It Takes More Than Talent to Get the Gig: 3 Areas of Focus for Your Next Interview
Let’s start with the premise that you have a great talent. Here are some real experiences that determined who got hired and could help you turn your talent into work. All you need to do is substitute your sector/vertical to see hiring from a new angle.
There is usually a casting board in the production office because they’re making choices. They have a whiteboard to tape the headshots of the people in consideration to hire. This is a great way to see how people look together as a cast/ensemble/team.
Interviewing
If I’m a casting director (hiring) and you’re an actor (wanting to be hired) and we’re meeting for the first time, please don’t have a conversation about negative personal situations, this is a business meeting. Listen and respond to the question. Asking someone hiring you to search, or go to blank to find information is taxing compared to having what they need handy. Most will ask, do you have any questions? Please ask a question that was not already discussed and answered. This can be helped when you practice questions before arriving. If they ask you to follow up, thank the person who referred you, or send an email, regardless of how mundane. Many times, they’re watching to see if you follow directions.
Reputation
Are you on social media? Keep in mind you will be searched online to see what comes up. Almost like an unofficial personality test. Ask yourself if there is anything you posted that would not serve you well to get hired for the job of your dreams. If yes, delete it. At the very least, start posting in a manner consistent with the pay and position you want to be considered for. Be authentic. If not, that too will come out in an interview.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Presentation
How are you presenting yourself in the interview? Consider your grooming — hair, hygiene, clothes, manners. These matter to companies. Things CEOs have shared with me that are pet peeves: Pajama-looking clothes and plastic shoes with holes in them. Please style your hair — you can have messy hair that is styled that way, but not brushing your hair is not the same. Manners — thank you, eye contact, are all important.
If you really and truly are interested in people in general or at least in the person who is interviewing you, you are in an excellent position. If not, it will come out. For example, I recently was interviewed via a video call and I could tell by the body language and tone of the person’s voice, and brash comments, that they either did not like me or the topic of their job. I gave straight answers, nothing more. Someone I recently hired was at an event, we were talking with a group of people about water and light and I said I love bioluminescence and they said “I didn’t think you would know that word.” That says a lot about them and how they will come across to anyone about the business I am CEO of.
Take from this what you will, if anything. My goal is to help you get the job of your dreams, so I am sharing what I am hearing that might be preventing that from happening. You’ve got this.