How to handle interviewers

As students we are told time and time again that making a connection with an interviewer is the most important aspect of every interview. What many people fail to mention is that connecting with an interviewer is harder than it sounds.

Below is a compilation of some common personality types of interviewers and how to read them; if you go in as prepared for what type to expect as you do for what questions to field, you can ace an interview with even the most unusual, or terrifying, of interviewers.

The Unimpressed Interviewer:

This interviewer would be mildly interested if you had found the cure for cancer: just point out your strengths as effectively as possible through activities, schoolwork and past job experience. Once that is done, the next best thing to do is to begin asking questions about him or her. Interviewers love to talk about themselves. Even if they aren't visibly impressed with you, more than likely they are impressed by their own accomplishments. Giving them the opportunity to let them tell you may help your interview more than you think. Don't forget a follow-up, but do try to veer back to why you're sitting across that big walnut burl desk at all, something such as, 'Given what you've just said about your work at Merrill, my work as an intern at Morgan Stanley makes me ready to strengthen your trading team.'

The Five-Minute Interviewer:

Some HR departments find value in making sure that each interviewer asks a large number of seemingly meaningless questions, leaving just about five minutes for a question or two from the interviewer directly. This makes the interviewer stressed for time and less interested in your answers than you'd like. In this situation turning verbose will hurt you. After each question is asked, pause, take a moment to think and then answer in the most direct way you can. Make sure to take your time and be slow. If you don't get to all the questions in the time allotted, it is not your fault. What is more important is that the questions you do get to answer are answered well.

The Preoccupied Interviewer:

Having the interview slot directly before lunch time is never a good spot, but someone has to have it. And it probably will be you. In this instance, your interviewer will be more interested in beating the line at Subway than hearing about your gold star in the Finance Club. The time allotted for you is yours and yours alone, so take your time and make sure to say everything you want them to know about you. A good way to break the ice is to mention the fact that you're hungry as well and hopefully this will get you off on the right foot.

The Wicked Witch (or Warlock) of the West Interviewer:

Some interviewers would probably eat their own offspring, which leaves little hope for you. Many of these interviewers are young and have recently been tortured themselves in the interview process. They feel they owe it to you to torture you as well. Once, at a FOREX sales and trading interview, my interviewer asked me what the closing price of gold was the day before. He was obviously impressed with this question that had no connection to the job I was interviewing for. Many times, answering right may actually hurt you, as these interviewers take pride in stumping their prey. Most importantly in these situations, you must never show fear. Confidence will surely surprise them, and generally confidence is the one trait they are looking for, rather that the right answers. Any sign of weakness and these interviewers will put you out to dry. If stumped by a question, say 'I don't know' confidently.

The Chatty Interviewer:

These interviewers are so busy chatting about themselves and their businesses that they don't even get to ask you a question, although they're usually quite affable. Best advice: grin and bear it. Generally, these interviews are very positive because as I said before, if you give them a chance to talk, interviewers will love you. Take this as a freebie and go with it-- you may have just landed a job with hardly a whisper out of your mouth.

If you are prepared for interviewers such as these you will be ahead of the game. If you have done the proper preparation for every interview, then there is nothing more to be done except to take a quick read of who is evaluating you. A good amount of each interview is based on luck, and that is out of your hands. I've gotten jobs from interviews I thought went poorly and been rejected after an interview went great. Be confident in your answers and in yourself and then let the pieces fall where they may. Your next interviewer may be The Fairy Godmother type.

Pamela Cholankeril is a recent grad of New York University's Stern School of Business in Finance & Marketing. If you are a grad or MBA student and have a story to tell or advice to give, email us at editor@efinancialcareers.com.