Psychologist explains how to behave in a job interview

During the period in which I worked with Human Resources, the area of ​​Psychology that deals with companies, I did more than 1,000 interviews and various group dynamics. With the experience I have, I will give you tips on how to behave in a job interview:

See also – How to write a perfect CV and the Complete List of Texts about Money and Profession

How to behave in a Group Dynamic

Tip 1) Be real

In the Personnel Selection process, we basically have 2 parts: the company and the candidate. The company, when planning the hiring, specifies what type of professional it wants to have in its staff. To this end, it prepares a Vacancy Profile. This profile is unknown to the candidate, that is, the candidate does not know much about what the company expects from him, other than basic data such as the function to be performed, perhaps the salary and working hours.

As the candidate does not know everything the company wants from him in that vacancy, the best strategy is to be truthful. To be, to act and to say as one really is. Invent characteristics, pretend to be different, act like an actor playing a role it will never work.

And it doesn’t work because the professionals who make the selection processes accumulate a wide experience in a short time and know how to recognize what is true and what is a lie. In the total process, tests, dynamics and, depending on the complexity of the vacancy, other interviews are also applied. Whether the candidate lies on the interview or lies on the test, the difference in the two assessments will be clear.

If you lie, the candidate will be disqualified and lose the job opportunity.

Tip 2) Know your strengths and weaknesses

As many interviews are done in a single day, the interviewer usually does not have a lot of time to devote to one person. Interviews of 1 hour or more are rare. So there is little time for you to show who you are.

A very common question in job interviews is the following:

– Which are your strong characteristics?

– What are your weaknesses? What do you think can be improved?

(Of course, the wording of the above questions may vary, but the objective will be identical).

And, again, the rule applies: be true and say everything. Do not try to copy other people, attributing to yourself characteristics that are not yours or that are in fashion. When I was working in the area, it was very common for people to say that they were proactive. Okay, someone can be proactive, but hearing this a thousand times is a sign that there is a copy, a hearsay and repeat…

Try to raise about yourself, 5 positive characteristics and 5 negative. Don’t be afraid to show what you’re still working on improving.

I always remember a vacancy where it was the negative characteristic that caused the candidate to be hired. One of her weaknesses was being angry. Being angry was just what the company was expecting from an employee for the role. And that’s it, when she said it, they found it!

As I said above, the candidate does not know what the company expects from him, in terms of his professional profile. And being real and knowing yourself is the best way to conduct yourself in an interview.

Now, let’s assume that a person goes to an interview and goes through the selection process (tests, group dynamics) lying. And, despite being very unlikely, manage to convince the selection professional and the company as a whole. How long will this person be able to maintain the lie?

For example, if you say you are extroverted and, in the end, you are not. How long can she keep what she isn’t? We know that very little time. With this, the person will be wasting their own time and the time of the company, in addition to – if they manage to lie and not be caught – they will be taking the vacancy from another qualified person.

Tip 3) Imagine you already got the job

It’s common when we do some kind of evaluation, to get nervous or anxious. This happens in the entrance exam, in public tenders and also in job interviews. When we are evaluated, we wonder what can happen, what the result will be, whether we will do well or badly, etc.

The way, then, is to think positive.

Imagine with all the details that you’ve already got the job, that you’re already inside the company and that the interview is just one more detail. Like when you get hired and go through the medical exam – most of the time just a formality.

By imagining yourself working, within the company, you will be more self-confident and you will be able to say and express yourself more firmly.

If you have a lot of nervousness or anxiety, it might be interesting to seek help from a psychologist.

Tip 4) If not hired

Of course, it may happen that you are not selected for the vacancy. And the company’s refusal can have several meanings.

First, as you didn’t know exactly what the company wanted, it’s clear that the company didn’t want a profile like you have. And this is not bad. If the selection process was done efficiently, the person who got the vacancy will be able to perform the functions better and will be more successful, as he has a different profile.

Second, the company’s refusal may be due to the fact that you have a “superior” profile to the vacancy. Usually, when the person is not selected, they think the worst. He thinks that he is not competent, that he is useless, that he will not be able to be replaced, etc. However, the reverse is very often the case. In several selections, there are resumes and professional experiences that are beyond what the company asked for.

For example, a bank manager cannot be a cashier. A leader cannot be the last subordinate. I mean, the professional profile that the person has today is superior to what the vacancy requires. Obviously, I gave very discrepant examples. But does it really happen that the candidate is rejected for having more and not love us.

The tip if you weren’t hired is to use the experience gained and move on. Try other vacancies and other companies, following the tips above:

1) Be true; 2) know your strengths and weaknesses; 3) Be positive and think you are already hired!

See also – Job Interview – The Importance of Body Posture

Want to know even more?

Watch the full course with Psychologist Felipe de Souza

In the Complete Course, with 1 hour and 12 minutes, I tell all the details how to behave in a job interview, with several examples from my extensive experience in the area and I give in-depth tips using the Cognitive Model of Cognitive Psychology!

Buy now by clicking – Course How to behave in a job interview!

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