Interview Tips: How to prepare and carry yourself.

Scoring yourself an interview is a progressive move, no doubt, but it does not end there.
Once you've secured it, you need to prepare for it, to be able to best sell you!
No! Interview preparations aren't just for "job interviews" You need to bring your A-game and your premium moves.

So here below, in no particular order are 10 pointers I've managed to outline that might serve useful to you.

1. Be early and prepared.

Respect the call time! Being early gives you time to relax an get comfortable. Get familiar with the set up,studio, area
where the interview will take place. If you are going to a radio interview, for instance, don't be early and chill outside till your call up.
Ask to be let in,use that 15 minutes to watch, observe and catch the energy. When it's your turn you'll just flow right it because you've been around already.
That time will also allow you to do a checklist- do you have your promotional material, does your host have them? What else might they need, do they know how to pronounce your name?
Also do a questions run with them if possible , so your mind gets warmed up in the meantime.

2.Always project great energy.

Please do not rock up there looking like you don't wanna be there. Even if that's how you are. Fake that energy,you'll survive.

Greet your host with energy and interest. Get a feel of how they are ( reason you should be early)
Look alive,interested and keen. Sound it too. Because if you are speaking and the person hearing you isn't drawn in, they'll switch off.
Remember, someone doesn't know who you are, they need a reason to pay attention.

3. Speak clean and clearly

No swearing, no "uhms" and no mumblings. Use your words! Speak to be heard. Use clean words.
One of the worst thing you can do  is swear ,that exposes your ignorance and puts you at a lower rank, because your are not impressive.
Obviously,it depends on the medium hosting you, but why learn something that you are going to have to unlearn?
Keep the conversation clean and speak with clarity. In short, don't be like emtee.

4. Do not be quick to say "I don't know"

Yes,even if for a fact "don't know" don't say it, that's a missed opportunity. Even if they ask you "who killed Tupac." When  it comes to this question, either answer or divert.
If you are asked "who do you think is the wackest artist  in SA" and you don't wanna say, spin it, also depending on the medium, "I thought this show doesn't promote wackness" "I know who's not wack,me and my squad"
Who is the president of Mauritius? " I'm tryina make enough money to be the next" " I thought places like Mauritius don't need a President..." you get the drift. This helps your confidence through out, helps you keep your control/ momentum and don't make you look like an ignorant individual.

5. Maximize on every question

Never give one word answers. Do not sleep on an opportunity to sell yourself. Fit 2 answers into 1 question, especially if there's time constrains/ limits. That's why its important to know the goal of the interview. You are selling you,make an impression, let the people know.
Lengthyfy your answers and give your host a lot to work with. Remember, if you are heavy on the host, interview might just get killed because they got nothing to work with. Be elaborate, not boring.
So a typical "tell me about yourself" can include names, occupation, location and lots of personality.
something like " I'm T, I'm a writer from Rusty based in PTA and I derive a lot of my writing from watching a lot of investigative series'. That way,something else may be picked up (if your host is alive and attentive) then, the conversation won't dry up.
Try by all means to always throw in what you are promoting in the conversation.

6. Know the Do's and the Don'ts

"Knowledge is power" isn't just some farfetched chant without substance. When you know better ,you do better. I don't know who y'all saw or what you heard but doing an interview intoxicated is a no no. Swearing/ using foul language might sound cool but its a no no on any "traditional medium"

(I'm not sure who might still not know this).
Things like holding the mic or fiddling around with the cords is a no (sound distortion). Know your environment, the medium and the hosts name and refer as such. Meet and subscribe to the requirements (e.g bring your music to be played from a disk/USB , not phone).
No food/drinks in the studio. Wearing certain brands is not allowed. Know that you can't name/mention competitors of the medium hosting you for the interview ( don't mention another blog, that does the same thing as I do, on my blog) type thing.

7. Punt yourself.

I don't get why people still forget to do this! Your number one job is to sell yourself. You let the person hearing you know who you are. Mention your social media handle/s throughout, so they get a chance to catch it and start the interacting with you during, not only in the end.
Mention your name every chance you can, so it sticks. Don't leave people " wondering " who you are. Once you've hooked them,direct them to you elsewhere.

8. Send those S/Os

This is a chance to put your circle on. As you unnecessary said your own name every chance you got,do the same with your people. If you have a photographer friend, fellow artist or a studio you don't pay for, punt them.
When you asked questions like "Plans for the future/who have you worked with/ etc". Don't just mention the big names, look out for your own.

9. After the interview

Do not rush to leave. Use the opportunity to thank your host and maybe take a few snaps. Ask them a few questions regarding their profession, leave them your details and always leave a room for next time.
Proceed with the momentum on social media. Do a young post interview review. Include link/s to your work, so it's visible to the newbies then they can see/get it.
Go to the medium's social media pages and get your new fans.

10. Post Interview. Now What?

A few days after the interview, post the visuals (photos/ video) even audio, to keep the momentum up still. Then update your profile and use that interview to get another interview.


I hope these are useful enough,to help you out ace those interviews. Stop going out there and be doing mediocre things. Yes you might still be up and coming and don't know much, but learn what you can.
Confidence, information and personality will carry you far and long. When you get an interview, you either going to gain new fans or loose the ones you never had, so what you doing it for?
Think about that!

written by @TaniaMsTan

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