By Dorcas Karuana,
Getting a job offer of employment is not all about skills. It’s about something else, which is none other than this simple rule: “People hire people they like.” Yes you must connect with the employer. Therefore, your positive attitude is more important in a job interview than your education, your experience, your salary requirements or any other component that makes up the package of you, as the job seeker.
This is not something that job seekers always consider when interviewing, but it’s something that should totally be considered. Because employers look at two skill sets when interviewing candidates, their hard skills (specific technical skills needed for the position) and their soft skills (people skill: how you interact with employees and fit into the overall company culture).
During a job interview, the employers are evaluating you on your soft skills through how you interact with them. How you stand and sit – what do you with your arms and legs, how you hold your head, your body orientation toward or away from the interviewer – communicate messages that are interpreted by other individuals as having positive or negative meanings. The interviewer may not even be consciously aware of what he is reacting to. But he knows that s/he feels comfortable or uncomfortable, likes or dislikes, trusts or does not trust, the other individual.
Best interview skills often win over best qualifications.
As such, many less qualified people are hired because they’re liked,
while highly qualified and skilled candidates find it hard to get a new
position because they are projecting a negative attitude. If the
interviewers do not like you and how you are interacting, you won’t get
the offer, regardless of your talent.
Here are some ways to show a positive attitude throughout the interview process
1. Phrases in your sentences - While responding to questions, the phrases you use in your sentences can either show your positive or negative attitude. For instance,
WRONG – “My current company is not growing and my boss is never going anywhere so there is not way for me to move up in the organization.”
RIGHT – “I’m looking for a company that is growing and expanding so that more opportunities exist for career progression”.
“Wrong” Is complaining about the stagnant environment that he’s coming from. “Right” is making the same implication, but in a more positive way as she is stating what she is looking for in a new environment, not what is lacking in her current environment. Being positive is often just a matter of looking towards a better future rather than the past.
2. Smile/ Eye contact- Many people forget to smile or make eye contact when they are nervous or in new situations, not knowing that; this can work wonders. Positive people LOOK positive. They make eye contact, they smile, they lean forward slightly when making a point, they use their hands for some expression and keep them away from their face.
3. Focus on the positive aspects of your current job when discussing it. No one wants to hear you bash the company you currently work with. For instance, do not say how you and your manager had different viewpoints on how to run the department and that you are really interested in finding a position with a company that let you have more input in the decisions.
4. Show energy and enthusiasm. If you truly want this job, then you should have a passion for wanting this job, and that passion should be evident. People like others who are energetic, passionate, and enthusiastic. Employers want to be around people that have a positive attitude towards their work. Give them a reason to be just as excited about working with you as you’re excited about working for the company.
5. Listening- Positive people listen very objectively to what the interviewer is saying and provide positive feedback throughout. Making sure to not be fake or use false flattery, a polished positive person will respond in a way that projects their enthusiasm and interest. Follow-up questions that probe deeper into what the interviewer saying shows your listening and positive as well as draws on what the interviewer is saying to present something further about yourself.
6. Ask positive questions- The questions that you ask can reflect a more positive tone. For instance;
WRONG – “What didn’t you like about the person that you let go from this position?”
RIGHT – “What are the most important attributes for the person you want to hire to possess?”
Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant for Corporate Staffing Service. Email:dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke Website: www.corporatestaffing.co.ke
Getting a job offer of employment is not all about skills. It’s about something else, which is none other than this simple rule: “People hire people they like.” Yes you must connect with the employer. Therefore, your positive attitude is more important in a job interview than your education, your experience, your salary requirements or any other component that makes up the package of you, as the job seeker.
This is not something that job seekers always consider when interviewing, but it’s something that should totally be considered. Because employers look at two skill sets when interviewing candidates, their hard skills (specific technical skills needed for the position) and their soft skills (people skill: how you interact with employees and fit into the overall company culture).
During a job interview, the employers are evaluating you on your soft skills through how you interact with them. How you stand and sit – what do you with your arms and legs, how you hold your head, your body orientation toward or away from the interviewer – communicate messages that are interpreted by other individuals as having positive or negative meanings. The interviewer may not even be consciously aware of what he is reacting to. But he knows that s/he feels comfortable or uncomfortable, likes or dislikes, trusts or does not trust, the other individual.
Best interview skills often win over best qualifications.
As such, many less qualified people are hired because they’re liked,
while highly qualified and skilled candidates find it hard to get a new
position because they are projecting a negative attitude. If the
interviewers do not like you and how you are interacting, you won’t get
the offer, regardless of your talent.Here are some ways to show a positive attitude throughout the interview process
1. Phrases in your sentences - While responding to questions, the phrases you use in your sentences can either show your positive or negative attitude. For instance,
WRONG – “My current company is not growing and my boss is never going anywhere so there is not way for me to move up in the organization.”
RIGHT – “I’m looking for a company that is growing and expanding so that more opportunities exist for career progression”.
“Wrong” Is complaining about the stagnant environment that he’s coming from. “Right” is making the same implication, but in a more positive way as she is stating what she is looking for in a new environment, not what is lacking in her current environment. Being positive is often just a matter of looking towards a better future rather than the past.
2. Smile/ Eye contact- Many people forget to smile or make eye contact when they are nervous or in new situations, not knowing that; this can work wonders. Positive people LOOK positive. They make eye contact, they smile, they lean forward slightly when making a point, they use their hands for some expression and keep them away from their face.
3. Focus on the positive aspects of your current job when discussing it. No one wants to hear you bash the company you currently work with. For instance, do not say how you and your manager had different viewpoints on how to run the department and that you are really interested in finding a position with a company that let you have more input in the decisions.
4. Show energy and enthusiasm. If you truly want this job, then you should have a passion for wanting this job, and that passion should be evident. People like others who are energetic, passionate, and enthusiastic. Employers want to be around people that have a positive attitude towards their work. Give them a reason to be just as excited about working with you as you’re excited about working for the company.
5. Listening- Positive people listen very objectively to what the interviewer is saying and provide positive feedback throughout. Making sure to not be fake or use false flattery, a polished positive person will respond in a way that projects their enthusiasm and interest. Follow-up questions that probe deeper into what the interviewer saying shows your listening and positive as well as draws on what the interviewer is saying to present something further about yourself.
6. Ask positive questions- The questions that you ask can reflect a more positive tone. For instance;
WRONG – “What didn’t you like about the person that you let go from this position?”
RIGHT – “What are the most important attributes for the person you want to hire to possess?”
Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant for Corporate Staffing Service. Email:dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke Website: www.corporatestaffing.co.ke
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