How Do You Incorporate Humour in an Interview?

When we feel that we are getting on with someone, it is the most natural thing in the world to introduce a hint of humour into the conversation. Of course, not everyone is a natural comedian, but it is rare that someone is serious all the time. Humour in an interview can be a powerful weapon if used correctly. Or is it a bit of a risk when meeting a total stranger?

I would argue that in the right amount and in the right situation, humour can help a candidate to bond with an interviewer better than any impressive interview answer. It is an essential tool to build rapport in what is an incredibly artificial situation.

But how do you go about incorporating humour into your interview chat?

Relate humorous aspects of your career story. No one wants to sit for an hour in a meeting without the odd comment to lighten the mood. An interview is no different. Share a few aspects of your career story that might make an interviewer smile. They don’t have to be laugh-out-loud funny but show that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

Time for interview humour?

Use your humour to make a point. Having said this, humour simply for the sake of lightening the mood is a wasted opportunity. These moments will be more memorable than others because of how they make a hiring manager feel, so do not waste a good joke. Pick a humorous situation that revolves around one of the main reasons to hire you.

Show how you use humour to your advantage. Humour is a powerful weapon in many workplace situations. It can bring people together by breaking down barriers, cutting through tension when the pressure is on, and even defusing a conflict when personalities clash. Make sure the story is true to life (it has to be believable that you could pull it off). 

Keep the humour positive. It is all too easy to resort to put-downs, sarcasm and jokes at the expense of others. Hopefully, that isn’t your style, but it certainly is not the sort of humour you should be deploying in an interview. Keeping the light-hearted moments positive will help you to come across as charming, so avoid touchy subjects.

Time your humour appropriately. Reflecting on a fun experience or making a joke at your own expense can be a great way to lighten the mood, but only do it once you have established a reasonable rapport with the interviewer. It will feel awkwardly unprofessional if a candidate comes into the room and starts cracking jokes from the outset.

Don’t shoe-horn jokes into the interview. You may have an astounding repertoire of quips and witty retorts, but leave them for the dinner party or the restaurant. An interview is for talking about your career, so keep the light-hearted humour “on topic.” You won’t have much time to gauge a total stranger’s sense of humour. Avoid word games and cheap puns.

Above all, ration your attempts at humour. Selecting someone for a crucial role is a serious business, after all. Dip into comedy to show off a light-hearted side, but avoid coming across as the office clown. 

If you allow humour to find its natural place in an interview, the hiring manager will warm to you, and you will enhance your chances of getting that magical job offer.

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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists. 

Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).