4 Improv Tips to Make Interviewing Fun
Originally posted on & We Rally
I don’t know about you, but during these weird times, I will do whatever I can to squeeze even an ounce of joy out of an activity…...so, in this time when so many people are job-seeking, I thought “why not a job interview?”
As someone who has studied improv theater for over a decade, I see a lot of parallels between improv and the interview process. As a career coach, I’ve had the opportunity to coach ~300 job seekers over the past year. In doing so, I’m committed to the belief that a job interview is actually quite similar to an improv show — you have no idea what will happen, so it's important to try to have fun with it.
Here are some basic improv rules to apply to your interviews.
1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST
Taking the improv stage — an experienced improviser asks herself two important questions before she goes out on stage:
What emotional context will I adopt? (happy or sad, etc)
What type of character trait will I adopt? (a unique voice or body position).
This choice acts as a lens through which she will play the scene.
Taking the interview stage — What choices can you make before an interview to embrace the right emotional state and character traits?
To get into a confident mindset, close your eyes and imagine yourself during the interview. Which facial expressions show confidence? How can you sit or stand in front of the computer to show confidence? Move your body in those ways to practice.
Prepare your scene (ahem, interview). Choose an outfit that makes you feel confident and comfortable: Arrange your desk and room to support the message you want to portray, like a set supports a play.
2. THE RULE OF “YES, AND”
The rule of “Yes, and” — this is one of the most important improv principles because it serves as the road-map for players to navigate the chaos of a scene. By agreeing with the reality presented and adding new information, each player supports the others.
Employers are always looking for someone who is a team player and a great way to highlight this is to “Yes, and” them in the interview. You can make them feel comfortable and supported by mirroring them during the conversation.
For example, if your interviewer begins with small talk about your weekend, you want to make them comfortable by starting with: “Yes, and”. Share what you did that weekend (The Yes….And) then ask them about theirs.
You can do this through the entire interview by asking mirroring questions about the organization, culture, or work style of the team you will be joining. This will help the interviewer know you’re conversational, thoughtful, and asking interesting questions. It also helps for the interview to feel much more conversational (and less rigid).
Another way is to mirror their tone of voice and energy. If they’re high energy, bring your energy up too. Remember interviewers are on the lookout for someone who can think on their feet and who would be a good culture fit.
3. ACTIVELY LISTEN
If an improv player isn’t listening to his teammates on stage and is instead thinking about what smart or funny thing he will say next, he'll miss details that are crucial to the scene. The same goes for an interview.
The first step — set up your body stance. I like to keep both feet on the ground and sit up straight.
Pro-tip: I keep a lumbar pillow on my chair.
The second step — listen with your full attention to your interviewer before formulating a response. Make sure you’re answering the question being asked, not the question you thought you should answer.
It’s OK to pause before you answer to think. It’s also OK to ask a clarifying question. Actually, this is appreciated by most interviewers. Listening and collaboration skills are key to any role, so go ahead and show them in your interviews.
Interviews are a chance to learn about a company and your interviewer. Ask open-ended questions and take advantage of this conversation with a new person. People are fascinating if you’re willing to listen.
Pro-tip: come prepared with a set of 5-7 open-ended questions that you’re genuinely curious to learn during the interview (a few suggestions can be found here); this will help you get a better feel for the role, company culture and the way people at the company respond to important questions.
4. THERE ARE NO MISTAKES
Because improv is made-up on the spot and there is no set script or plot, anything that happens on stage is the right thing. Improvisers are trained to suspend judgement of what is happening, to go with the flow and to support their teammates.
Similarly, there is no wrong or right way to interview for a job. Yes, you should prepare. And, yes, you should be respectful of the context of the situation and the role you’re applying for. But, you’ll do your best if you do what feels authentic to you and what shows your best strengths. Like an improv audience, interviewers want to feel at ease. They want to feel genuinely interested in your story (always a bonus if you can surprise and delight them).
In the end, people will remember how you made them feel rather than what you said, so if you can present with confidence (because you first took care of yourself), listen with intent, and “Yes, and” your interviewer, you will do a great job in your interviews and have some fun along the way.
Authored by: Lisa Pertoso (in collaboration with: Zeke Hughes and & We Rally)