“Standing in front of a roomful of strangers and to make them laugh is even scarier than sitting across a hiring manager” says an expert who has experience of both. As most of us in some time of our life have witnessed comedy shows, these comedy-inspired tips to set the stage for a great interview can be of great rescue when you are feeling flustered in front of your interviewer:
- Confidence and Enthusiasm are Contagious: One of my first comedy lessons is that we (audience) pick up on Comedians energy. When they walk onto the stage with a confident, relaxed stride and deliver punchlines with an exclamation point instead of a question mark, we laugh more. Showing confidence makes it a lot easier to “sell” the jokes to the audience. The same goes for selling your skills to a hiring manager. Make sure you project self-assurance from the very beginning by greeting the interviewer with a big smile and a firm handshake. Then, convey confidence and enthusiasm as you answer questions and talk about your skills. Being timid, modest, or unsure doesn’t get comedians many laughs—and it won’t get you many job offers.
- Look Effortless: The best stand-up comics make their performance look effortless, as if they’re coming up with these witty one-liners off the top of their heads. But comedians actually spend a lot of time preparing before they hit the stage. They think carefully about their joke wording and order and they practice their delivery before presenting their material to the audience. Once you’ve crafted your responses, spend some time “rehearsing” your answers. You can stand in front of a mirror, or better yet, grab a friend, have her run through a mock interview with you.
- Recover from your mistakes gracefully: Comedy veterans have learned how to recover gracefully . Depending on the situation, they’ll either plow ahead or make a joke about the mistake—and sometimes that’s what gets a huge laugh!
Even if you’ve practiced for your interview, remember that anyone can make a mistake while answering. Just quickly move on to the point you actually intended to make. Mistakes are easily forgotten, but a smooth recovery can make you memorable.