11 Interviewing Skills to Benefit Your Career

Interviewing skills are the emotional and tactical techniques that make job seekers more effective when interviewing for a new position. These skills are essential to gain, just like the technical skills and workplace skills you need to perform well in a position. 

By developing interviewing skills and practising them throughout your professional journey, you can feel more confident about any upcoming interview and experience a more fulfilling career. 

11 job interview skills 

Whether you’re a fresher just starting your career or a seasoned professional changing jobs, having sharp interview skills is essential to communicating effectively and demonstrating your skill set. Continue reading to learn the following interviewing skills (detailed instructions below):

Before the interview:

• Self-preparation

• Research

• Mastering your emotions

• Logistical planning

During the interview:

• Communication

• Introducing yourself

• Presenting your qualifications

• Listening 

• Asking questions 

After the interview: 

• Following up with your interviewer 

• Reflecting on your interview and refining your methods

1. Self-preparation 

Much of successful interviewing has to do with being able to align your unique gifts and qualifications with the position you’re applying for. Write down your personal and professional strengths, including the accomplishments you’re proud of, your values, and your job experience. If needed, reference your CV, cover letter, and the details of any prior projects.  

Self-preparation can put your strengths at the forefront of your mind and make it easier to articulate them in a conversation. 

2. Research 

Thorough research into the company you want to work for—including company reviews, its products and services, and its competitors—can help you determine if the career path will be a good fit.  

Scour everything you can find online about the company and jot down your thoughts on what it might be like to work there and any questions about the company culture and the role. Write down specific ways you can contribute to the company and be a part of its mission beyond what you may have outlined in a CV or cover letter.

3. Mastering your emotions 

Even with thorough preparation, anticipating a job interview can feel both exciting and stressful. Mastering your emotions can help you stay calm during the interview process, so you can focus on making the best decision for your career.

Review your self-preparation and company research notes several times to build emotional resilience for your job search. It can also give you a confidence boost before the interview.

Deep breathing to calm your nervous system

To reduce jitters on the day of the interview, try deep breathing. Get in a comfortable position and slowly inhale, filling your lungs with air. Hold your breath for five counts or longer, and then slowly exhale until you release all the air. Repeat this exercise several times.   

4. Logistical planning

For every interview, you’ll want to arrange all the experience details, from how to travel to a location or join a Zoom meeting to deciding what to wear. Working on your logistical planning skills can make your interview process run more smoothly, freeing up more energy to focus on your career goals. 

To practice this skill, gather logistical details from your interviewer as early as possible and list the arrangements you’ll need to make, including transportation, parking, internet access, childcare, and more. 

5. Communication 

Brushing up on your practical communication skills can help you to establish a rapport with your interviewer. Verbal communication skills include choosing your words carefully and describing your qualifications clearly. Nonverbal communication skills include smiling, nodding, and making eye contact. 

Practice good communication in advance by observing your body language in front of a mirror. Ask a friend or family member to do a mock interview with you. During the interview, it’s okay to speak slowly and deliberately and even pause to consider how you’d like to answer the interviewer’s questions. 

6. Introducing yourself

Your introduction at the beginning of an interview can help to set a positive tone for the rest of the conversation. After greeting your interviewer and thanking them for the chance to meet, be ready to deliver a short professional introduction or elevator pitch, especially if the interview says, “Tell me about yourself.” 

A good elevator pitch will present who you are as a person, your qualifications, and your enthusiasm for the position, among other details. 

You can prepare your introduction or elevator pitch before the interview, using notes from your other preparation steps. Rehearse it several times so that you can deliver it naturally. 

7. Presenting your qualifications

Once the interview is in motion, you’ll likely answer a few behavioural or situational interview questions so your interviewer can evaluate your qualifications. Questions might start with something like, “Tell me about a time when you solved a problem,” followed by, “What solution did you come up with?” You can easily answer these questions using the STAR method.

Tip: Use the STAR method

Use the STAR method for any behavioural or situational questions (common for programme management interviews): situation, task, action, and result. Applying this method helps to explain an example or story in a compelling, logical manner.

8. Listening 

You will experience moments during an interview when the interviewer will talk more, particularly to explain the position you’re applying for, describe the company’s goals and initiatives, and answer any questions.

Practice active listening so you can decide if this position is for you. Make eye contact and nod to signal that you understand the interview. Jot down notes to capture the crux of what the interviewer is saying so that you can reflect on it after the conversation. 

9. Asking questions 

Asking your interviewer questions is a great way to demonstrate your interest in a position and get the information you need to make an empowered career decision. 

To practice this skill, write your priority questions before the interview and have them handy for quick reference. As you jot down details of what the interviewer shares with you, look for opportunities to form new questions on the spot.

10. Following up with your interviewer

In the hours following your interview, write a follow-up email to your interviewer to thank them for the conversation. If you worked with a recruiter, take the time to thank them, too, and update them on how the interview went.

In your email, be thoughtful and brief. Speak about your enthusiasm for the position, the specific qualifications you discussed during the interview, and a polite request for updates on the hiring process. 

Make sure to follow up if you haven’t heard back from the interviewer in several business days.

11. Reflecting on your interview and refining your methods

Another skill to practice after an interview is to reflect on the experience and refine your methods, even if you get a job offer. That way, your interviewing skills can become rote, making it easier for you to create exciting new career opportunities. 

Check out a few examples of areas for improvement:

• Using the STAR method to tell even better stories about your professional history

• Conducting more thorough research on a company 

• Brainstorming more insightful questions about a position you’re interested in

Next steps

Having strong interviewing skills can aid you throughout your life. From school admissions to university interviews to job interviews, these skills can help you increase the odds of a successful interview. 

Consider taking the Successful Interviewing course at the University of Maryland on Coursera to improve your interview skills. This beginner-friendly course will take you through researching the market, answering common questions, and demonstrating your skills. You can also explore Finding Your Professional Voice: Confidence & Impact from the University of London to better understand body language and how to connect with your audience.