5 Easy Media Training Tips to Apply Directly to Job Interviews!

Executives often undergo media training for public presentations and interviews. These top 5 tips are easy to do. Apply them in your next job interview!

1.  Convey positive body language. Don’t undermine your messaging (that you are right for the job and interested in it) with negative body language like crossing your arms, obscuring your face with your hands, or laughing (e.g., nervously) through serious questions.
2. Start with content, not filler. Before you answer, know what you want to say. Identify the key points the interview should walk away with. Interviewers are actually listening to the first 5 words coming out of your mouth, so make an impression with those words, which cannot include “um”or “you know.”
3. Anticipate hard-hitting questions, and prepare a smart answer. For example, if you know an employer really wants top firm training and you don’t have it, you can put the issue to bed by discussing mentorship by a former big firm lawyer, education in a rigorous in-house training program, or excellent hands-on experience. If you have a snappy sound bite addressing how you resolved a thorny issue, great!
4. Sound positive, not defensive. Do a mock interview so you can purge negative tones or defensiveness. (Are you starting sentences with “No, but”? Try to rearrange word structure to remain positive and reframe issues.)
5. Be authentic. If you sound too guarded, you will not connect with the interviewer.