By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
First interviews are very much like a blind date. Let me explain how.
First interviews are like blind dates. Each of you has learned something about the other that you hope is true. And the process is about confirming it, in order to determine whether or not to go further in dating.
Now, what are they trying to find that and how are they trying to do it? Let me start off with the how first. And the how it comes down to “Are you someone that I’m interested in. And they’re going to try and take the dominant position in the dating scenario, because they know what they want, and they’re aggressively trying to evaluate it, if you allow them to do it.
In dating, you may have seen something or heard something about this person that may or may not be true. So the goal in the blind date for you is to slow them down a little bit and start off the conversation. The way you started off is, “Hey, thanks so much for making time to meet with me. I really appreciate it. And maybe before we start, you could just tell me a little bit about the role that you’re recruiting for and what I can do to help.”
“Yeah, I saw the job description” or “Yes, Rhona, or Ronnie the Recruiter told me about it. But I’d like to hear it from you. So could you tell me about the job as you see it and what I can do to help. “
So this gets them to define the role for you because even if you saw the job description, it may or may not be accurate. They may have refined it or changed it in some way in order to . . . they first got the job description approved. And now as they’ve been interviewing, they’re getting a clearer idea of what they’re really looking for. Well, same thing in dating right?
Now, the how of this is through questions and answers, of course, and they’re looking for your knowledge, but they’re also looking for connection. Like I say all the time, they look for competence, self-confidence, character chemistry, maybe a little bit of charisma, that you care, and of course, the connection with you. No connection? Well, there are a lot of people that then they can choose from. But the goal is to create a connection, just like in a blind date. So don’t lose sight of that connection.
Part of this, it tends to be a missing piece for so many people, that you care about your work, is also important. But again, competence, self-confidence, character, chemistry, charisma, because charismatic people always do better than non charismatics, connection, and that you care, so that they trust you, which is the same thing that happens in a first blind date.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2300 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
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