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See if you can guess the number one reason job seekers get turned down for positions.
If you believe the answer could be relocation factors, social status, showing favoritism, etc., you are far off from the reality. If you believe the correct answer may have something to do with the applicants lack of experience, lack of education, etc., you are closer to the correct answer, but still not quite there yet.
I’ll save you some time. The number one reason job seekers get turned down for a position is because of their personality. Yes… their personality!
Having a bad personality or bad attitude is certainly one way of appearing “not trainable." No one wants to work with an employee who doesn’t have an ounce of humility and will not allow anyone to train him on the job.
Likewise, for those job seekers who naturally have a boring, quiet or uninspiring personality, equal damage can be done during the interviewing process if you do not impress the interviewer. In most cases, hiring authorities do not enjoy having to “pull information out of a candidate" to get questions answered.
In fact, several hiring authorities have stated the following: “It is perfectly fine for a potential employee to be a little on the quiet side, but I can’t stand interviewing the ones who just sit there and answer yes or no to every question I ask. It’s like pulling teeth to get some information. They literally put me to sleep."
Truth is— people hire who they like... Plain and simple!
For the most part, hiring authorities hire who they think will get along well with others and create a positive team environment by communicating effectively and sharing resources. They tend to hire candidates that engage in conversation and turn the interview into a "get to know you" meeting, rather than a question and answer session.
I can't tell you the number of times I have heard the comment: "He is lacking some of the experience we require for this position; however, everyone really likes him, and we feel we are able to devote a little bit of training to get him to where he needs to be." This is a classic example of what happens when hiring authorities are pleased with candidates.
Job seekers... listen up! Don't leave the most important attribute you have to offer when you go on an interview— your personality!
Use the following interviewing tips:
1. Observe your surroundings as you interview with hiring authorities and learn how to pick up on their interests by discussing things as you would in a natural conversation with someone you just met.
2. Be a little personable with the interviewer so that he can get to know who you are and begin to picture you as a valuable candidate. Keep in mind, I am not implying that you should discuss how rude your last boyfriend was, the number of times you have been married, or how many kids you have... Proceed with caution!
3. Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer some questions about his work history with the company (e.g., how long he’s been with the company, if he enjoys working for the company, etc.).
4. Don’t forget to smile! I know it sounds very simple; however many job seekers become so serious during their interviews, and they almost instantly forget to smile.
Remember this… if you can get the person conducting the interview to like you, and feel good about your ability to become a great team player, you have already jumped over the greatest hurdle to landing the job.
You will increase your number of job offers if you continue to work on your interviewing skills by developing a connection with the interviewer.
Please pass on the knowledge.
Unlocking Greatness...
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VP and Author recently featured on ABC news.
"25 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You! What You Did Wrong Before, During and After the Interview" -2nd Ed.
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