mirroring” the interlocutor’s poses and gestures subconsciously place him at your side. Patti Wood, a body language expert, suggests that copying a person’s gestures should look like you are dancing with him. Remember common sense, and do not copy movements too obviously.


8. Give Compliments

Researchers at the University of Florida and Washington conducted a study. The results provided data that an HR-manager preferred employee who did not try to self-promotion but show interest to the company. Prove that you want to work here and why; say a few nice words about the company and HR for its work.


9. Show Confidence and Respect

Collaboration and competition are two factors that influence business success. At the interview, you can apply this theory and demonstrate, at the same time, respect for the company and your competence. For example, “I like your [activity / project] in [N-area]. I have a successful experience with the same task.”

So you show interest in the company, awareness of their projects and that you are not a miss either.


10. Do Not Lie About the Flaws

The phrases in the style of “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too much” do not inspire confidence in the leader and are more like trying to make yourself the perfect person. It’s not a secret that everyone has weaknesses, so the better way is honesty.

Admit, for example, that it’s not easy for you to organize yourself in the morning, but you make daily plans, and therefore productivity does not suffer. Or you do not like to talk on the phone, but you are always ready to solve questions in correspondence and reply to letters within 5 minutes. Noticed a trick? In each example, we added information about how you deal with weaknesses and why they do not interfere with work. Be sure to do the same if the recruiter asks to tell about your weaknesses.

//Conclusion//

The next psychological tricks and tips to get interviewed you will find in our second part of the article – 21 Psychological Tricks to Help You Get Interviewed PART 2.