Interview Hacks: What They Are, Their Benefits And Examples

Updated 30 September 2022

A wide range of industry-specific hacks is available to help make the interviewing process easier for job applicants. They can use them to take appropriate actions to prepare for the interview and may be able to impress the interviewers during the interview with their confidence and poise. By understanding the purpose of interview hacks, you can use relevant tips and tricks to prepare well for your upcoming job interview. In this article, we discover what interview hacks are, explain the benefits of using them for interview preparation, discuss when to use them and review some examples of effective interviewing hacks.

What Are Interview Hacks?

Interview hacks are tips and tricks that can simplify the interviewing process and make it easier for you to progress successfully through the different interview stages. There are general hacks that you might be able to use for many different situations and hacks that are specific to your industry. Whichever hacks you choose, it might be necessary to personalise them to use them effectively for your particular purpose. Such personalised hacks can give you an edge over other candidates and help you make a positive first impression.

What Are The benefits Of Using Tips And Hacks For Interview Preparation?

You are likely to derive the following benefits from using tips and hacks for your job interview preparation:

Increased confidence

By using appropriate tips and hacks for your interview preparation, you can improve your ability to respond eloquently to interview questions. That can increase your level of confidence and make you more proactive in progressing through the rest of the interviewing process. The interviewers may develop a better impression of your professional capabilities and your ability to fit in with their company's work culture. They may give you positive feedback and place you on the consideration list for the job.

Improved preparation

Arriving well-prepared for the job interview can benefit both you and the person or persons interviewing you. There are various tips and hacks that you can use to gather relevant information about the company, its work culture, its expectations from employees and the responsibilities of the available job. You can find out about the interviewers, their roles in the company and their outlook. You may be able to leverage the information you collect to your advantage during the interview and improve your interactions with the interviewers.

Better rapport building

Being able to communicate on a comfortable albeit professional level with the interviewers can serve as a demonstration of your well-developed interpersonal and communication skills. It may also help you to build a better rapport with them and impress them as being a genuinely personable, easy-to-talk-to individual. Since most employers prefer to hire people who was easy to get along with, they might decide that you would be a good person to work with and could make you a job offer.

Reduced stress

Another great benefit of using tips and hacks in your interview preparation is that they can help reduce your stress levels to a considerable extent. The interviewing process can be an unnerving experience for most people, but knowing what to expect and how to behave can make a definite difference. You can learn how to stay calm during the interview, how to adopt a professional tone, and how to control your body language to appear friendly and approachable.

Good first impression

You can use various tips and hacks to ensure that you arrive at the interview venue well-groomed, well-dressed, on time and with everything you might need for the interview. You can also be calm, relaxed and well-prepared to respond to different types of interview questions. The first impression you make on the interviewers can then be a positive one, and it is likely to set the tone for the rest of the interview. If they perceive you as a positive, enthusiastic and competent individual, the interview may proceed smoothly, and you could get a job offer.

Related: How To Crack A Job Interview

When To Use Interviewing Hacks?

You can use interviewing hacks when you want to prepare for an upcoming interview. You can also review them periodically to be well-prepared to represent yourself favourably at all times. Since some hacks are of the standard sort, they may have many general applications and could be suitable for all types of interviews. For example, regular interviewing hacks for jobs can cover researching the company and the job duties before the interview, preparing interview answers and arriving well-prepared at the interview venue.

In contrast, some hacks are suitable for only specific purposes or only certain types of interviews. For example, an interviewing hack for a technical job may cover specific theoretical and practical parts of the interviewing process. It is crucial that you take the time to understand the context of their use when selecting interviewing hacks.

Examples Of Effective Interviewing Hacks

Here are some examples of effective hacks that you can use for your interview preparations

Focus on being warm and likeable

The interviewers already know that you have the qualifications, skills and experience for the job. They have read your resume. The interview is your opportunity to showcase your personality and convince them that you would be a decent person to work with on a daily basis. You can increase your likeability factor by smiling when appropriate, remembering and using the names of the interviewers, narrating interesting stories to demonstrate your professional competence and avoiding any kind of negativity or unpleasantness.

Pay attention to your body language

Your body language plays a crucial role in conveying your level of comfort and confidence during the job interview. And that can influence the interviewer's perception of you as a competent individual able to handle the professional responsibilities of the available job. That is why it is essential that you pay attention to the impression you are making.

Maintain a straight posture, make the right amount of eye contact, smile when necessary and nod to show that you are being attentive to the discussion. Mirroring the interviewer's body language can help to an extent, but take care that you do not copy every movement or mannerism. It might get taken the wrong way.

Practice your intonations

Nothing can demonstrate your communication skills more effectively than speaking clearly, expressively and enthusiastically during the job interview. It might help to record your speaking voice before the interview and listen carefully to how you sound. Note your pronunciation, the tone of your voice and the way the pitch of your voice changes as you talk. Now listen to professional speakers like radio and television hosts and make an effort to imitate their clear diction.

Compile examples of your professional accomplishments

When informing the interviewers of the things you have accomplished in your career to date, it might be very effective to show them a portfolio of your work. For instance, if you organised a training programme at your previous workplace, you can show them the related literature, the photographs and videos of the event and the testimonials of the attendees. It is generally advisable to have well-labelled examples of at least two or three notable achievements to show.

The interviewers may not have the time to see everything, but it is better to go well-prepared. If they ask you to send them the examples for later viewing, you can quickly do so.

Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewers

Interviewers generally ask if you have any questions at the end of the interview, but there may also be opportunities during the interview. By having a list of relevant, well-thought-out questions to ask, you can take advantage of these opportunities to gain useful details about the job and the company. Having questions to ask can also show your genuine interest in working with them.

Research the interviewers

Getting informed about the people who are going to conduct the job interview may help you to prepare better for it. You may be able to find areas of common interest to establish a cordial connection at the start of the interview. If you share many of the same values, such as being reliable, honest, flexible and hardworking, the interview is likely to go well. You may leave them with a favourable impression and that could improve your chances of getting hired.

Be polite to everyone you meet

When you arrive at the interview venue, you might have interactions with many of the company's personnel. These can include the security guard, the doorman, the gardener, the office cleaner, the office peon, and the receptionist. It is essential that you are polite and respectful to everyone in these encounters. Some employers often ask these employees to act as unofficial applicant screeners to find out how you behave around people who do not impact your job. It can give them an idea of your character and influence their decision to make you a job offer.