Last week we looked at the first five reasons “Candidates Get Dinged.” Now let’s explore the last five.
§ Not a business person; don’t “get it”
Yes executives are business people, which begs the question, “why wouldn’t they get it?” I believe the #1 reason is a lack of preparation … not knowing the prospective company’s needs. If you can’t articulate questions that confirm your understanding of a company’s needs AND if you can’t answer those needs with illustrations of your previous bottom-line contributions … then the perception may very well be that you don’t get it.
§ Cannot clearly articulate desires
What do you want? You do know, don’t you? Deliver the answer in a clear and compelling way with passion, energy, and excitement. I believe it is more important to remain “on brand” and understand the job is not a good fit than to be loose your authenticity trying to be something you are not in order to win the job. In the end, you will probably be unhappy.
If you don’t know what you want, stay tuned for next week’s column on identifying your unique promise of value.
§ Weak presence
How are you perceived by others? If you believe you are confident and brilliant, but others view you as ignorant and arrogant … how are you coming across in interviews and with your networking contacts? Understanding your perception in the market place and leveraging your strengths = a strong presence that is brand-authentic.
§ Lack of questions; poor question
This speaks to preparation for the interview. Your questions should be thoughtful and carefully crafted “before” the interview begins. Write them down so you don’t have to remember. Take notes so you can ask even better questions that have come up during the interview. This also speaks to energy, passion, and authenticity. If you’re interested and a good fit – show it!
§ Inability or unwillingness to CLOSE
If you are a good fit for the position and want the job, close the sale. Reiterate your interest in the position. Ask what the next step is and when/how they would like you to follow up with them.
Send a post-interview letter. Notice I didn’t say a “thank you” letter. Differentiate yourself from the other interviewees with a letter that speaks to key points from the interview and again reiterates your fit for and interest in the position.
So where are you getting “dinged”? What is one thing you can begin doing differently now to begin getting better results today?