Three Habits Of The Best Job Candidates I’ve Ever Interviewed
Take
it from an experienced recruiter: Making a great impression isn’t rocket
science, but it’s easy to get wrong.
Tell me if this sounds familiar: You continually make it to the
interview stage, and then—crickets. You have the skills to get in the door, but
for some reason, you stall out when it comes to getting the offer. It’s super
frustrating, and you can’t help but wonder why.
As someone who was responsible for recruiting and interviewing
applicants for fellowship openings at organizations nationwide, I can tell you
it’s true that being qualified isn’t always enough to edge out the competition.
So how do you become one of those people the hiring manager will
fight for when it comes down to just two qualified people? The answer is simple:
Build a real connection with your interviewer. Without a doubt, that was what
made me pick one similarly qualified applicant over another. (I’m only human,
after all.)
Doing this is easier than you think—in fact, all the applicants
who “connected” with me during the process only had to do the following:
1. THEY MAKE IT CLEAR WHY THEY FIT THE ORGANIZATION
It’s fair to think of an interview like a test. After all,
someone’s asking you questions and judging you based on your answers.
However, this mind-set will backfire. That’s because you ace a
test by studying up and giving the right answers. But the “perfect” answers are
almost never the best in an interview situation, because they make you sound
like everyone else. If you say you want to work at a company because it’s
number one in its field—and leave it there—odds are you’re giving the same
answer as others.
The trick is to push yourself a step further and make sure you
figure into your reply. For example, I interviewed a candidate, who in
discussing her commitment to public interest work talked about efforts to raise
awareness about sexual assault on her campus. While it wasn’t directly relevant
to the role she was applying for, it showed that she volunteered on causes she
cared about—and that’s the sort of civically engaged applicant we were looking
for.
So work into your answers a few stories that show why you’re
interested in the company. Often when you relay a story, you share more about
how you think—and that helps the other person feel like he or she’s getting to
know you. Plus, it feels like a more genuine way to talk about yourself.
2. THEY SHOW THEY’RE LISTENING
You know that asking questions at the end of your interview is a
great way to build a connection. However, posing them is not enough.
The crucial next step is to actually listen to the answer. I know,
it sounds obvious. But you wouldn’t believe how many people asked me something,
and then when I finished dove right into an unrelated next question without
even taking a breath. This made me feel like they had no interest in what I had
to say, and just wanted to score points.
Conversely, I was always impressed with the applicants who
listened close enough to what I said to ask an unrehearsed follow-up question.
Too nervous to think on your feet? It can be a simple as saying “Can you tell
me more about [something the interviewer just said]?”
When you listen, it becomes a two-way exchange. That makes your
interview feels more like a conversation, which boosts the likelihood of
feeling connected.
3. THEY WRITE THOUGHTFUL THANK-YOU NOTES
Another way I knew a candidate was listening was if they
referenced something I said in their follow-up.
Some people will tell you that all that matters about thank-you
notes is that they’re sent. And it’s true that simply following this rule would
put you leagues ahead of those who forget. However, I always appreciated one
that went the extra mile and discussed something specific to the conversation.
Ask yourself: Did you learn anything new during the discussion?
Was there a story they seemed especially interested in (by asking more)? Or
something you feel you only touched on that you could’ve discussed further?
Let these answers guide your message. It’ll give you something
meaningful to say between “Thank you for taking the time…” and “I look forward
to hearing about next steps.” Plus, it’ll reinforce the connection you started
to build.
Pro tip: In addition to sending an email within 24 hours, also
send a handwritten one so the hiring manger will be reminded of you fondly a
few days after the fact.
It’s not enough to just have the skills or passion. The candidates
who rose to the top of my list also took the time to connect with me, to make
it clear they saw me as a person, and not just an obstacle standing between
them and the position. And because of that, it was easy to say to my team,
“This person is the right one for the job!”
BY SARA MCCORD—THE MUSE
https://www.fastcompany.com/40404120/three-habits-of-the-best-job-candidates-ive-ever-interviewed?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fcdaily-top&position=3&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04102017
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