In today’s hyper competitive job market, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. You’ve made it through 3 phone interviews, and this afternoon you have your final “flaming hoop” to jump through. You know you have the technical skills and experience necessary to do well in the role, but you’re confident that the other 2 finalists do too… Perhaps even more than you.
How do you differentiate yourself? Attitude and the “real” you.
I know you’ve heard it a million times, Be Energetic! Be Confident! Be Yourself! And the list goes on. Just remember, no one likes to work with a “Debbie-Downer” or even a “Positive Pete.” Step into the interview ready to listen and to learn. No one expects you to know all of the answers or to answer every question spot-on. (If you do know all of the answers, then this role probably won’t be a challenge and is probably beneath you) People are human, and humans make mistakes.
Remember, people like to work with real people. So stop trying to “hard-sell” yourself to them and show them that you’re a real person.
At the end of the day, people tend to forget that the managers on the other side of the table have lives too. They are normal folks that are looking for other normal people. They want people that they can work with for 40+ hours a week. This doesn’t mean that you should share your life story and tell them about how you will never forget about your 8th grade class trip to Washington DC, but try to work in some non-work related topics.
This is where doing your homework on the interviewers pays dividends. If they graduated from IU or Purdue or Butler (and you did too), bring it up! If they are an avid golfer, then bring up your anecdote about how you hit that monster putt on the 9th green at The Fort. This can be a tall order, but give it a try. Don’t force it. Be patient and you’ll find your moment.
So the next time that you step into an interview, remember to show some charisma!