February 2013

Sometimes I think there are people who consciously claim they want to succeed, yet subconsciously seem to do everything in their power to sabotage themselves. Sharing, no, imposing their problems on others is a sure way of not being invited back for another interview. Then they wonder why they can never get a break! You may be the best qualified person but, if after an interview, the person with whom you’ve met feels as if they need a shower to wash off all that bad mojo you left with them, don’t be surprised if there is no call back. There are a few topical areas you should avoid in the interview process. Forgive me, for I have worked to build a reputation for straight talk, which means I might unintentionally offend some people’s sensibilities. I like honesty and increasingly it seems

(Cont’d) Indeed, the resume might get their attention and get you in the door, but that’s it, then what? Sadly, this is where the proactive efforts of most people and their preparations end. So resume aside, I see two primary areas in which you can improve and seek to master. One area involves the process, as in the structure and navigation of the interview, and the second aspect is you. Understanding the process and being better prepared is indeed important and we talk about that stuff on this blog. Although, navigating the process is still dependent on your reaction to the steps when they occur, so it comes down to you; look in the mirror. I cannot stress enough the importance of developing and mastering your interpersonal communication skills. Communicating isn’t about talking, a lot of people talk but don’t say much.

I was recently asked by someone who follows my blog on FaceBook, “What gets a person hired?” It’s a good question and one I have heard often during my career as a recruiter / headhunter for the last 20 plus years. But there is no simple answer to a process that can be anything but simple and if there was, nobody would have an ounce of interest in blogs like this one and others. I wish there was a universal antidote because then we could instead be sitting on far off beaches with sand between our toes, sipping big drinks with chunks of fruit and little umbrellas hanging off the sides and laughing about things we used to stress over. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet solution; no secret handshakes or magical words that can ensure you’ll be chosen for

(Cont’d) Companies want people who want to join them, so it is always wise to make clear you have interest in the job for which you are applying. Playing hard-to-get might be okay if you are a recruited candidate and pursued by a company, or as a dating strategy, but if you are an applicant seeking further consideration, sleep-walking through the interview, being aloof or feigning disinterested doesn’t quite make sense, does it. And sales people especially take note, if you’re seeking a sales position and you don’t Close them, you're toast, you won’t get called back. A sales manager once told me, with regard to a failed applicant he interviewed for a sales position; he said, “…if he couldn’t close me I can’t depend on him to close a customer.” Applying this technique you’ve then got to consider when and how

There are arguably many parts of the interview event that are critical, depending on whom you ask. You can dissect it right on down to the pressure applied to a handshake, eye-to-eye contact, sitting upright as opposed to slouching, replying with “yes” instead of “yeah”, but these all relate to common sense and are behavioral in nature. For the most part, these things refer to common courtesies and this is stuff all of us already know, regardless of whether or not we choose to do it. Instead, I like to talk about strategies that enhance a person’s chances among and compared with the crowd of others who are all doing the same things which illustrate the cliché of a herd mentality. I’d rather concentrate on helping people to help themselves stand out and separate themselves from also-rans in the most

(Cont’d) Of course, it is possible the silly question I addressed was intended to provoke conversation in much the same manner I described, but I doubt it. Regardless, if you don’t understand the question ask for clarification. It doesn’t reflect badly on you, instead it demonstrates you are paying attention to what’s going on, which is more than I can say about some interviewers. We’ve all heard, “There are no stupid questions” though I am of the opinion the issue is not so much the question as it is the ability of the questioner to formulate a coherent query. So yes, a poorly-formulated question, with no real understanding as to what it means or what the answer should be is a stupid question. As the applicant, you also have a responsibility to exploit the interview to take note of their competency

When you interview, it is a two way-dialogue, or at least it is supposed to be. Participating in the hiring process is not just about them evaluating you, although most interviewers might like for you to have this impression, because it makes their job easier. Sure, you’re among others, sometimes many others in pursuit of the same position and it’s incumbent upon you to demonstrate why you are the best choice. Yet many people feel as if they are on the defensive, although it is their own mindset having placed them in that position. Of course the pressure is on as you seek to rate highly enough on their scale for a call back and subsequent interview step. But it’s not and never is only about evaluating you, you are also evaluating them. Along with the job specs and responsibilities,

(Cont’d) So how does any of this relate to you and your efforts? For starters spare yourself a lot of frustration and don’t limit your focus on the usual behemoth corporations, those known not by their names but by acronym. I talk to them, but they are not on my A list, nor should they be on yours – in my humble opinion. I’ll work with them if they call or are recommended to me but I think their bureaucratic structure is self-defeating. It is not a stretch to say the bigger the company the more dysfunctional the human resource function. Furthermore big corporate structures always stifle creativity and innovation, individuality is discouraged, generally speaking. With the exception of very specialized roles they are not filling jobs, just vacancies and you’re just a number to them, not a person but an