Do you want to get more job interviews in Dubai? Change the way you end your interviews to get more callbacks!
Psychologists have conducted studies that show that people are much more likely to view an interaction based on their first and last impression. This is called the primacy and recency effect. Ensuring your interview starts well and ends well will therefore have a huge impact and can even override any mistakes you make throughout the middle part of your meeting.
It is the manner in which you start the interview and in which you end the interview that will remain in the interviewer's mind and create their overall impression of you as a candidate.
In this article I'm going to outline 6 tips that will help you end your Dubai job interviews on a high. These tips will help you to stand out above other interviewees.
These six tips will increase your chances of securing a second round interview. They will also increase your chances of getting hired!
I'm sure you've heard about the importance of asking questions at the end of your job interviews.
Asking great questions demonstrates your interest in the role and company. Insightful questions make you memorable. They show that you are able to challenge and can even show how smart you are!
But not all questions are great questions. In fact there are some that you should avoid all together, here are a few examples.
• How much vacation time do you offer?
• What are the benefits like?
• What does your company do?
These questions can show a lack of preparation or that your focus is on what the company will offer you. Instead you should focus on the value that you can bring to them.
Career coaches will often tell you to ask questions that show that you envision yourself in the role. You'll most likely have seen advice to ask the following questions:
• What would you be looking for the successful candidate to achieve in the first 12 months?
• What are your major pain points or challenges right now?
These examples are not bad. But they are very common and very cliché. Asking these questions will not help you stand out!
If you want to make an impact you need to ask questions that your competition isn't asking. Questions that are interesting and insightful.
• I read recently that your CEO has set new targets for your environmental impact. Do you see this role as contributing to that agenda in any way?
• As you know, one of your competitors has moved to a pay-monthly subscription model. They have done this in a bid to lock-in a loyal customer base. Is this a marketing strategy that you would consider? I have some ideas of how this could work for some of your products.
• You mentioned that part of this role would be to influence the team to adopt new technologies. At my last role, we went through a total digital transformation and went to full cloud storage. As a result I’ve experienced this first-hand. I’d be very interested to know what types of technologies you’re adopting?
Questions like this will showcase your research and market knowledge and can serve to really impress your interviewers.
There are no shortage of qualified candidates in the Dubai job market, especially during peak recruitment periods. Hiring teams have to narrow down a shortlist of potential candidates. They do this by removing those with whom they have lingering doubts or concerns.
Most interviewees leave their interviews without taking the time to address those concerns. Why would you want to leave any doubt in the interviewers’ mind?
“Is there anything that you would like me to clarify, or any further questions that you have for me?”
Notice that I am not using the word 'concern' in this sentence. The word 'concern' can have negative connotations. Instead, I've phrased the question in a positive way.
The interviewer might respond with, “I am a little concerned that you would have to relocate for this vacancy. How does your family feel about that?”
You now have the perfect opportunity to reassure them. Don’t leave the interviewer with lingering doubts. Clear them up while you are in the room and still have the chance!
It's often difficult to gauge how an interview went. This can leave you guessing. It can also be frustrating when you don't get any feedback.
One solution is to ask the interviewer how they feel the interview has gone before you leave the room.
This takes some bravery! I would not suggest that you do this if the interview was terrible.
But it can be worth the risk. If they confirm that the interview went well, they will feel obliged to invite you back. On the whole, people do not like to act in a way that contradicts what they say. Like I said, this is a bold move but it can help to steer things in the direction you want them to go.
Now let's look at how you can take that one step further.
This is a very powerful technique. When someone makes a verbal agreement to do something, they are more likely to follow through. This is because they feel obliged to make good on their word.
This isn't a complicated or risky move, it's as simple as asking “what are the next steps?” or “when can I expect to hear from you?”.
The answer will be some form of agreement to act. For example; “you can expect to hear from us after the weekend”. Or “the next step will be to interview with the Managing Director”.
If your interviewer tells you that they will call on Monday, they are more likely to actually do it. Don't leave the interview without confirmation of the next steps.
Don’t forget to tell them how positive you feel about the whole experience. Everyone likes to receive positive feedback. Your interviewer is no exception.
Before you leave the room, look them in the eye and tell them that you enjoyed meeting them. Tell them how much you enjoyed learning about the company, and how much you gained from the conversation.
It helps to address your interviewer by name. Remember to be confident. Your praise needs to be genuine and sincere.
Remind them that you are looking forward to hearing from them by Monday morning as agreed. Don’t forget to sound upbeat, to smile and to exude a little positivity.
Now you can walk out of the door, breathe a sigh of relief and relax!
But don’t think that your work is over yet. There is one last thing that you can do to ensure that you stay at the top of your interviewers’ mind. Follow up with a thank you message.
Take a few minutes the next day to drop them a short email with the purpose of expressing your appreciation.
Thank the interviewer for their time and tell them that you enjoyed meeting them. Re-asserting your keen interest in the role will go a long way in strengthening your position. This will make you memorable. It also opens the door for ongoing communication between you.
Hiring managers and recruiters in Dubai speak with and see a lot of people. You need to work hard to stand out! The above tips will help you to remain memorable and stick in the mind of your Dubai interviewer.
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