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The Likeability Factor – Do You Have
It?
By Linda Matias
Growing up, we all had a mental picture of the perfect life partner The
person we thought would be our happily-ever-after -- a person with a perfect
smile, beautiful eyes, and an adorable button nose. Fast forward to reality
and who did you wind up with?
Chances are that if your partner of choice happens to be male, you ended up
with a guy who is shorter than you expected, has less hair than you
anticipated, but overall is a pretty neat fellow. And if you’re interested
in women, chances are that the woman you ended up with isn’t as curvaceous
as you dreamed, but overall is a very special person.
The truth is that no matter what you envisioned, you bought into what your
partner was offering. Although he or she didn’t meet all of your set
criteria, they met the most important one -- they are good people -- and
that is why you chose their companionship.
When it comes to hiring decisions, recruiters aren’t any different.
Realizing that one candidate isn’t going to meet all the criteria in the job
description, the recruiter buys into the person as a whole -- not one
characteristic, accomplishment, or degree. After all is said and done,
hiring decisions, for the most part, are based on whether or not the
candidate is likeable.
What most don’t understand is that likeability is more than the knack for
getting others to hang out with you after work and share a couple of beers.
This is why most interviews are challenging. Not only do you have to
demonstrate that you are technically capable of doing the job, you must go a
step further and impress the recruiter with your professional makeup -- that
is, your ability to be assertive, focused, and versatile.
Assertiveness
When done right, assertive behavior is a nice balance between self-assurance
and cockiness. This attribute can be a driving force during an interview
because the person sitting across from you can’t help but be drawn to you,
and therefore begins to respond to your ideas, thoughts, and words. Coming
across as assertive leaves the listener the impression that you are
confident in who you are as a professional; and that attribute wins job
offers.
Focus
Believe it or not, most interviewers dislike going through the motions of
hiring, just as much as candidates dislike going on interview after
interview. For this reason, a huge part of a successful interview is based
on your ability to focus your responses on results. In doing so, you bring
clarity to the conversation and help connect the dots for the interviewer.
This is an important point because there are times when interviewers don’t
fully understand how your marketable skills can easily transfer to the open
position.
When the interviewer begins to buy into your experience, you automatically
become more appealing, and -- in the eyes of the interviewer -- the most
qualified candidate.
Versatility
Interviewers seek candidates who have a broad perspective and aren’t stuck
in their way of doing things. Individuals who are versatile are natural-born
achievers and are recognized for being forward thinking, flexible, and
resourceful. These attributes interest organizations since the candidates
who are adaptable will more than likely flourish in any circumstance.
Too often, job seekers overlook the likeability factor. The reason? It’s
always easier to lay the blame on a hiring manager than to take a personal
inventory of how you are affecting your job search. Though it is true that
sometimes hiring decisions are based on factors beyond your control, there
are occasions when it comes down to whether or not you made a positive first
impression.
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Recognized as a career expert,
Linda Matias brings a wealth of experience to the career services field. She
has been sought out for her knowledge of the employment market,
outplacement, job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume
writing, quoted a number of times in The Wall Street Journal, New York
Newsday, Newsweek, and HR-esource.com. She is president of CareerStrides and
the National Resume Writers’ Association. Visit her website at
www.careerstrides.com
or email her at
linda@careerstrides.com.
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Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™
