  
Creating Interview Rapport
Every job candidate, especially if going for a sales
position, hopes to click with an interviewer, creating the rapport that
will result in a job offer. But getting an interviewer to like you is
trickier than you might think. Trying to act a certain way or say all
the right things will only get you so far and can even backfire. It's
your ability to relate to your interviewer that creates rapport, says
Earl Taylor, PhD, a New York-based 30-year employee and master trainer
at Dale Carnegie & Associates.
When rapport is strong, the give-and-take of
interviewing creates a mutual relationship. When rapport is weak or
missing, it's more likely that you won't get hired, argues Taylor in an
article published by Selling Power
magazine. That's why learning how to build and maintain rapport should
be at the top of every job hunter's list of critical interpersonal
skills. Here are Tayler's tips for creating such a relationship:
Don't Go for the Obvious
Some job seekers mistakenly believe they can build
rapport by opening the conversation with a compliment, such as something
bland about a family photo, an autographed baseball, the view, etc. The
problem with this approach is that it's trite. Dozens, perhaps hundreds,
of people who have entered that office have already used these obvious
conversation starters. Another common error is to begin the conversation
by mentioning a shared cultural experience, such as a recent sporting
event. While such a conversation can build a mutual interest, it's not
easily redirected to your ability to contribute your skills to the
organization.
Open with a Relevant Comment
Obvious ploys suggest to a prospective employer
that you haven't researched the company and are just winging it. It's
more effective to open with a business-related remark or a question that
builds immediate momentum toward your goal of getting hired and
fulfilling the employer's needs.
For example, you might begin an interview with
a technically oriented manager by mentioning you noticed she recently
presented a paper at a conference. Then ask a question indicating your
interest in what the manager had to say. If available, check out the
interviewer's biography. You might remark, for instance, that you
noticed from her bio that her previous experience was in a different
industry -- and then ask what's different about being a leader where she
is now.
Ultimately, the specific content of your
initial remark is less important than what making it demonstrates about
you as an individual and how you could contribute as an employee. The
hidden message, and the rapport-building power, of the opening remark is
that you care enough about this employment opportunity to make the extra
effort to distinguish yourself from the crowd.
Focus on the Interviewer as a Person
Your overall attitude is also essential. When you
first meet a prospective employer, visualize that person not as an
inquisitor sitting in judgment, but as an honored guest in your home. If
you're like most people, when you welcome guests into your home, you are
glad to see them, and you want to make them feel welcome and at ease.
While the specifics of what you might say to an
interviewer will be quite different from your conversation with a
houseguest, the motivation and attitude behind the words should be the
same. Just as you graciously do your best to make your guest
comfortable, when you meet with an interviewer, find it within yourself
to be truly grateful for the opportunity to meet this individual.
However, don't try to be too friendly too quickly, or
you may come off as phony. Instead, hold yourself back, and increase
your level of curiosity. Be interested in the interviewer as a person,
and let the rapport emerge naturally during the conversation.
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