So I have a theory. It’s a two-pronged one.
The theory maybe true only for particular organizations that have the right open cultures that make them conducive to this theory, or maybe it could have more far-reaching applications. Either way, it addresses a key misstep of the interviewee that I know anyone would be grateful to remedy.
So let’s start with the problem. The problem is that we overthink the job interview process. We prepare for them as if preparing for a knowledge quiz against Watson, or rehearse like auditioning for Broadway. We spend nights tossing, thinking about these meetings as if Samara from the Ring will sit at the Interviewer’s Desk, and obsess about them like we have no other options left (which is usually untrue).
I’ve seen it too many times. Candidates that come to network or interview come at you with swift strides and two seconds later vomit dates about your company’s historic first year in 1964, or relay your About Us page word for word. Or, if you’re lucky, they’ll amuse you by stammering and giving you a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look when you ask them a question they forgot the answer to. The stress and pressure of trying to impress to secure the contact, contract, or job has escalated to debilitating levels.
We are overthinking and as a result underperforming . We need to stop. Take a breath. And know that there’s only, really, two secrets that matter for a successful job interview. They are as follows:
1. You need to be likable
2. You need to show you’re capable
That’s it. Yes, that’s it. No tomes, lists, essays, or articles. No thesis. Instead I’ll tell you in less than 800 words. Just those two points. I’ve said it before. People hire people they like. And, people who they know are competent enough to do the job well. There may be exceptions, but again, I’m talking about companies with healthy, progressive open cultures that hire employees they will value as long-term assets and not replaceable levers in a cog machine.
To be likable, is, I understand, a subjective term. But know that generally the personnel that interview you are typically the people who will be your boss or coworkers, in addition to HR. These are the faces who will be your future teammates and mentors, and the ones who will have to see you and work with you every day for the rest of your career with them. If they like you during the interview, they’ll be more likely to hire you after, or at least remember you after the 30th interview.
Likability factors in because it makes it easier for you to assimilate into the existing culture of the workplace as opposed to having to try and force you to fit in. This doesn’t mean that you have to put on a fake face and try to be likable or guess what they want. Instead, what’s more important is that you try to connect with them in a way that ensures a genuine mutual interest that the two of you can feel comfortable with and pleased about. I remember in one of my interviews, we even talked about “Harry Potter”.
The reverse is true for you too. If you don’t like the people who seem to be interviewing you, it might be an early warning that maybe you need to rethink your original happily ever after assessment of the position and place you are going for. Yes, I understand that sometimes the economics of a job offer might send that reasoning flying, but again that speaks more to doing what you love – living to work not working to live.
The second part is, you do need to show that you can do the job. Being a likable dud will not cut it. Once you have them sold for your likability, ensure that you communicate your chops – that you have what it takes to do this job exceptionally well. You want to show that you have done similar tasks in the past or dealt with even more severe responsibilities and that this will be a piece of cake. Instilling the confidence of knowing you can step up to the plate or exceed expectations, in addition to being likable, is a deadly combination to have with you when you’re in an interview. That’s a potent recipe for success.
And that’s it. A simple answer to a seemingly complex issue that haunts so many of us. We overthink everything, including the last detail of contrasting tie pattern and bland dress taste. I’m not saying that nuances and details should be ignored. Instead, I’m saying, take a step back. Breathe. Try this two-step theory. It should work more likely than not. If not, you only had two things to think about and that beats your current fifteen other worries.
Do you agree or did you have others? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.