Mini-Course Day 3: How Borat can help you interview

Most of you by now have heard of Borat infamous, fictional Kazakh journalist, depicted by a talented and intelligent British comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen. He has embraced millions of viewers by interviewing people who believe he is a true Kazakh journalist. If you have ever watched a Borat clip or seen his movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan it is amazing to see how Sacha Cohen can act his part so well and lead the conversation in his favor without revealing his goal.

The talents of the infamous Borat are attributed to his intense success as a marketer of himself. The ability to market yourself is what the job hunt is all about. How do you make yourself visible? How do you make a recruiter remember you? How do you tell the recruiters what they want to hear and at the same time be honest with them?

Let’s analyze Borat’s approach to marketing…

Lesson #1 Borat can teach you – “Know Your Audience”

Borat comes into the interview with a set of questions on a clipboard. He thinks about his audience and thinks up creative and relevant questions which pertain to the individual.

Before your interview, write down the goals you want to reflect in the interview, and practice accomplishing those goals with someone prior to the meeting. You want to feel comfortable conversing with the individual and make sure that you know how you want to lead the conversation to best suit your needs. In my system, I have a set of example interview questions which are asked in most interviews. You will also be able to hear an example interview conducted by a professional recruiter.

Lesson #2 Borat can teach you – “Use Questions to Lead the Interview”

Now that you have your goals in mind, and you have the answers to your questions prepared, you want to make sure that those points are addressed in your interview. However, you can’t just rehearse your answers –there needs to be a flow to the interview. So you ask questions or direct the conversation towards your goal. 

This is a productive, structured approach in allowing you to answer questions that are relevant to your experiences, talents, and qualities. The interviewer doesn’t know you, so it will take a while for them to ask the right questions. Help them!

Want an example?

Let’s say the requirements of the job description state that applicants need 3 years working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. And you only have 1.5 years. You know that in the back of the recruiter’s mind, he knows that you do not meet the qualifications. So you should have an explanation which convinces the recruiter that you are still a good candidate despite the fact that you technically don’t fulfill the requirement. But don’t go right out and say it!

Lead the conversation to that issue to let the interviewer know that you are aware of it and have an illustrative example of your capability to do the job. So while talking about a project you performed in a certain internship, say “and this is how I utilized my spreadsheet skills and learned a great deal about the program.” At that point, they will most likely ask you more about your skills in working with spreadsheets to test your knowledge instead of just assuming you are unqualified and do not meet their criteria.

Lesson #3 Borat can teach you – “Leave an Impression!”

Although Borat leaves an impression on the person he is interviewing, it is probably an impression that is less than desired. But from the first time you see a Borat clip, I’m sure you will remember who he is!

You should strive to do the same and leave a positive impression at your interview. There are possibly hundreds of candidates interviewing for the same job, so if you have something unique about yourself to share, verbalize it.

Take the robot example. A friend came into an interview with one of his engineering projects – a small robotics project he worked on in school. The interviewer interviewed 23 candidates who were just as qualified, if not more, than this friend. We’re convinced, that it was the robot that made him stand out from the competition which helped him land the job.

Lesson #4 Borat can teach you – “Show Confidence & Friendliness – Be Honest”

When Borat interviews people, although he makes some horrible and risqué comments, many people do not react in a negative way. One possible reason, is because they like him! Although this seems quite ironic, Borat acts like a genuine individual who wants to ask questions for his show. Although his comments maybe insulting, his confidence makes his subjects believe that he is a likeable human being with a mission.

Be the same way. Although you need to be very polite and professional, you want to show confidence in your answers and questions. Smile and give positive verbal and non-verbal acknowledgement. When you watch Borat communicate, he looks into the eyes of the person he is interviewing and is constantly nodding his head. He never interrupts the person when they are talking, and he always listens to what the interviewees are saying. Make sure that you are honest – a recruiter’s job is to be able to cut to the truth!

And finally, though this may seem obvious, make sure you actually ask for the job and show the interviewer you are interested. Show enthusiasm and ask for any next steps, follow up items, or whether they require any additional information from you. Ask the interviewer for their impression on how the interview went, however, if they say they can not discuss that with you, respect their interest.

To review… Write down the goals for your interview, and practice them with another person. Use questions to lead the conversation towards your goals. Make sure you are remembered in a positive way. And always show confidence in yourself and be “likeable” by giving strong and positive verbal and non-verbal acknowledgments. Be honest and make sure to “ask for the job”!