Career advice: How to build rapport with your interviewer

Follow these five dos and don’ts to create a connection and give yourself an advantage.

It is important to build rapport with a job interviewer because it shows you will have the ability to do that in the role.

Employers want to know that you can relate to other people.

For most jobs these days, you have to be a walking talking Jack of all trades – including the ability to build rapport.

It is easier to make a connection with an interviewer in a face-to-face interview, but you can do it in a Zoom call to a degree.

It will partially depend on your personality, and you can’t do too much about that, but there are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind when building rapport in a job interview.

DON’T BE TOO FAMILIAR

If the interviewer wants to tell their life story, it doesn’t mean you have to reciprocate.

Just enjoy the conversation and let them talk.

If they ask lots of questions about your life and you feel uncomfortable with that, answer politely with information but don’t keep talking.

Getting along with the interviewer can go a long way. Picture: iStock

DO SHOWCASE YOUR CULTURAL FIT

By the interview stage, they already know you can do the job, they just want to check your CV is right and that your personality is a culture fit.

Find out how long your boss has been in their role.

If it’s a long time, it means they probably don’t want to leave and if they see you are extremely ambitious, they might be threatened by you.

DO CONNECT ON LINKEDIN

Check them out and connect on LinkedIn even before the interview so they feel they are not meeting a stranger.

It’s so important that your social media reflects your brand.

Don’t assume “they wont find me, I am on private”.

You should want them to find you.

Amanda Rose recommends connecting on LinkedIn before you meet. Picture: Monique Harmer

DO LOOK FOR THINGS IN COMMON

Did you go to the same school? Do you have the same interests?

I found out once that the boss interviewing me had written a book so I talked about it in the interview and he loved it.

Find out what interests them.

DON’T SHOW A LACK OF CONFIDENCE

Nervousness is different – everyone gets nervous.

The key is to show them who you are and be yourself but be respectful and smart about it.

Amanda Rose is a business consultant, workplace trainer, LinkedIn influencer and founder of six organisations – and now she is tackling your career questions for SMART Daily every week.

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