Job 1: Get Them to Like You

In job search there are two things that are essential when you are in the interview. Everything you do up to that point needs to support those two aspects. First and most importantly in the interview process you really need the interviewer to like you. Ask yourself, why do people hire people? To solve problems and or to get things done are the most common answers. Then ask yourself why do they hire one person over another?

It’s not whether your qualifications are better than the other candidates; those things are screened out prior to the interview. One person may have some talents that another doesn’t have, but then the other may also have unique talents that the former doesn’t. So all things being equal, when you get to the interview it’s no longer about your capability; it’s most likely about you and how you’ll fit. In other words, how well do they like you. I’ve never hired someone because I liked them least among the candidates.

I’m not saying that the hiring process is a popularity contest, but in some ways -- important ways, you need to think in those terms when you are in a job search. Some of my clients come to me discouraged because they haven’t landed a job and have had numerous interviews. When we peel back the interviews, they says things like: “But I’m perfect for the job!” or “I gave the perfect answer...” It seems that while they are spending a fair amount of energy on giving the response that is just right, they may be missing the opportunity to make a favorable impression.

From the first handshake, you are there to present yourself as a professional. As someone who can solve their problems, do the work they need done. You need to fit into their organization, their team and be seen as someone who could work one-on-one with them. They are not looking for someone who will cause trouble or problems. One of my favorite managers use to say, “most technical problems are preceded by people problems.” It’s true. Communication problems lead to product defects; it’s probably the number one cause, but that’s a subject for another blog. So the more they like you, the less problems you are likely to present when you are working together.

Being liked is only the first step in the interview; the hiring manager is looking to validate your experiences that you cited in your resume. How you go about giving that validation is the next step in the process. We’ll talk more about this in a later posting. But for now, just remember that you can greatly improve your chances in an interview by remembering to be a friendly, confident professional. 

Satire: Unemployment High Because People Keep Blowing Their Job Interviews -- Don't Panic! Lighten Up! -- Sott.net

Read article: Don't Panic! Lighten Up!

I really laughed when I read this satire of the unemployment problems facing America. I work with all my clients on how to be successful in a job interview. We go over the behaviors that will aid the candidate in creating a positive and favorable impression in the interview. 


This week, the Harper College, Career Stimulus Program will be be presenting Pump Up Your Job Search.  The topic this week is Lighten Up! Then we found this The Onion article.  


Join Dave Ellstrand and me (Friday, June 3rd from 10 to 11:30 at 650 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, IL Suite 9-S rm # 139) for ninety minutes of positive stories, inspirational coaching, and humorous antidotes, not to mention our Rubber Chicken.   


Have a great week... ~ Thomas

Talking Just Enough to Meet Your Goal

Have you ever been on a long flight sitting next to a person who talks too much? I mean a real Chatty Cathy or a Talky Terry. (This always happens when you’ve brought some work to do that’s due ten minutes after your flight is scheduled to land.)  At first it’s nice talking to the person, after some time your neck starts to hurt from turning toward them. Later, your mind starts to wander and you start to wonder if there are any air marshals on the flight...

 People who talk too much can lose opportunities to make networking contacts. Networking always begins with a hello and a smile. And often in a first meeting there is an exchange of names and business cards or contact information. Hopefully there is a connection that is made and a seed of a relationship is planted. It’s important to realize that this is a lot to accomplish in a first meeting. Sadly folks often try to push too much into these first meetings and then they wonder why the other person doesn’t follow up afterwords.

This happens a lot in interviews, too. A candidate has an interview and talks too much, but doesn’t realize it. As a result they don’t land a job that “they are perfect for!” In my practice, I’ll conduct a mock interview with a client and they’ll talk my leg off with answers that stretch on for 5 or more minutes. Sometimes they answer the question succinctly, then as the interviewer starts to jot a note they start talking again; interrupting the interviewer‘s train of thought. In the end their wonderful response is lost in the minutia of their droning on and on.

Be mindful of people’s body language and facial cues when you are talking to them.  Are they getting your point... are they falling asleep, with drool dripping down their cheek? If we consider the average length of a television commercial we have some idea of the average person’s attention span. I teach my clients that they should shoot for responses of 30 seconds or so.  This allows dialogue and not only your monologue!

This means that you should know what you’re going to say and practice it over and over in order to know how the response will sound when it really counts, in the interview.  

If you’re on a long flight, chat pleasantly for a few minutes noting your neighbors body language. After that, take out your book or IPad or watch the in-flight movie. As your flight is preparing to land, tell the person you enjoyed talking to them and would really like to connect again; then offer to exchange business cards.

Next time we’ll talk about following up and moving along in the networking process.

"Why Me?" Just isn't Important in Getting a Job

There seems to be a common frame of mind in my clients who are going through a prolonged time in transition between jobs. If fact, this actually affects the vast majority of people going through any kind of transition from being let go from a job to retirement.

Over and over people in transition find them selves stuck and growing depressed because they have lost confidence in their ability to achieve a goal. Whether it is finding the next job or learning new role in life, their confidence is shaken and their thinking becomes filled with doubts.

Face it, transitions are difficult. If you were let go from a job, the natural question is, "Why me?" Many of my clients would tell me that they couldn’t understand why they got canned when someone else is still there. I can think of a story from one person who brought in and closed a $4.5 million deal and a week and a half later got the ax. In another client’s story their whole group was released while there was all this work that remained to be done. It doesn't make sense to the person in transition.

It is common for humans to see the world in terms of ourselves. Why me? Add to this the condition that self doubt is a natural element in transition or any kind of change. This becomes a problem when self doubt becomes stagnation especially when coupled with depression.

The sad truth is that most people are laid off for reasons they’ll never know. They lost their job because there number was picked or they were in a department that was believed to be expendable. After talking to thousands of people over the years, I come to the conclusion that nothing you did or could have done would have changed the outcome. Often a person can cite a series of corporate decisions that led cutbacks and layoffs. "Why me," if it was someone else's fault.

I have often told my clients that they were probably right, but that doesn’t matter… it’s in the past and you need to focus on the future. Do not focus on what happened, but focus on what you are going to do to be successful in your transition. Simply, "Why me" thinking leads to anger and/or depression. This leads to all kinds of negative behaviors which will negatively impact your job search.

Dropping "Why me" from your thinking will make a difference. Be positive and let go of the negative thinking that will hold you back. Do the things that will help you have a positive frame of mind which people will see and take note. Focus on your goal and leave the past behind.

Positive Attitude in Job Search (part 1)

Is Life Better With Feathered Underwear?

I like Zig Ziggler when he says, “Anything you can do; you can do better with a positive attitude.” If you are doing a job search this is a very important point. Years ago when I was in job transition a fellow asked me how I kept a positive attitude. I replied, “I wear feathered underwear.” He became upset by what he considered a flippant answer and said, “Fine if you don’t want to tell me, fine!”

The easy answer is I choose to. What’s the alternative? I have more energy with a positive attitude than I do with a “stinkin’ thinking’ attitude.” I remember something a QA Manager who I worked with once told her team: “We interview for our jobs everyday, in the work we do, the results we produce and the attitude we bring to the job.”

How can I top that?

A friend of mine, Joy Maguire-Dooley has a voicemail greeting that says positive attitudes are infectious. I realize that I may be influencing a future job lead with my positive attitude today.

There is an old sales adage that goes something like; people do business with people they like. I think this is even truer with job search. People hire people they like. So much has been written on the importance in making a good first impression.

Ask yourself: if a hiring manager has three people to choose from, who are they going to hire? The person they like best… the person they feel will be the best fit for their team. This is why I suggest to my clients to wear feathered underwear and always have a smile on your face.

Smile, have a positive attitude and help people like you. The feathered underwear is really optional.