How to convince during a job interview?

That's it! You've landed a job interview, congratulations on you. Now it's time to prove yourself and be convincing. To achieve this objective, it is necessary to arm oneself with certain rhetorical devices in order to be assertive. Stress and poorly prepared interviews to hell with, here are our tips for triumphing in your next interview.

Be confident in the interview

We can't say it enough, but it's essential: have confidence in yourself and your skills. While the hiring process itself can be stressful and uncertain, remember that you are one of the main players in it. So, take responsibility and face this new challenge with ardor.  In addition, it is important to arrive at the interview with the right mindset. Generally, we can advise getting up early and taking the time to prepare a good breakfast, give your body the necessary resources to be in top shape. In order to decompress, plan a sports session after the interview or even a walk near your home. Physical exercise will do you a world of good and is a great way to release pressure (find here the 7 benefits of walking).

Be true to your values, your habits and trust yourself. You have landed this appointment and just for that: be proud! Once you have finished reading this article, we invite you to discover our tips for preparing for a potential second interview because it is a recursive step in the hiring process.

The Nine Commandments

There are also a few important aspects to consider, such as your public speaking skills and assertiveness. During your job interview, the exchanges with your interviewer must follow certain rules so that the conversation is as relevant and productive as possible. The smooth running of a conversation depends in part on you, it is important to be aware of this in order to avoid any awkwardness on the day. In fact, it is essential to remember certain rules that guarantee the quality of a discussion.

Indeed, according to the British linguist Paul Grice, the smooth running of a discussion responds to nine conversational maxims, which can be classified into four categories: quantity, quality, relationship and manner. These maxims are based on a principle of cooperation, inherent in the public debate and therefore in the conversations that make it up. 

Conversational maxims

First of all, the quantity maxims concern the hold and the length of your exchange. According to Grice, our contribution to the conversation should contain as much information as is required and should contain no more information than is required. In other words, don't get lost in trivial and counterproductive details: the off-topic is your enemy. In short, say everything you need to say and limit yourself to that.

Then, the maxims of quality encompass the substance of your conversation, the words you put forward. These maxims state that we should never assert what we believe to be false and what we lack proof for. Lying has no place in a serious job interview. Of course, don't put forward elements that you can't prove the truthfulness, it could backfire one day. However, don't forget to mention an aspect that is important to you.

Given the validity of the words you have to share, you must also consider the third category, the maxim of relationship. She maintains that your assertions must be wise: be relevant. Your answers should echo the other person's question, and vice versa. Respond appropriately by keeping the main topic at the center of your thinking.

Finally, we can add the maxims in a way that consolidates the foundations of our argument. First, avoid expressing yourself in an obscure way. Don't leave your interlocutor in the dark, the acuity of your words depends on you and they are of paramount importance. In other words, don't leave anything to chance and forbid any innuendo. In addition, Grice tells us:  avoid being ambiguous. This seventh maxim complements the previous one and reinforces the importance of expressing oneself precisely. Finally, let's conclude with "be brief" and "be methodical". These two maxims maintain that your speech must be thought out and rigorously constructed. Limit yourself to what is necessary and build your argument methodically.

Public speaking skills at the center of hiring

In the future, we hope that you will take into consideration these rules that are the basis of conversational cooperation. They will guide you in your argument and help make your words relevant. Because during a job interview, even if your curriculum vitae says a lot, you should not skimp on highlighting your personality and presenting your values and assets in an advantageous (but faithful) way. To do this, developing your public speaking skills is a formidable weapon that will prepare you for your professional future and the inevitable job interviews you will face. So, arm yourself accordingly to be ready for your next interview, maybe even with the help of Meet My Job, you never know: discover our job offers.

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