5 ‘Skills’ to Hone for a Job Interview

Job openings have declined nearly every month for the last two years. As of March, the United States had its fewest number of open roles since 2020—the year COVID-19 shut down organizations of all shapes and sizes. The fewer the available roles, the fewer the interviews, which makes each one even more critical. The days of shrugging off a bad interview because there are plenty of other jobs out there are over.

But what if you nab one of those sought-after interviews? That’s good news, right? Not necessarily. “Sometimes great candidates just don’t interview well,” says Louis Montgomery Jr., principal in Korn Ferry’s HR Center of Expertise. Indeed, candidates can sabotage themselves by not researching the company, being evasive with answers, or just coming across as dull. Korn Ferry’s experts say that job interviews call for a series of skills that a candidate can learn and hone; they break them down below.

Prepare.

Almost everyone knows that they shouldn’t walk into a job interview cold. In many ways, interview prep is a skill to hone. Experts suggest that for each interview, you should practice speaking in a professional tone of voice, get familiar with making eye contact (both face-to-face and via videoconference), research the company’s products and culture, and compile questions to ask the interviewer. Most importantly, you should prepare well-thought-out answers for the questions you likely will face. Consider writing down the answers and practicing them. “The more you practice your responses, the more comfortable you will be in the interview,” says Alyson Federico, an associate principal at Korn Ferry Advance. 

Show enthusiasm.

Organizations would like to think they hire people based on skills alone, but research shows they don’t. Earlier this year, HR-software company Textio asked job candidates to share feedback from their job interviews. The results were pretty stark: The candidates who received offers after their interviews were 12 times more likely to be described as having a great personality.

Having a great personality isn’t just smiling and laughter, though. It’s showing enthusiasm for the role—something even candidates who aren’t particularly outgoing can demonstrate. For instance, at the end of the interview, you should tell the interviewer that you enjoyed the conversation and you’re excited about the role. Then ask about the next steps. “You’ve made crystal clear that this is a job you want,” Montgomery says.

Start using  “I” statements.

Organizations want recruits who can be great teammates, but they’re also looking for people who can get things done. Sometimes a candidate will talk so much about being a team player that interviewers won’t know what they actually accomplished. You should get comfortable saying, “I had responsibility, and I took the lead,” Montgomery suggests.

Be a good storyteller.

Experts suggest you create a story that conveys your best attributes. Stories have beginnings, middles, and ends. For instance, candidates can talk specifically about getting a major project done in very little time. You can include details about how you used technology, came up with a new technique, or got colleagues to help. Finally, you can talk about the results of the project.

Stories like these can impress recruiting and hiring managers. “They will usually be impressed, emotionally engaged, and have a great feeling about what you can offer the department and organization,” says Val Olson, a career and leadership coach at Korn Ferry Advance.

Get comfortable with silence.

On the one hand, job seekers shouldn’t answer every interview question with a yes or a no. On the other, experts say that the opposite problem—stuffing your answer with too much information—is just as bad. “Spilling your guts” can be off-putting to some interviewers, says Flo Falayi, a Korn Ferry senior client partner in the firm’s Leadership and Executive Development practice. Especially during video interviews, a hiring manager can easily zone out if a candidate drones on. Thoughtfully answer the question, then let the interviewer fill the silence with another one. 

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s career-development capabilities from Korn Ferry Advance. 

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