Now You Can Get an Amazing Job by Having a Great Interview Conversation

Dare to disclose

Substantive conversations don’t need to be driven by emotion; they can be about politics, technology, even what you watch on TV, but they must involve some personal disclosure. Next time you’re having a dialogue, try inserting something revealing about yourself. You might be surprised how the other person opens up.

Be a full participant

Give your full attention when you’re talking to someone, instead of going through that laundry list of to-do’s in your head, and you’ll inevitably have a more involved tete-a-tete.

Find common ground

Mehl says people look for commonality as a way into having more profound conversations. If you can identify that common ground, you’re on your way to having more meaningful exchanges. (“You’re from Los Angeles? Me too! I also work in finance. Can you believe California is more in debt than Greece?”)

Embrace your environment

Find a place where you feel secure and confident. For some people, that might be a corner of a crowded coffee shop–for others, a secluded part of a park. Whether a discussion is one-on-one or in a group, it’s important to go somewhere everyone feels comfortable. When people feel relaxed, guards go down. The conversations you’ll have will astound you.