I have achieved a lot as a leader and still want to grow and move on to more challenging positions. However, I fail to make an impact at interviews. I always think I am right for the job, but the right answers don’t come to me until it’s over. Your advice?
Your question reminds us of the time one of us was part of a hiring process where a highly qualified young job candidate strutted into the room and started his interview with the words: “So let me get this straight. Do you ask me questions in this event, or do I ask you?” His bravado, needless to say, did not exactly win over any hearts.
You don’t have a bravado problem—quite the opposite. But it sounds as if you’re not winning over any hearts, either. We would guess that’s because you’re too tied up trying to win over brains with a perfectly crafted answers.
That’s off track. Your résumé should speak for your credentials. Of course, you can use the interview to elaborate or fill in any blanks on your expertise. But based on your question, it seems more important that you show your potential boss who you really are. That is, a leader who cares about your work and your team passionately. A colleague who can laugh, listen, and worry. A real person with outside interests and friends, maturity and self-awareness, and the ability to connect emotionally.
Indeed, in any interview, your best selling point can be your authenticity. So stop performing, and be yourself. The positive impact you long for is probably right inside you, if only you’ll let it out.
This question and answer originally appeared in Business Week magazine on August 07, 2006.
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