Confidence Attracts!

In an effort to appeal to a wide variety of hiring managers, people often adopt an attitude of “I’ll do anything.”  When in fact this is not true and the attitude is counterproductive. 

I remember discussing with some girlfriends a while back, how men are attracted to strong, confident women.  Similarly, strength and confidence is really important to people who are making decisions about candidates.  Those who can articulate their value, illustrate where they excel and recognize their areas for development come off much stronger and more genuine than those who try to fit into every situation.

As part of your interview preparation make sure you know what the position calls for and where you shine relative to the job description.  Where you are not strong, be able to illustrate where you have picked up a new skill quickly.  But recognize that not all people can do all things and accepts that.

Winning in a job interview is always a combination of skills, experience and an X factor.  Lots of times the X factor is how the manager perceives our level of confidence.  Confidence comes through when you are well matched to a position and you feel good talking about it.  Confidence flags when you attempt to shoe-horn yourself into a position you know is not a fit.

In an interview, let your value shine through by talking assuredly about things you know and not getting sucked into the “I’ll do anything trap”.  Be the confident candidate that attracts the employer.  TRY IT.  

Interview Pitfalls

In order to land a position that we are interested in, nothing could be more important than doing well on an interview.  A hiring decision is a buying decision.  Your purpose in an n interview is to convince the employer to buy your services.  Being prepared, having the credentials and demonstrating your value are your responsibility on each interview.  There are some things that will de-rail your chances on an interview here’s a few to avoid.

Arrive on time but not too early.  Arriving more than 15 minutes early puts unnecessary schedule pressure on the hiring authorities.  You do not want your interviewer to be flustered and distracted as you describe your experience and education. Obviously you want to give yourself plenty of travel time.  But if you arrive at the building 30 minutes early, rather than reporting to the interview right away spend the time reviewing your resume and notes on the company.

Show interest in the company.  It is important to demonstrate that you have become familiar with the company and are aware of the requirements of the position.  Acting uninterested and not engaging with your interview will greatly damage you chances of landing the position.  An interview is a give and take situation.  It is critical that you balance the amount of time you spend talking versus listening.  Do not interrupt, over talk, or stray from the interview topics.  Keep your conversation focused and allow the interviewer to lead the discussion.

Questions at the end of the interview are really really important.  Make they are appropriate.  Of course you want to gather as much information as possible.  But please make sure your questions are job related.  Avoid inquiries about time off and salary increases until the company expresses interest in making you part of the team.

Realizing that an interview is a time to be business focused and sharp is critical.  Being cautious about pitfalls is just as important.  Avoiding over talking and showing your preparedness will really help you land a position.  Try it.