Health and Wellness

Oscar Winning Interviews by Sonia Satra

You got the interview, now what?

For most people, getting that interview appointment can trigger a variety of emotions from excitement and hope to dread and fear. As someone who has “auditioned/interviewed” for hundreds of acting jobs and now interviews with corporations as a speaker and coach, I can relate to them all.

I also found the skills and process that were so instrumental to my acting career are hugely beneficial to the interview process. In essence, the process consists of:  Preparation, Rehearsal, Performance, Encore and Job!

PREPARATION: Every performance needs a script and in this case you are not only the actor but the writer too. Start by answering 6 basic questions:

Who? Write down and study the details about the company, learn about the company culture and know as much as possible about the person who is interviewing you.

 What? What is the job objective and what do you have to offer.

Where? The logistics often inform the style, mood, and characteristics that are unique to that particular company.

When? When an interview takes place can affect the energy level in the room.

Obstacles?  Do you have the right experience? Have you been out of the workforce? 

How: How much do you believe it? My acting teacher always said, “It doesn’t matter what you say it’s how you say it - you can make reading from a dictionary interesting if you care enough.” Research shows that people won’t remember what you say; they will remember how they felt. Whenever possible weave a story, personal example, analogy, metaphor, something that will touch the interviewer’s feelings in a real and authentic way.

REHEARSAL: “How do you get Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.” I truly believe it is the most underestimated and overlooked step. Practice a mock interview wearing your clothes, accessories and shoes. If you can rally a friend or relative to help great, if not tape the questions, so you can hear them being asked. Ideally, video your practice sessions and watch your body language- notice your hands and feet, body shifts, gestures, nervous movement, energy, facial expressions. If video is not an option, audiotape is extremely useful too, so you can hear your answers and identify which ones sound real and confident and where you hesitate or stumble.

Another powerful tip for rehearsing is to mix it up: try answering the questions as if you are explaining it to a child or motivating a crowd, do it in different accents, try it slowly and deliberately and then quickly with urgency, try any character that strikes your fancy. Don’t be self conscious (I know you are thinking that), this is fun, really and it is also a fantastic exercise to get the answers into your body, make them fluid and find your inner CEO.

PERFORMANCE: It’s show time! You have rehearsed, dressed and arrived on time. I always recommend doing some easy vocal warm ups while in transit. It’s relaxing and helps you connect to your core. A few other tension relievers are shaking out your hands vigorously, smiling or finding things that make you laugh, deep breathing or focusing on your senses.

To tap your inner power, think of a time when you felt happy, confident and in control, how did you stand, feel, breath. Notice your body stance when you feel nervous or uncertain? Now concentrate and shift back into your confident body posture. That positive stance will trigger messages and chemicals to your brain and nervous system that will reignite and reinforce your self-confidence.

ENCORE: You were brilliant and they want you back for a second interview. I believe the trap is to try to do it exactly the same way. As an actor that was the kiss of death because nothing is ever exactly the same. Do what works, bring in something new and really listen to the interviewer – that will keep the nuances and authenticity alive.

JOB: Congratulations – you got it! You probably will have several interviews before you get the job and that is okay. Just keep practicing, stay positive and remember that powerful, successful and confident character is found within YOU!

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