What is more threatening- dealing with your in-laws (especially, for the first time), or facing a job interview? Well, we feel that both are equally tough situations to be in, as one is related to your personal life, and other to your professional one. So, are you wondering, how there can be a connection between the two?
Little do you realise that the way you deal with your in-laws can help you ace a job interview as well. Yes, this is true! And, if you don’t believe us then read for yourself as we, with some help from our regular readers, reveal how your interaction with your in-laws can help you to crack those tough job interviews.
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One of the key features that an interviewer looks for in a candidate is confidence. It speaks a lot about your personality, your abilities, your instant-wit and your decision-making capabilities. A visit to your in-laws automatically calls for a showcase of confidence.
As, Nehha Rai, a 25-year-old media professional, who has recently met her would-be in-laws, puts it, “You can expect to be asked trick questions to judge your attitude and upbringing, attacked with random questions from nowhere, or deliberately be misguided to take the bait; but you have to remain calm and surpass all tests. And, this is a skill I developed after meeting my boyfriend’s parents for the first time.” Well, now isn’t this just like facing a job interview? So, here is what Nehha adds as a solution, “The best way to display your confidence is to be yourself and answer honestly.”
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Whether you find the topic of discussion boring or interesting, you have to be attentive throughout an interview. You have to make sure that a decent amount of visible interest is expressed via a faint smile and an occasional nodding of head, etc. The same principle applies while chatting up your in-laws, or you come off to be rude. “When you are talking to your in-laws you can’t be rude or outspoken, there has be a certain control in your tone. Even if the topic of discussion would put you to sleep or wake up the feminist in you cannot let it show,” says Ayushi Mehra (name changed on request), who has been married for 3 years now. She also confesses that she has learnt to adapt this trick even while she is at work.
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No matter how much girls are told to keep their eyes down, but it is indeed the eye contact that talks a lot about your personality. Now, don’t get us wrong as we are not asking you to start staring at others point blank. Learning to make proper eye-contact is essential in cracking any interview in life- be it professional or personal!
Adding on this trick, Anushka Bedi, who recently got married in a joint family says, “The simplistic look in your eyes when you are speaking with your mother-in law, the spirited look when you are chatting up your sister-in-law, the interested look when you are taking part in a family conversation: all of these are something that help you in a job interviews as well.” Not only eye-contact, but the varied intervals of it depending upon your reply can be very helpful in cracking any interview.
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Gestures play a crucial role in an interview, and help you to leave a distinguished mark on the interviewer. The same thing happens while interacting with in-laws or, prospective ones as well, as Juhi Rajan adds.
Juhi is going through the process of finding a life partner through the arranged marriage setup, and has been meeting quite a few prospective men and their families. Here is what Juhi has to say, “Your reactions and expressions are studied by your in-laws in order to evaluate you. An un-timely frown from you will displease your mother, a mask of boredom in your face will annoy the younger members of your extended family, a slip of sarcasm will definitely hamper your reputations, and other such visible irregularities will be noted by them when they are judging you from the prospective daughter-in-law view.” Hence, as you learn to be more careful with your in-laws and control your reactions around them, you will be indirectly be benefitted at an Interview as well.
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Facial expressions or micro-expression reveal our instantaneous reaction to situations. Questions as direct or tricky like, “Do you really love my son” or “Are you ready to change your name after marriage”, springing out from nowhere can throw us off guard. As a result often, we fail to reply satisfactorily. Though you will not be asked the same personal questions in a job interview, but you will be prepared for such random attacks and answer well.
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Now you see the connection between the two- your in-laws and your job interviews, right? We are sure that you are no longer dreading on how to tackle either as whichever one comes first, it will teach you a lot about handling the other one too.
