IPG Archives - Job Interview Coaching

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021

16 Job Interview Identities

To increase job interview success, career professionals need be aware of their own interview identity – how the applicant is perceived by the interview panel during the recruitment process.

The 16 interview identities sit within 4 overarching identity categories, based on the candidates perceived level of knowledge and experiences vs the applicants level of confidence.

The two axes, knowledge/experience and confidence, have a low to high scale. The 4 interview identity categories create a generic opinion.

Low level of knowledge/experience and a low level of confidence
Low level of knowledge/experience and a high level of confidence
High level of knowledge/experience and a low level of confidence
High level of knowledge/experience and a high level of confidence

It is important to remember that the interview identities have no relation to a career professionals ability to perform tasks in the real world or work, instead they are the employers perception of the applicants predicted job performance.

“A skilled worker who fails to communicate their competencies confidently can be seen as less skilled then they actually are”.
Chris Delaney author of ‘what is your interview identity’

The four characteristics of an interviewee.

The interview prediction grid model states that there are 16 interview identities that fit into four categories:

Incompetent (low/low)
Deceitful (low/high)
Uninterested (high/low)
Employable (high/high)

Incompetent

Incompetent job applicants have a lack of job experience and confidence, resulting in a nervous display during the recruitment process and a misunderstanding of the job interview questions.

Deceitful

The deceitful characteristic comes from a high level of confidence with a low level of industry knowledge and experience. They talk the talk, but cant walk the walk, resulting in an increase in destruct.

Uninterested

Career professionals with a high level of knowledge and experience, but who lack the confidence to express their competencies during the interview, can be seen as uninterested in job position – why else would a highly skilled applicant give short snappy answers?

Employable

Being skilled at communicating competencies confidently creates a persona of being employable, or highly employable. Descriptive and detailed answers, delivered well using a number of non-verbal communication skills, creates likability and desire from the interview start.

Take the interview prediction grid test:

16 Interview Identities.

As each of the interview identities is the employers perception of the applicants ability to complete business-as-usual tasks, the generic opinion can easily change if the interviewee can improve either their perceived level of knowledge/experience or their level of confidence during the recruitment process.

By understanding the sixteen interview identities, job applicants can tweak how they confidently communicate their competencies to create one of the more positive identities’ that often results in job offers.

A detailed description of each interview identity can be found by taking the interview prediction grid test.

Comes across as lacking the required skills and experiences for the role
Has a low opinion on self
Struggles to give detailed interview answers

Struggles with challenging or technical interview questions
Lacks industry related knowledge and experiences
Gives short snappy answers

May possess the required soft skills for the advertised role, but cant communicate any relevant experience in a way to gain a high-scoring answer
Doesn’t always understand the meaning behind the interview question
Gives answers that not relate to the job criteria

Can be seen as suitable for low-skilled roles or for positions where the employer can support the employee, a level 2 apprenticeship as an example
Answers are more detailed when talking about a personal experience, compared to answers for situational job interview questions
Not as self-assured as some of the other interview identities

A very confident communicator who will express themselves well, but who may hint to having skills and experiences that they don’t possess
Struggles to answer technical interview questions due to a lack of industry experience/knowledge
Doesn’t understand industry jargon and acronyms which can lead to answers that are irrelevant to the job interview question

A highly confident interviewee who believes they are more suitable for the role than they actually are
Skilled at self-promotion, but lacks the industry insights that is required to produce high-scoring interview answers
Answers questions quickly, assertively and confidently, even when they don’t have the required criteria mention in the interview question

Possesses enough sector-related experience to give detailed interview answers, but not enough prior experience for this to be consistent throughout the recruitment process
Employers are often impressed with answers relating to personal skills and qualities, as the applicant is a self-promoter
Struggles to recognise the job criteria for high-skilled roles

A self-assured applicant who is consistent with their own self-promotion
Lacks a deeper understanding of sector related models and theories that highlights, to the employer, their lack industry experience
May argue a point with an employer, even when lacking industry knowhow

Has a good level of industry knowledge, which is hidden away by their lack of ability to share their experiences
Interview answers are often short and snappy, filled with filler words
Employers initial opinions are negative due to the applicants lack of rapport

The quality of interview answers is sporadic, with the applicant able to talk more in-depth about business-as-usual tasks, but struggles when the employer challenges them
Some answers will promote a unique selling point, but others may self-disclose weaknesses
Potentially, a highly-skilled worker, who may struggle from imposture syndrome

A highly employable applicant, due to the a large amount of industry experience and academic qualifications, but struggles with their own self-esteem and confidence
Interview answer’s are short , snappy and fast-paced in delivery with the applicant keen to get the interview over with
Employers will recognize the wealth of industry expertise, but on the other the interviewer will be concerned about the candidates confidence levels and how that may effect the team once employed

Answers are mixed, with some being technical and in-depth, while others lacking any real substance
The candidate can come across as standoffish when the applicant doesn’t respond to follow up questions with a detailed reply. But can give enough evidence to show their range of job related skills
A highly-skilled individual who will open up to a ‘warm’ interviewer, but can shut down when interviewed by a ‘cold’ employer

Applicants are aware of their own abilities and expresses these well throughout the job interview
Rapport is easy to build and employers often have an instant liking towards the self-assured interviewee
Cam debate subjects, but cant persuade as well as some of the other high/high interview identities

Able to communicate their competencies confidently throughout the recruitment process, with employers seeing potential from the interview start
Can be argumentative when challenged on a particular subject or knowledge, which can be their undoing
Has a strong presence, with the employer having a positive ‘gut’ feeling about the obviously highly-skilled applicant

A high number of years in the industry and the easy to recognise specialist skills results in consistent job offers
Consistently delivers strong interview answers with examples while stating industry models and sector processes
A very confident applicant, but not being a the over top of the confident scale can, sometimes, effect the impact of their interview answers

The highest level of knowledge/experience and highest level of confidence, out of all the 16 interview identities, does create regular job offers but not as consistently as the egocentric applicant would like
A self-promote who can easily showcase their value while impressing the employer with their personality traits
The self-absorbed characteristic and their inflated view of self can place seeds of doubt in the employer minds

August 19, 2021August 25, 2021

How to Handle Different Types of Interviewers

There are three main types of job interviewers:

A cold interviewer
A warm interviewer
An expert interviewer

To have regular interview success, applicants need to be able to identify the type of hiring manager in front of them and know how to respond to the interviewer’s behavior.

By understanding the various types of interviewers creates confidence, helping to win over the interviewer and gain more job offers.

In addition to knowing the three interviewer types, career professionals must be aware of their own interview identity – how the applicant is perceived by the interview panel during the recruitment process, and how their interview identity naturally responds to each of the three types of interviewers.

It is these two things, identifying the type of interviewer and understanding how one is perceived in the job interview, that can create a more successful job interview outcome.

The fair interview process.

The goal of any recruitment process is to predict the job performance of each job applicant.

The highest scoring interviewee will, in most cases, be offered the advertised vacancy.

The interview process, therefore, is a logical process. The employer creates a list of essential job criteria, and the applicants interview answers are cross-referenced against the criteria, with each answer being allocated a score or point.

Detailed answers that evidence a high level of knowledge and experience, especially when communicated confidently, will receive the highest possible points.

Not all interviews are equal.

Most recruitment processes aren’t equal, as the interviewer themselves affect the behavior of the interviewee.

Research shows, how an employer that has a natural liking towards a certain applicant will, at the subconscious level, subtly change their behavior that encourages the interviewee to be more open, confident, to give higher-scoring interview answers.

An interviewers opinion of someone, which in turn affects their decision-making process, can be manipulated by any number of things, including:

Familiarity (affinity bias)
Social proof
Positive feelings (an emotional connection)

An interviewee, who is being interviewed by a hiring manager they have a rapport with, will behave differently during the question and answer session than they would when interviewed by an employer they believe doesn’t ‘like’ them.

Applicants in rapport with the employer will:

Be more willing to share personal opinions, ideas and suggestions
Give longer and more detailed interview answers
Share stories and anecdotes
Feel more relaxed and calm
Ask more questions, creating a conversation

The four characteristics of an interviewee.

The interview prediction grid model states that there are 16 interview identities that fit into four categories:

Incompetent
Deceitful
Uninterested
Employable

Incompetent

Incompetent job applicants have a lack of job experience and confidence, resulting in a nervous display during the recruitment process and a misunderstanding of the job interview questions.

Deceitful

The deceitful characteristic comes from a high level of confidence with a low level of industry knowledge and experience. They talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk, resulting in an increase in deceit.

Uninterested

Career professionals with a high level of knowledge and experience, but who lack the confidence to express their competencies during the interview, can be seen as uninterested in the job position – why else would a highly-skilled applicant give short snappy answers?

Employable

Take the interview prediction grid test:

Three Types of Interviewers.

Initially, interviewers can be put into two categories:

Trained
Untrained

Generally speaking, high-skilled professionals applying for high-salaried roles in large organisations will be interviewed by a trained HR or hiring manager.

Trained interviewers, often, will have undertaken unconscious bias training, understand the research behind a structured job interview, and will interview with a panel of job interviewers to help create a fairer recruitment process.

In addition, the recruitment process is likely to consist of 3-6 rounds of interviews, with applications being ‘blind’ – removing the candidate’s name, age, higher educational institute, to help remove any pre-interview unconscious biases.

For low to medium-skilled roles, or in small organisations, the applicant is likely to be interviewed by their potential new line manager.

In this situation, the line manager is unlikely to have undertaken any in-depth interview training and may not be aware of the effects of unconscious bias.

The interview will consist of, on average, one or two interview rounds by one or two interviewers.

In this case, it is likely that the interviewer(s) will be just as nervous as the applicant.

The three interviewer types; cold, warm and expert, can each be either a trained or untrained interviewer.

There has been much research conducted on the impact of the interviewer’s behavior, including verbal and non-verbal communication.

To spot the type of interviewer requires observation. The three types will give their identity away with telltale signs:

A cold interviewer will:

Frown
Sigh
Avoid eye contact or stare
Clock watch
Ask closed questions
Doesn’t smile
Doesn’t ask follow up questions
Be dismissive

A warm interviewer will:

Smile
Nod along with the applicant
Have strong eye contact
Be more personable
Ask follow up questions
Be re-assuring
Creates a conversation
Put the applicant at ease
Encourage with gestures and open body language

An expert interviewer will:

Naturally use industry jargon and acronyms
State sector related theories and models
Have a strong opinion
Challenge generalizations or data/information they believe is incorrect
Request specific examples and evidence
Ask for the applicants opinions
Come across as an authority/expert which they are

The four different interview identities will respond differently to each of the three job interviewer types.

The natural response to a cold, warm or expert interviewer.

Awareness creates change.

By understanding the interviewer types and the applicant’s own interview identity creates awareness. With awareness comes change.

A cold interviewer.

A cold interviewer increases the anxiety of a low confident interviewee, the incompetent and uninterested applicant.

This is because a lack of self-esteem creates an internal focus, leading to job candidates questioning whether the interviewer’s negative behavior is due to how they are acting in the job interview.

Whereas high-confident individuals have an external focus. In an article on scientific America, they say “If the interviewer is cold, highly confident candidates are able to externalize the behavior and not believe that it directly reflects on them.”

The more confident an applicant is, the more consistent their (confident) interview performance is.

A warm interviewer.

The encouraging nature of a warm interviewer, research shows, gets the ‘best’ out of the interviewees, which in turn allows the employer to predict the job performance of applicants.

Even an anxious applicant, an incompetent or uninterested interview identity, will perform much better – give higher-scoring interview answers when interviewed by a warm interviewer.

In fact, the more personable approach of a warm interviewer, prior to the question and answer stage of the interview IE the asking of non-job-related questions “did you find us OK?” or “how was your weekend?”, can help some applicants evolve their interview identity to the most successful quadrant, the employable interview identity.

The interview identity, as we have said, is the perceived level of knowledge and experience vs the level of confidence of the applicant in the job interview.

Therefore, the friendly nature of the warm interviewer can increase an experienced applicant’s confidence level, which in turn improves how that candidate answers the interview questions- giving more descriptive and detailed interview answers.

A warm interviewer encourages confident interviewees – the deceitful and employable interview identity, to be more self-assured leading to an increase in self-promotion.

The deceitful interview identity candidate will have conviction in their own statements, and even argue points with an interviewer. When interviewed by an ‘expert’ interviewer, the interviewer will challenge anything they view as inaccurate which creates the ‘deceitful’ identity.

But, if the warm interviewer isn’t an expert and/or lacks confidence themselves, the deceitful applicant can instead be viewed as having an ’employable’ interview identity.

An expert interviewer.

An expert interviewer can be ‘warm’ or ‘cold’. The difference is the expert has a wide range of sector-related knowledge and expertise, and the confidence to challenge an interviewee’s answers/knowledge to better to predict the job performance of each applicant.

Low levels of knowledge and experience applicants, the incompetent and the deceitful interview identities, are quickly recognized as not having the required level of competencies by the expert interviewer.

The expert interviewer is often interested in evidence-based interview answers, they preference data and use logic to help make hiring decisions. This analytical process becomes the barrier to anyone but the most experienced and knowledgeable career professionals,

Confidence is an important factor when interviewed by an expert. Confidence creates self-promotion. The employable interview identity, compared to the uninterested interview identity, will deliver descriptive, self-promoting and evidence-based answers that can be easily cross-referenced against the interview scorecard.

Uninterested interview identity candidates have the same level of experience and knowledge as an employable identity but lack that all-important ingredient – confidence.

It is the lack of confidence, that decreases communication. At the worst, the uninterested applicant has imposture syndrome and will self-declare a high number of weaknesses, at best their answers are positive but lack detail.

The expert interviewer may be aware of the higher level of knowledge and experience and even ask follow-up questions. But, if an applicant doesn’t state the required criteria on the interview scorecard it is unlikely they will be in the top 3 high-scoring applicants.

It is the lack of sharing information, being aloof and presenting short snappy interview answers that creates the identity of being uninterested in the job role/interview.

The structured job interview is designed to be a logical process, with answers being cross-referenced against the job criteria before being given a score.

Employers want to hire the most suitable applicant. This is the goal of every recruitment process. The ‘interview identity’ is created during the answers to the first interview answer. It is a generalisation of the suitability or unsuitability of an applicant for the advertised position.

If the interview identity is a negative identity, most employers will simply want the interview to end as quickly as possible. This can lead to a ‘warm’ interviewer, acting more ‘cold’ than they normally would do.

If an interview is going badly, the applicant needs to change their approach to win the interviewer around. The ‘what is your interview identity’ book explains actions the interviewee can take during the recruitment process.

5 signs that an employer likes the interviewee.

The interviewer will ask a more specific follow up questions to gain a more detailed answer
A cold interviewer will act more warm; smiling, nodding, eye contact
The interview panel will discuss how (the interviewers answer/knowledge) would help them solve a particular barrier
Employer will disclose how they like the applicant
Additional questions about the applicants situation will be asked; notice period, if the applicant has other job interviews

July 26, 2021July 26, 2021

How do you know if an Interviewer likes you?

Job hunters ask ‘how do you know if an interviewer likes me?’ because they are anxious about the recruitment process.

What the applicant is really asking is, ‘how likely is it that I will be offered the position after the job interview?’

But, likeability does effect the job interview outcome. This article will break down the impact of likeability in the job interview and how an interviewee can increase job offers by being liked by an interview panel.

Is the interview a fair process?

The goal of any recruitment process is to predict the job performance of each interviewee.

The predicted job performance is the main factor in the offering of the advertised position to one applicant over another.

The second factor, that influences the ‘main’ factor, the predicting of the job performance, is likeability.

To improve likeability, applicants must understand the psychology behind liking.

Humans like:

Familiarity (affinity bias)
What other people like (social proof)
Things that make us feel good (emotional connection)

Likeability starts before the interview starts.

Unconscious bias is the process of an opinion being made at the subconscious level, instantaneously, about a person (or group) base on any number of stimuli.

In recruitment processes, where the employers task is to make a conscious, logical, opinion on the applicants suitability for the job role, unconscious bias can be created by a persons:

Perceived age
Gender
Ethnicity
Body mass
Accent
Body language
Any number of things

The truth is, that an interviewer, when meeting the applicant for the first time, will make an opinion about that person prior to asking them an interview question. The opinion, which is an unconscious bias, as the employer doesn’t know the applicant, is made in milliseconds.

This is the initial likeability factor.

You meet someone and you like or dislike them, but you don’t know why. Or your gut feeling makes you cautious or open, or you feel drawn towards someone or you want to get away from them 9running from a potential threat).

The initial likeability is created based on a persons own experiences including the culture they grew up in.

If for example, the environment a person grew up in, generalized that a person/group with X characteristic was lazy, the interviewer with this limiting belief would search for evidence to back up their prejudice.

Research shows, that characteristics on the applicants application form, social media feed or from the opinions of others can create a pre-interview opinion.

Not all opinions are negative.

If an employer read on the candidates application form that they had a degree from a leading university, Oxford or Cambridge, as an example, a positive pre-interview opinion can be created.

In fact, if the candidate attended the same university as the interviewer, the interviewer, due to affinity bias, will have rapport with the applicant.

Having a published industry related book, or having been quoted in sector magazines, or even possessing a social media feed filled with industry updates can create authority prior to the job interview.

Strong eye contact, positive body language and being physically attractive all shape the initial opinion, as the employer meets the applicant for the very first time.

In short, the employer prior to meeting an applicant will make a positive or negative generalization (I like or don’t like this person) at the subconscious level, due to a number of different factors.

“Unconscious bias creates a likeability factor that acts as a filter during the forthcoming job interview”
Chris Delaney Author of What is Your Interview Identity.

Challenging the Initial Impression.

Most interviewers aren’t consciously aware of the reason behind their initial likeability impression.

A racist, sexist or ageist interviewer, as an example, is aware (and doesn’t care) that they dislike a certain group.

In this case it will be hard to challenge the limiting belief. But, in the main, the initial feeling about a stranger is subconscious.

For an employer who has an initial reaction, as an example, to a female applying for a traditionally masculine role, they become aware (and they care that this initial filter wont effect the interview process) making an effort to override the unconscious bias.

For many people, the unconscious bias reaction, isn’t a reflection of the values they hold true to themselves. Imagine, for example, an obese applicant applies for a job in your team.

Is the obese applicant male or female?

It doesn’t matter which gender you choose, what matters is that you automatically choose a gender – this is unconscious bias in play.

The job interview environment is designed to be a logical place, with answers being cross-reference against the job criteria. Employers, apart from the ‘aware and don’t care’ interviewers, want to hire the most suitable applicant no matter what the persons age, gender, ethnicity, etc.

One barrier to a fair interview process is that the duration of the job interview is long for one person to remain totally focused. Again, like with unconcise bias, the mind will create short cuts.

The initial short-cut the brain makes is ‘likeability’ created by the initial impression. The second short-cut, or snap decision, is the applicants ‘interview identity’.

The ‘interview identity’ is created in the first, and possibly second job interview question. Or more specific the applicants answers to each question.

If the interviewee states their sector related competencies confidently, showing added value, worth and skillset (knowledge, experience and unique selling points) the interview identity will be positive.

But, an answer that lacks specifics and filled with self-declared weaknesses and excessive use of filler words is likely to create a negative identity.

The interview identity, to generalize, is the applicant being suitable or unsuitable for the advertised position.

Check your interview identity by taking the interview prediction grid test.

An ‘aware and care’ employer, with an initial negative impression (likeability factor) can easily be swayed if the initial interview answers highlight a high level of industry knowledge and experience (suitability).

Suitability is a logical choice and likeability is emotional. The new filter created by the ‘suability’ factor, the applicants interview identity, becomes the main focus. The mind, then searches for evidence to back up their belief ‘this interviewee is suitable/not suitable for the role’.

***the initial likeability factor can effect the suitability short-cut.

In fact, some high-scoring answers can create a ‘charismatic’ or ‘optimistic’ interview identity.

Signs that an Interviewer likes you?

It is easy to spot an interested interviewer.

If an employer doesn’t believe the candidate is suitable for the role, they will want to end the interview process as quickly as possible.

For an interested interviewer, they will show signs of desire by:

Asking additional questions to help the applicant mention the required criteria relevant for that job question
Positive non-verbal communication to encourage more descriptive answers from the candidate
Sharing personal stories to build rapport with the applicant with a view to help them take the offered role
Stating their high opinion of the applicant
Discussing future projects that the candidate would be suited for
Checks competition by asking about the interviewees other job interviews

Remember that just because the interviewer is interested in an applicant, this doesn’t always lead to a job offer, as the next applicant may have a stronger interview identity.

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021

Horns Effect

The psychological impact of the halo or horns effect has a subconscious influence on the employers decision making process.

What is the job interview halo effect?

The now famed halo effect is a cognitive bias where the employers overall impression of a job candidate influences how the hiring manager receives the applicants interview answers.

At a basic level, an applicant can be seen as ‘suitable’ or ‘hirable’ when the halo effect is in play. The halo effect can be created when an employer finds the candidate attractive. We call this ‘the what is beautiful is good‘ bias.

People believe attractiveness to be linked to other positive traits; intelligence, reliability, and being skilled, without any evidence.

Prior to the job interview, the halo effect can take effect.

An employer reading a candidate’s application form can form a positive opinion, where the hiring managers believe this applicant is the most suitable person for the role, even without interviewing anyone.

An everyday example of the halo effect is a friend introducing you to one of their colleagues. Prior to meeting the colleague, the friend says “the (colleague) is a really nice person, I know you will really like them.” This seeding of a positive character creates the halo effect. As would reading their (positive) social media feed, or finding out that you both have a common interest.

How does the halo effect, effect the job interview?

Being attractive doesn’t guarantee a job offer.

Instead, the halo effect creates a positive filter. The employer, liking the applicant, will search for evidence of suitability.

The hiring manager will want the candidate to do well. In fact, research shows that the subtle changes in an employer’s behavior, influence how the interviewee acts, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What is the Horns Effect?

There is an opposite to the famed halo effect, the ‘horns effect’.

If an employer is predisposed to dislike the applicant, they will subconsciously search for reasons to reduce an interview score.

Several information sources can lead to a ‘horn effect’.

The employer hearing bad things from a colleague about the applicant prior to the job interview (this is most common in internal interviews) can create a pre-interview negative opinion.

This scenario worsens when the colleagues reference how the applicant may lie or be deceitful during the job interview. Being viewed as having a ‘dishonest‘ interview identity creates a barrier that is hard to remove.

Many employers now use social media as one way to ‘get to know the real applicant’ before they attend the recruitment process.

A social media page that creates a negative impression, such as photos of drinking and partying, can create a negative stereotype.

Even the candidate’s communication skills during the application process can create a halo or horns effect. A weak worded email, spelling errors, or even working for an organization with a poor reputation can create a negative association.

First Impression Horns Effect

The horns effect can take place prior to the job interview but also during the initial introduction.

As the employer meets the applicant in reception, a number of non-job-related criteria can influence the hiring manager’s decision-making process.

Being overweight, as an example, can have a negative association. Obese equals laziness.

An experiment shown how being obese reduces the number of jobs offers an applicant received. Employers were sent one application, which either had attached to it, a picture of an overweight job applicant or an average size person. The conclusion was that the image of an overweight individual had a negative horns effect on their application process.

But a number of other non-job-related criteria can create a positive or negative first impression:

Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Height
Weight
Hair colour
Stance
Tonality

The research is proving how a job interview is never a fair recruitment process, as opinions are made at the subconscious level.

These initial impressions act as the filter throughout the recruitment process, with an employer filtering each answer, and therefore searching for evidence to back up their belief, through the filter suitable or not suitable, liked or disliked.

Interviewees can help to shape the way they are viewed by creating a positive job interview identity during the answering of the initial interview questions.

The stating of key competencies, when communicated confidently, can override the initial impression. This is because the structured process of a job interview means the employer must mark the applicant’s answers against the job interview scorecard.

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 8/6 – Optimistic

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

8/6 – Optimistic

8/6 – Optimistic interviewees are qualified career professionals with more than 10 years’ industry experience. They are experts in their field but humble enough not to over-egg their high-level skill set.

Of all 16 interview identities, the 8/6 – Optimistic is more likely to be consistent with receiving job offers. The employability factor comes down to having specialist skills and knowledge gained over a vast period of time. This duration in the industry is directly linked to their ability to identify the job criteria, and thus their ability to prepare high-scoring answers.

It is unlikely that 8/6 – Optimistic interviewees won’t have an example or two that reveals how they meet the scoring criteria. Furthermore, they are able to state sector models and theories with ease and give accurate information (as an example: how the global economy impacts their sector) that can be utilised by the employer.

Impressions are formed based on the applicant’s behaviour, vocal cues and language. As the charming interviewees have a good level of self-esteem, they generally have excellent communication skills. When challenged they are calm, collected, and confident, without being too overbearing. As a self-promoter, they are at ease when discussing competencies creating the impression of intelligence.

In short, interviewers will be impressed with the 8/6 – Optimistic applicant.

Strengths

A career professional with the highest level of industry knowledge is destined for a senior- or expert-level position.

With a wealth of experience, educated to the highest level and often with a natural temperament for the desired role, the optimistic candidate is in demand, often being head-hunted for high paying positions.

The combination of extensive experience, academic ability and character, means they are able to build upon current industry theories, contributing significantly to the field. Previous successes and lessons learnt throughout their duration in the industry allows the applicant to respond decisively to any challenging interview questions.

The pre-interview screening process results in high expectations as the halo effect comes into play. This presumption of excellence is reinforced as the applicants consistently referencing their own talents and expertise.

It isn’t just the candidate’s level of self-esteem along with their exceptional level of knowledge that shapes the persona of being optimistic. More importantly it’s their attitude throughout the job interview: answers are positive. Solutions are found. No detail is too small and no problem too big.

The icing on the cake is the applicants’ ability to reframe any job interview question so their knowledge level is showcased. An example of this is stating less commonly known solutions to familiar interview questions. Imagine a retail employer asking for examples of increasing profits. Common answers relate to price increases or offers. Whereas, the optimist applicant answers strategically, “Decreasing packaging sizes and product content by 1% over a 12-month period has a compound effect on overhead cost.”

Development

Being an expert naturally increases self-worth. Self-worth improves confidence. Confidence increases self-promotion. However, confidence is on a scale meaning that an individual’s self-promotion can vary depending on the person’s mind-set.

Generally speaking, self-promotion is strong, but the optimists aren’t as influential as their high confident counterparts. The small difference in persuasion can create a differential scoring of a high vs medium confidence level applicant.

For senior positions every point counts. Each applicant will possess expertise resulting in high scores being given across the board. The negligible difference of a ‘3’ or ‘4’ score is in fact significant when points are accumulated.

Therefore, the admiration held for a charismatic identity could win the day, even though an optimist is liked. This is especially true for senior position recruitment processes, which often include an informal interview. The non-structured interview relies on an instinctual assessment of the candidate. It is often applicants with the highest confidence levels, therefore the most likely to create affinity, that will be viewed as most suitable.

For senior positions, the interviewer is assessing characteristics as well as competencies. Any thoughts of imposter syndrome and the employer will have concerns over their appointment, especially for high-salaried roles.

Some interviews are purposely hard, employing cold interview tactics. A lack of confidence at this stage will be to the detriment of the interview outcome.

At this level applicants would never disclose weaknesses without reframing their experience. Instead, the aim is to highlight value in terms of what the candidate can bring to the organisation. Doubts, misgivings, or a lack of trust is enough to destroy any chances of a job offer.

Optimists will self-promote, be assertive and influence others, but not at the consistent level of ‘8’ level of confidence applicants. High confident interviewees will use a combination of logic, emotional stories, and intrigue to persuade the interviewer that they, not others, are the best fit for the organisation.

Advice for the job interview

Use self-praise to its fullest extent. Reframe the weaknesses question, so the focus is on lessons learnt rather than mistakes.
Don’t leave the interviewer with any potential doubts. Become emotionally intelligent, read non-verbal cues, and adjust answers accordingly
Remain calm with a cold interviewer. Answer slowly and clearly, as this helps to ‘think on your feet’. Avoid feeling rushed and modify answers when required

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 8/8 – Egocentric

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

8/8 – Egocentric

Possessing the highest level of knowledge/experience and confidence out of all of the sixteen identities doesn’t result in consistent success.

With, on average, more than 10+ years’ industry experience and possessing a specialist skill set, egocentric applicants are in demand. It is an overconfident belief in their own ability (which is likely to be true) which can come across as domineering.

In fact, 8/8 – Egocentrics truly believe they are more skilled than other interviewees, and often the interviewers themselves. Any opportunity to showcase the expertise will be taken. Self-presentation, though, can end with the applicant arguing over a minor point with the employer.

On paper egocentric interviewees are the most suitable applicants. Extensive experience working on specialist projects has given them a unique insight that can lead to them contributing significantly to the field. Qualified to the highest level, along with an assertive and professional attitude, they constantly build upon industry theories and models, often leading the way.

8/8 – Egocentrics, at the extreme, can be narcissistic; they will self-promote which increases a positive job interview outcome, but they won’t back down on a point they have made even when presented with contradictory evidence. In addition, especially for internal positions, the candidates will happily say negative comments about other internal applicants to make themselves look more suitable for the role.

As alluded to previously, decisions are made emotionally, not logically. If purely a logical decision, the 8/8 – Egocentric career professional would, in most cases, be offered the position. As some interviewers feel threatened by the overbearing 8/8 – Egocentric and/or feel annoyed by their self-centred appearance, the emotional judgment of an interviewer plays a large part in the interview scoring process.

Strengths

Self-promotion is not only required in the job interview, it is expected. No other ‘interview identity’ candidates consistently discuss their competencies as regularly as the 8/8 – Egocentric. Their self-identity is one of a high achiever, and rightly so, as they have often accumulated a wealth of sector-related knowledge/experience and are thus viewed as an industry expert.

With strong mental toughness, any negativity from the interviewer washes over the applicants keeping their confidence level consistent throughout the recruitment process.

Often experienced in diverse roles, they are used to high-pressured situations and can remain calm and even enjoy what others would consider a stressful environment. Cold interview techniques wouldn’t rattle their cage. In fact, the egocentric enjoys the challenge of a tricky interview.

With such interviewees being highly motivated, assertive, and open to challenges, employers view the candidate as one who could fit in with, or more likely, lead a team to a successful outcome.

With a high view of self, 8/8 – Egocentric interviewees will make it clear, using self-praise, data sharing, self-promotion, emotional stories, referencing the job criteria, emotional intelligence, that they are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position.

Interviewers are often charmed by the high competent and confident career professional, viewing them as a specialist who could help the organisation achieve its strategic aims.

This identity is further helped by the candidates who will willingly state their unique selling points at every opportunity. An example of this would be at an interview start when an employer asks, “Tell me a little about yourself.” Most interviewees give a generic summary of their work experience, whereas the 8/8 – Egocentric candidate will create intrigue with a relevant boast, “Over the last 20 years I have turned underperforming organisations on the brink of bankruptcy into multi-million pound businesses within a short timeframe.”

Development

Initial impressions are important. The employer, knowing of the applicants’ reputation, is influenced by the halo effect. As these applicants utilise all three rules of a successful interview (identifying the job criteria, being a self-promoter and communicating with confidence), they win over even the hardest of interviewers.

The downside to having excessive self-belief is ‘tunnel vision’. It is the self-absorbed attitude which seeds doubt in the employer’s mind. Their inflated view of their own self-importance distances them from the interviewer.

Disagreements with an expert interviewer can be common even when contradictory evidence has been presented. If egocentrics don’t get their own way, they can take on an aggressive tone.

Candidates need to learn to let-go. And to recognise that the interviewer may also be an industry expert and sector specialist. It is important in a job interview to listen to employers to understand their frame of reference. Emotional intelligence is key. With this insight a better-worded reply can be given that helps rebuild rapport.

Even when the applicant is more experienced than the interviewer, and often the 8/8 – Egocentric candidate has a rare talent that the employer does not possess, behaviour needs to be amended. Egocentrics will often talk down to people they view as low status.

Advice for the job interview

Don’t dismiss an expert interviewer’s opinion if it doesn’t adhere to your own experiences. Instead debate, and communicate, various viewpoints to be seen as an authority
Give the employer attention. Don’t get lost in your own self-importance, instead make the interviewer feel important as this increases rapport
Adjust communication to keep rapport strong. If any disagreements happen, let them go. Be assertive but professional

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 2/2 – Inadequate

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

2/2 – Inadequate

As the lowest score on the IPG, it is highly unlikely that a 2/2 – Inadequate interviewee, coming across as lacking the required criteria (competence and confidence) – will be offered a paid position.

In fact, many voluntary interviewers, unless they feel they have resources to support a 2/2 – Inadequate applicant, will also refuse an offer of unpaid employment.

The employer, due to a lack of rapport, will stop looking for potential and instead will be hoping to terminate the interview at the earliest stage.

Strengths

The 2/2 – Inadequate applicant is in essence a blank piece of paper, from which a masterpiece can be created. By showing willingness, the candidate can be seen as someone who can be moulded by an organisation.

For voluntary positions, many employers are keen to support applicants who may struggle to gain paid work allowing this natural ‘vulnerability’ to become an asset, but opportunities like this can be rare.

Development

Confidence can be improved significantly within a very short timeframe. As an example, research shows how standing in a confident stance improves internal confidence levels.

Employers recruiting for low skilled voluntary roles value work ethic and personal qualities more than academic ability. By improving employability skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, customer service, the applicant’s level of confidence will also increase.

Gaining experience to improve soft, key skills would be useful. Work experience as part of an educational course can assist with this. All experiences can be used to showcase a wider range of skills and qualities. An example of this could be helping out at a village fair selling raffle tickets to develop customer service skills.

Attending educational courses, not only improves the perceived ‘interview identity’ as the applicant’s level of knowledge increases, it also builds confidence as self-worth develops within the applicant.

Advice for the job interview

Focus interview answers on personal skills, qualities and strengths. Use personal stories to increase the length of the interview answer
Show willingness and make reference to a positive work ethic, allowing an employer to see what you can bring to the team
Utilise pauses as this breaks up the delivery of the answer and allows you to take deep, calming breaths to reduce interview anxiety

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 6/6 – Self-Assured

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

6/6 – Self-Assured

Just about all 6/6 – Self-assured applicants will easily build rapport with a job interviewer as their medium confidence level and knowledge/experience is expressed with industry-related anecdotes and detailed examples.

Being medium in both knowledge/experience and level of confidence, 6/6 – Self-assured individuals are aware of their own abilities and express them well.

Within the high/high segment, 6/6 – Self-assured applicants are the lowest scoring in the quadrant. This does not mean they will be unsuccessful against other high/high interviewees, as some applicants with an 8-level of confidence can overplay their hand. But the reality is that 6/6 – Self-assured career professionals are often at the beginning of their senior-level career, applying for roles against other, more experienced, high/high applicants.

Strengths

Being confident, but not overbearing increases likeability. The interviewer’s opinion of 6/6 – Self-assured applicants improves when they talk with authority on subjects relevant to the job criteria.

Descriptions of past experiences are delivered conversationally while remaining focused on the interviewer’s question. Each answer sounds simple, but underlying the strengths of these replies is a structure designed to explain the situational problem the applicant faced, the steps taken to overcome the barrier and the positive outcome that was the result of their well-planned actions. In short, answers are filled with self-praise.

The pace, tonality and non-verbal communication is relaxed and welcoming, disarming a cold interviewer. This is especially true when explaining past experiences and well used sector models.

Industry-related knowledge has been gained from working in the sector over a long duration. Often these career professionals have worked their way up from low-skilled positions giving the applicant an insight into the workings of an organisation from different viewpoints. When applying for managerial roles, this level of knowledge can be invaluable.

Other 6/6 – Self-assured applicants with less industry experience are likely to have Level 7 qualifications, arming them with an in-depth knowledge of sector related theories and models. Either way, possessing a medium level of knowledge/experience complements their competent delivery style, putting an employer at ease.

Development

Applying for medium-skilled roles, the 6/6 – Self-assured applicant is in a strong position, as the other three interview identities from the high/high segment are likely to only apply for highly skilled roles.

In preparation for highly skilled positions, where competition is at its highest, the self-assured applicant needs to take steps to be viewed as more suitable than other high/high applicants.

An easy solution to improve the level of knowledge/experience is to gain professional industry qualifications (as an example an engineer can become chartered) or for Level 6 qualified applicants to gain a Level 7-8 qualification. What is important is to gain the required qualifications or knowledge by completing CPD (continued professional development) qualifications relevant to the position being applied for.

For high level positions, employers are often looking for an applicant who is an authority on a subject. It is the positioning of this authority within the job interview that can be the difference between receiving the job offer or not. Successful career professionals as well as showcasing their expertise, make it relevant to each organisation they are applying to work for.

Confidence is at the top end of the sufficient level due to the level of knowledge/experience, but when interviewed by an expert interviewer who is determined to test every interviewees’ competencies, cracks can form in the applicants’ composure.

Being able to debate a subject well isn’t the same as having the ability to persuade another person to take on your ideas, as an ‘8’ confident applicant would be able to do.

To beat other high/high candidates the 6/6 – Self-assured applicant needs to first understand that competitive applicants may be more persuasive or simply have the required expertise needed by the employer.

The skill of influence comes from being adept at emotional intelligence, knowing, through the interviewer’s verbal and non-verbal cues, how each interview answer is being received and amending answers as required. Skilled manipulators are able to hear the motivational preferences of an interviewer and change their own language, behaviour and word choice to frame each answer, so it resonates with each interviewer.

Advice for the job interview

Explain industry theories with authority. When giving a suggestion, do so with conviction. Interviewers respond well to assertive individuals
Share opposing viewpoints when discussing sector models. Not only does disputing well-known frameworks show confidence, it gives the employer an insight into your understanding of industry-related processes and problems
Use academic language, acronyms and jargon when appropriate. Utilise storytelling and forecast data from the solutions you would implement once employed

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 8/4 – Aloof

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

8/4 – Aloof

A distant and stand-offish interviewee created through a high knowledge/experience and sufficient confidence level, is a concern to employers looking to recruit a highly skilled employee to join a team of experts.

The 8/4 – Aloof applicant, the highest scorer in the high/low segment, is often looking to move from a medium level position to high level role (or a high-salaried role). For highly paid vacancies, the interviewer is most likely an industry expert possessing high levels of confidence in his/her own ability.

Much research shows that interviewees will receive more job offers when the interviewer finds commonality with the applicant. If the candidate, being interviewed by a confident interviewer, lacks confidence, rapport will be broken.

Employers often search for a new team member that will fit-in with the team dynamics and the company culture. Anyone who sits outside of this image, the aloof applicant, can be viewed as potentially harmful. If an unapproachable, unresponsive and unhelpful applicant is allowed to join a current group of motivated employees, the influence could be highly disruptive.

Such 8/4 – Aloof applicants, because they possess a sufficient level of confidence, can give enough detail in an interview answer, allowing the employer to be aware of their high level of knowledge/experience. Detailed answers, delivered confidently, increase likeability and change the perception of how the candidate is viewed as a team member.

If the majority of answers lack specifics due to a nervous delivery style, and most do, a sense of distance between the applicant and interviewer will be created.

The employer initially will put the lack of detailed answers down to interview anxiety. When applying for highly paid medium positions, organisations are expecting applicants to have the communication skills, and confidence, to be able to express themselves clearly.

Strengths

A vast amount of knowledge and experience, often being an expert within an industry sub-niche, along with a unique set of industry related skills and experiences increase the likelihood of gaining employment.

When confident about a particular topic, relevant to their expertise, answers are clear, well-structured and descriptive enough for an employer to see the value in having such candidates as part of their team.

In addition, their long duration in the job sector enables them to identify the job criteria offering the employer relevant answers and an insight into their impressive range of knowledge and skills.

Many ‘8’ knowledge/experience candidates will be an expert in a sector sub-niche, creating authority within the job interview. If the expertise is presented prior to the job interview, in the application process, the halo effect will be in play.

The expertise of an aloof applicant is rare and therefore highly valuable. Even when an employer has concerns over a candidate’s persona, the thought of a competitor gaining an industry advantage by utilising the applicant’s wealth of experience and talent can result in a job offer.

Development

One of the unknown factors within the interview process is the level of knowledge/experience and confidence of the competition.

Lately, the number of career professionals returning to education to gain post-grad qualifications has increased. In a global marketplace, employers are seeing the financial advantage of encouraging and even funding staff members to gain professional industry qualifications (i.e. a chartered engineer). The result of this is an increase in applicants ranking high on the level of knowledge/experience axes.

In addition, the job market is in constant flux due to the fast pace of technology and globalisation, with career professionals working in job roles that weren’t available only a few years previously. At a technical level, applicants for these new roles are on a level playing field.

Possessing a specialist skill or knowledge is still highly sought after but cannot alone be relied on. Expert applicants still need to follow rule 3 of a successful interview – confident communication.

The 8/4 – Aloof applicant can close down when challenged or asked unexpected questions. In addition, if interrupted by an interviewer, the candidates’ concentration can be disturbed, often ruining the flow of their answers, putting them at a disadvantage.

Even as an expert, the candidate will hesitate, stutter, and use excessive filler words when discussing a complex idea, reducing the perceived level of knowledge/experience.

The perceived level of knowledge/experience is also damaged by the fact that 8/4 – Aloof applicants do not actively self-promote believing that their experience speaks for itself. Whereas other ‘interview identities’ will make it clear that the actions they took made a project a success, the aloof applicant will talk about the team’s achievement and may even self-disclose their own weaknesses and mistakes.

Specific self-praise and bragging is required when facing competition from other, more confident, industry specialists.

Advice for the job interview

Make a point of referencing, in detail, the actions you took to achieve the outcome being described in the answer. Be a self-promoter, praise yourself and brag!
In the main, mention three criteria per interview answers as this will increase the allocated marks per question
Take deeper breaths (rather than short shallow breaths) to reduce the flight-or-fight mode created by the sympathetic nervous system

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG

February 11, 2021June 21, 2021

Interview Identity 8/2 – Bored

Below is a breakdown of your Interview Identity

8/2 – Bored

Interviewers can sense when an applicant has high levels of knowledge/experience (in this case the highest level of K/E within the high/low segment) as sector terminology, industry references, and specific details stated by the applicant give unconscious clues to the interview panel. But the low level of confidence for 8/2 – Bored interviewees can come across as they aren’t interested in the position, even though they are.

This perceived lack of interest kills the likability factor which will influence the job interview outcome. It is often the monotone voice, with an unchanging pitch, and/or the short snappy answers which shapes this negative illusion. It is rare for employers to recruit such an employee for a medium level position, as they believe that anyone who is bored in a job interview will surely be bored once employed.

Many employers will recognise that the interviewee is anxious and will support the applicant throughout the interview, requesting more details and/or examples. If the nervous applicants fail to state the required criteria for the job role, the interviewer has little choice but to mark them low on the interview scorecard.

Strengths

Career professionals with an ‘8’ level of knowledge and experience are highly employable, as they possess a skill set that far surpasses that of what is required on most job adverts.

Often qualified to at least a master’s level and/or having over 10 years’ industry-related experience, their knowledge base far exceeds other applicants. In fact, their industry insights can be at a level where they can build on proven sector models and theories, adding to the field.

Such applicants’ temperaments will often suit their chosen career path: a creative mind for innovative industries or analytical brain for mathematical roles. This mixture of personality, knowledge and experience creates a most suitable, and often passionate, career professional who can deal with unforeseen sector-related problems with ease.

At their best ‘8’ knowledge/experience employees can redesign systems and processes and/or think of innovative ways to improve results never before thought of by colleagues working in the same industry. They also possess the insight to take ideas and technology from other sectors and make it relevant to their own.

Development

Having a wealth of related knowledge isn’t always enough to secure job offers, even when their reputation has created a pre-interview halo effect. What is also required is the third rule of a successful interview – communicate with confidence.

Positive slippage (i.e. the use of industry acronyms, referencing industry theories) creates a positive generalisation, “They must be an authority on the subject.” The long duration working within the sector should showcase competencies. Employers, seeing the potential value of an applicant, become interested, which is a short step away from desire. However, a weak communication style discourages intrigue.

Intrigue and excitement are created through the use of stories, vocal variety and through non-verbal communication. It is the poor communication style, even when an employer is aware of the applicant’s high level of knowledge/experience, that leads to the perception of the applicant as being bored.

Hesitations, excessive filler words and short snappy sentences, as well as a lack of assertiveness, decrease likeability. Even when questions are asked, that are directly relevant to the applicant’s knowledge/experience, a lack of self-belief in one’s own abilities results in an overuse of negative self-disclosure, reducing the perceived level of suitability.

A cold interviewer has a powerful negative effect on an 8/2 – Bored interviewee. Applicants believe the cold behaviour of the interviewer is down to their lack of skill and confidence (imposter syndrome), increasing their anxiety. To overcome this barrier, candidates need to externalise the interviewer’s behaviour, putting it down to their communication style and character rather than believing the interviewer’s actions are a result of the applicant’s own performance.

Advice for the job interview

Acknowledge that you are likely to be the most knowledgeable person in the room on your chosen expertise. This self-awareness of ability increases confidence
When answering technical questions, state the potential negative outcome to the problem you are discussing, and the steps you took to achieve the desired solution required to solve the issue. The ‘problem-action-outcome’ structure increases the length of the interview answer, improving the number of criteria the employer can score you on
Change tonality, volume, and speed to keep the employer engaged and listening. The more interviewers register, the more likely they are to give a higher score

Retake the Interview Prediction Grid Test – click here

Research: IPG