You’re meeting a recruiter for the first time, which means you’ve passed the CV and cover letter stage with flying colours. Congratulations! You’re the person the company needs. But now you need to persuade them of this.

So, don’t just take a passive role in your interview. Passivity is not viewed as an asset. Be proactive in your interview. Show your eloquence and enthusiasm, though don’t go overboard – let the interviewer get a word in too! It’s a matter of getting the balance right. The fact that you are proactive will be seen as a sign of your motivation. You want this job… so show it! Give the recruiter positive signals.

And another thing: have confidence in yourself. If you do, the recruiter is likely to feel confident about you too. Self-confidence is essential. Anyway, why wouldn’t you have confidence in yourself, since this job is made for you! If you are persuaded, the recruiter will be too (this is the Rosenthal effect). Interviews are the prime opportunity for showing the recruiter who you are and what your personality is like.

Don’t be afraid to show your emotions (Goleman, 1997) rather than just describing them. What has each of your professional experiences taught you? What did you feel in particular situations, such as when you did something well? Share your experiences and the emotions you felt with your recruiter!

Let’s talk about pay… Your work has value and should be rewarded. Talking about this is perfectly normal. Not doing so means underestimating your value and could send the recruiter a negative signal. But at what point should you mention it? You don’t want to be seen as mercenary, so avoid bringing it up too early on in the interview.

Doing so would suggest you have an ulterior motive for getting the job. The recruiter might think that pay is your main or only driver. If you put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes, you’ll understand why the intrinsic reward of the job should be more important than any ulterior motive. In other words, if you are interested in doing the job, you are intrinsically motivated… So, show it. Over to you!

Article was written by Maryline BOURDIL, Human Resources Researcher and Educator – Human Resources Management, GSCM-Montpellier Business School.

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