How to Gain an Interviewer’s Trust

Brian Tracy, a motivational speaker and author once said, “The glue that holds all relationships together–including the relationship between the leader and the led–is trust.”

Indeed, trust is a vital element in the workplace and also plays a large role in the interview process. During an interview, employers are assessing you on many different levels. But at the end of the day, if an employer doesn’t feel they can trust you, your chances of getting the job are diminished.

Gaining trust takes time and isn’t built upon first encounters, but there are effective steps you can take to move in the right direction. So how can you start your professional relationship off the right way? Try these trustworthy tips for interview success:

Come Prepared

You wouldn’t expect to get a good grade on a research paper unless you studied the topic, would you? The same goes for an interview. If you speak knowledgeably about the company’s brand, the employer is more likely to trust that you come to situations fully prepared—an admirable employee trait.

Before the interview, browse the company’s website, their online profiles and any recent media releases you can find. If they have current employees listed online, take a look at their profiles too to get a feel for the type of people the employer chooses to represent the company.

Show Confidence

Though this is often the trickiest element to master in an interview, showing confidence tells an employer that you can be level-headed when the stakes are high.

Researching the company will give you the information you need for confidence, but if you’re still feeling jittery, try turning up the tunes! According to a study done by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, participants who listened to songs with a heavy bass felt more in control and confident afterward. So on the way to your interview, don’t be afraid to pump up the 50 Cent jams.

Use Body Language to Your Advantage

While you may say all of the right things, if your body language doesn’t agree, the employer might wonder if you’re speaking truthfully.

There are two ways you can leverage body language in an interview to your advantage. One way is to power pose before the interview. In a popular TED Talk by Amy Cuddy, she shows how striking various power poses (like the Wonder Woman) increases the hormones in your brain that cause confidence, helping you appear more at ease.

The second tip is to pay attention to the body language of your interviewer and react in a way that complements his or her gestures. If the interviewer uses hand motions to illustrate a point, use your hands too (but don’t overdo it). Or if the interviewer is coming across as hostile, try countering by slightly leaning forward and speaking with open palms, a sign of openness.

Be Positive

No matter what happens during the interview, remember to stay positive. The employer may ask questions that are less about what you say and more about how you respond and think on your feet. If you have a good attitude the whole way through, you will exude trustworthiness and increase your chances of getting hired.

Want to read more articles about the interview process? Check out our Scoop blog here.