How to Look Smarter in a Job Interview

We can't all be geniuses. But it sure would be nice to look like one for a job search. After all, what employer wouldn't want someone smart working for his organization? In any profession, there's a lot to be gained by looking as intelligent as possible.

Here are some great tricks for boosting your apparent intelligence for job interviews.

Learn the lingo
The best place to start is by learning the talk of the industry. And I don't just mean the stuff you use in your company or your little esoteric corner of the field. Learn the jargon of the whole industry. Use it sparingly and appropriately in the interview and watch your smartness climb.

Banish junk words - "um" and "like"
Want to instantly seem smarter and more articulate? Get rid of filler words in your speech. Start with the most glaring dumb words - "um and "like." There isn't a single sentence that will ever miss these stammering idiotizers. Drop them and your IQ will immediately appear to soar.

Practice Your Stories
The more confidently you can talk about your experience, the smarter you'll appear to be. So review the important points of your career and practice talking about them over and over again in the days before the interview. By keeping the details on the tip of your tongue, you create the impression of having a fast-running, highly capable mind.

Wear your glasses
This sounds simplistic and tricky, but it's just a simple wardrobe modification - one that makes a huge difference. People with glasses are always perceived as being smarter. Don't fight that notion for the sake of vanity. Instead use it to your advantage. No, I'm not necessarily recommending that those of you who don't wear glasses should run out and get some fake ones. But then, I'm not exactly telling you not to. And if you wear contacts, consider switching to glasses for the interview. But don't forget to try them out and get used to them a few days beforehand -- rubbing eyes and squinting doesn't exactly convey "smart" either.