Although in the moment they might seem larger than life, interviewers are people just like you.
That means they’re susceptible to the same psychological preferences and cognitive biases that affect the rest of us.
To help you get into your interviewer’s head and learn what they want to see in a candidate, we rounded up a list of science-backed strategies to make yourself seem more likable, competent, and ultimately hirable.
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1. Schedule your interview around 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday.
According to Glassdoor, the "best" time to arrange an interview is the time that's best for the interviewer — not the time that's best for you.
So if the hiring manager offers you some flexibility in choosing an interview time, ask if you could come in around 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. That's likely when your interviewer is relatively relaxed.
In general, you should avoid early-morning meetings because your interviewer may still be preoccupied with everything she needs to get done that day. You'll also want to avoid being the last meeting of the workday, as your interviewer may already be thinking about what they need to accomplish at home.
2. Don't interview on the same day as the strongest candidates.
Research suggests that interviewers base their evaluations of individual candidates on who else they've interviewed that day.
One study found that applicants who interviewed at the end of a day after a series of strong candidates were rated lower than expected. On the other hand, those who interviewed after a series of weak candidates were rated higher than expected.
It's not clear whether this is an unconscious phenomenon, or whether interviewers are consciously rating the last candidates higher or lower than they should because they don't want their supervisors to think they're giving everyone the same ratings.
Either way, if you have any knowledge of who else is interviewing and when, choose to come in after comparatively unqualified candidates.
3. Match the color of your outfit to the image you want to project.
A CareerBuilder survey of hiring managers and human-resources professionals found that different clothing colors convey distinct impressions.
Twenty-three percent of interviewers recommended wearing blue, which suggests that the candidate is a team player, while 15% recommended black, which suggests leadership potential.
Meanwhile, 25% said orange is the worst color to wear, and suggests that the candidate is unprofessional.
Here's what other colors indicate:
Gray: logical/analytical
White: organized
Brown: dependable
Red: power
Green, yellow, orange, or purple: creative
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