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Many of us might feel like an afternoon’s worth of reading may be all we need to ace our next interview, however preparing for an interview with online research is like learning to drive a car by reading the manual.
It’s a little known fact that during a job interview you aren’t just being assessed on the questions directly. In fact, there are a number of hidden factors that interviewers use to measure how successful you would be in the role you are hoping to fill. Interviewers are focused on how you answer the question, just as much as your actual answer. From your use of pronouns to demonstrate your ability to work within a team to the pause fillers you use that undermine your confidence, these subtle factors can influence your chances of success.
It’s a little known fact that during a job interview you aren’t just being assessed on the questions directly. In fact, there are a number of hidden factors that interviewers use to measure how successful you would be in the role you are hoping to fill. Interviewers are focused on how you answer the question, just as much as your actual answer. From your use of pronouns to the words you use that undermine your confidence, these subtle factors can influence your chances of success.
At Wizco, we want to empower professionals to take their next career steps with confidence, by preparing them better than any amount of online research ever could. We believe that there’s no better way to do this than through a structured mock interview with an industry expert.
We’re excited to introduce the latest addition to our mock interviews which will bring you closer to the hidden metrics that can change your interview outcomes.
Meet Interview Intelligence
Interview Intelligence is our advanced AI tool that records, transcribes and analyzes an applicant's in session performance based on the key metrics that are assessed during a traditional job interview.
From culture fit analysis to word per minute tracking, Interview Intelligence leaves each participant with an accurate overview of how they are perceived in a professional setting complete with guidance on where and how to improve.
Through the combined powers of data-driven metrics and the years of practical experience our experts provide, our post session reports are now more comprehensive than ever.
This new feature provides more insight into applicant performance through identifying, analyzing and rating key performance indicators - giving you access to our most thorough reports yet!
Meet the Metrics
Attitude
The tone of your interview is another key metric in determining your performance and future success.
Based on years of experience, we know that successful applicants use 28% more positive words (e.g. “successfully”, “opportunity”, etc.), while unsuccessful applicants use 92% more words that signal negative emotions (e.g. “angry”, “unhappy”, etc.) and 123% more negation (e.g. “no”, “can’t”, etc.).
When applicants use negative words in forming their answers, like “can’t”, “no”, it can indicate a lack of self-control or an inability to positively resolve problems that arise.
Fortunately, just as our words can damage our interview performance, they can also enhance our performance. Positive words and phrasing indicates that you’re able to resolve issues, work proactively, and have a realistic understanding of your role.
Workplace Culture
When answering questions in a job interview, it’s important to show that you’re able to work both as an individual contributor and as a teamplayer.
If you only describe your involvement in projects or solutions in which you were involved, etc. the interviewer cannot distinguish your actual involvement. This is often seen in applicants working for larger corporate entities, where teamwork is highly emphasized. While teamwork is an extremely important skill to develop, when answering specific interview questions, you should also show that you’re able to work independently and able to accomplish tasks with little to no supervision.
Confidence
Our research has shown that many people unintentionally use words and phrases that undermine their intended message.
Certain qualifying phrases (e.g. “does that make sense?”, "This might be a silly idea") will work to your detriment when being considered for leadership positions, as the interviewer will be monitoring your ability to be certain and confident in your actions. Don't lessen the impact of what you say before you say it.
Experience
Speaking too much about current or future projects can undermine what you have achieved in your career and prevent you from portraying an accurate understanding of your skills and experience.
Being able to communicate your experience from past jobs is key to acing an interview. High performers do this well by providing simple and focused examples of past professional experience.
Use of data
It’s important to include data when answering interview questions, and by this we mean specific, quantifiable information, like amount of money, number of hours, etc.
Whether intentional or not, being vague when answering an interview question can be taken quite negatively. Studies have shown that data is often the difference between a mediocre answer and an excellent answer.
The importance of data cannot be understated. A good answer should show a balance between demonstrating a clear understanding of the key metrics related to your role, while not overwhelming your interviewer and including so much data that your answer becomes hard to follow, or boring to listen to.
Examples of how to add data to sentences
Whenever you can, replace adjectives or vague/general information with actual data, for example:
Without data: I decreased page load times on our website.
With data: I reduced page load times on our website from 5 seconds to 1 second by limiting server requests.
Without data: I increased sales by utilizing social media platforms.
With data: I exceeded our sales target by 25% by utilizing Sales Navigator on Linkedin to contact qualified leads.
Without data: My customer response time has decreased since I started.
With data: My customer response time has decreased to 2 minutes on average, putting me in the top 10% of the company.
As seen in the examples above, using data when answering job interview questions can significantly alter the perception of your interviewer. Providing specific and measurable answers will not only show your performance, but demonstrate your understanding of the key metrics of your role.
Speech Tempo
Speech speed is an often overlooked factor when practicing your interview. We all know that an upcoming interview can lead to some nerves, and it’s quite common for us to talk faster than usual when delivering our answers.
Talking too fast becomes a common problem in communication and can work against you, whether in presentations, telephone calls, meetings or one-on-one conversations. If you're explaining something to a client or trying to influence an audience, talking too fast can confuse your listeners.
Talking too slow on the other hand can be boring and monotonous, which can cause an interviewer to lose interest.
Our Smart AI algorithm provides detailed insight into your average WPM (Words Per Minute) while guiding you to achieve optimal range through personalized feedback and suggestions.