With more people than ever going to job interviews with a need to succeed (thanks to the damned recession), has the time come for a new breed of coach to enter the stage? With so many people attending interviews for each job, it is now how you present and portray yourself at the interview, that is as likely to get you the job, as is the content of your CV. Is now the right time to tap up your old drama teacher for some hints and tips?
I am not talking about transforming yourself from Frodo the Hobbit into Brad Pitt; or from Hannah Montana into Kate Winslett. What I mean is improving the way you present yourself, and the delivery of your information at the interview itself.The unspoken message that is transmitted through speech and body language is now as important as the content of your carefully presented presentation in interview. A growing number of people in business now are turning to drama and voice specialists to help them improve their delivery and boost their confidence when faced with a crucial presentation. So why don't job seekers look to this route as well? Well, this seems to be becoming more prevalent in the interview marketplace as more and more career coaches, life coaches and interview coaches are now turning to advise job seekers around the delivery of the interview more so than the content of the interview itself.
Personally, I've been doing some of this for year's with candidates, although some of its quite basic: don't mumble, speak clearly; don't stare at the ground; smile at the interviewer; make sure you have good eye contact. I guess you would call these things 'stating the obvious', but nevertheless, so many job seekers make these basic mistakes all the time.
Is now the right time to start considering talking to experts that teach drama, about how you present yourself an interview? So many 'experts' - career coaches, interview coaches, career guidance etc - focus on the content of an interview to make sure you say the right thing. While they might get you to say the right thing, many times it is the behavioral aspects of the actual interview that will be the real difference in deciding who gets the job. It could be what you have worn to the interview, the way you walked in the interview room, your handshake your own demeanor and your initial level of confidence that really make the difference in interview.
The top drama teacher Kenneth Rea who directs plays and teaches acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama has five tips for people who are terrified or who wants an extra confidence boosting when it comes to interviews:
1. Use positive body language, eye contact and a good firm handshake. Concentrate on giving off enthusiastic energy so you appear upbeat and confident.
2. Try to exude effortless authority: be animated that economical, without fidgety gestures or superfluous mannerisms.
3. Speak clearly with energy and variety. Loss of confidence comes out in a voice which trials away becomes a monotone as we stopped breathing. Consciously practice taking energy in the voice through to the end of a sentence.
4. Listen carefully to what is said. People like to talk about themselves, so focus on others not yourself, and to paraphrase President Kennedy "ask what you can do for people, not what they can do for you", an attitude that helps you build up a network of influence.
5. Put yourself in a positive frame of mind. If you feel down, this comes across in body language and voice and it's hard to listen to ideas expressed in a downbeat way. Enthusiasm is attractive and infectious so be positive. It's obvious that often hard to deliver in practice.
These are great tips from Kenneth Rea, but should job seekers really go all the way and engage voice or drama coaches to improve their chances? I for one think it is a brilliant idea - if people can afford to do it - as we all need to improve our delivery and presentation skills. can it be a bad thing to want to improve your interview chances?
