Sometimes even though the candidates thought they did well in the interview, they failed to get the offer. They felt very confused, “is the interview I attended the same one that the HR attended?”
By analyzing their experiences, you may find some similar features in their interviews:
01
A good talk doesn't mean a good interview
Some candidates take for granted that a good talk is a guarantee of job offer.
However, in fact it's because of their professionalism that generated such an illusion that made you think you did well in the interview.
Generally, an HR plays multiple roles in the interview, as an asker, a listener and an evaluator. Therefore, they won’t talk with the candidates in an offensive way, but you still need be careful enough and present yourself in a smart way.
BRecruit consultants offered two suggestions about how to talk in interview:
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Use at least 70% time to introduce your professional experience and show your professional ability.
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Show your true personality politely and reasonably.
Here is a story from Mr. Wang.
Mr. Wang entered the final-round interview in which he was going to meet regional sales director face to face. The regional sales director was a humorous man with kind smile and active mind. Soon, Mr. Wang began to speak more and more casually and excitedly. Things started to get out of control.
The Director: Every talented employee in our company has wide space for development. You may have the opportunity to work in Marketing or Recruiting team if you want. So if you successfully get the offer, are you willing to try in another field?
Mr. Wang: Actually I'm willing to because I have worked as a salesman for several years. I'd like to try something new.
The Director: As a salesman, your job is very stressful and demanding. How do you balance your work and your life?
Mr. Wang: Maybe to take a holiday. I'm fond of beach and sea, and I would choose one or two weeks every year to travel at the sea. Do you like surfing? I can recommend you several islands in Thailand, very cost-effective.
The interview finished and Mr. Wang thought they had a nice conversation. But as the third person, you must find Mr. Wang did something wrong due to unclear career goal and loose logic.
02
To know what aspects the interviewer value most is the key to success
No candidate will give up the opportunity to show their ability in an interview. If possible, we even want to provide a pair of high magnified glasses to maximize our advantages. Therefore, candidates usually prepare most on this part because they think it’s key to success.
This is true, of course, but not so important as we think.
What matters is whether those advantages you are proud of match the job requirements which HR concerns most.
Another story from Ms. Zhang.
Ms. Zhang had store management experience in a famous fast fashion brand where her sales performance was excellent due to her effective promotion methods. When she got the interview invitation from another famous brand which offered her a position as store manager, she was determined to win.
In the interview, she was confident about her sales experience and performance. She talked a lot about this part with the interviewer who praised her achievements and seemed satisfied.
The interview finished. Ms. Zhang waited for the phone call from HR to discuss about her title and salary, but they haven’t called since then.
What Ms. Zhang ignored was that this position required a talent with both sales ability and staff management skills, but she failed to show her ability of managing staff and leadership.
Do you have similar experiences with Ms. Zhang?
03
Your pride need be down to earth
Those people who always stand top are unavoidably very proud of themselves.
In an interview, your interviewer can find your excellence and, at the same time, your kind of annoying pride. Pride is a double-edged sword, unless your pride can be down to earth.
Maybe you developed a popular product, planned a very creative and successful activity, or achieved high KPI, but if you said too much about your achievements and little about the process you might leave an impression of exaggeration and indiscreetness. And that may lead to your failure in applying your ideal job.
Consultants at BRecruit found this problem also occurred on senior candidates.
Sometimes candidates don’t mean to show off deliberately. They just don’t find proper strategies to control the degree.
Let us make a simple contrast.
A candidate said, I overfulfilled my sales KPI constantly for three years, each year my sales numbers had been high and how I was appreciated by my leader.
Another candidate mainly talked about how he made sales strategies, planned sales promotion activities and finally overfulfilled his KPI.
If you are interviewer, who are you willing to choose as your future colleague?
It’s really a pity that you presented your achievements but was regarded as “arrogant”. So you need to express your ability and motivation clearly and logically rather than simply show off your excellence.
In the End
Interviewers are easily misunderstood as “hard to please”, especially when the result of the interview is out of candidate’s expectation. Actually that’s just because you are not that professional.
To manage an interview is similar with making marketing strategy. You need to know how to sell yourself well.
If your last interview was satisfying for yourself but not for your employer, cheer up and reevaluate your communication skills, should they be improved?
