The Dos and Donts of Showing Passion in an Interview

The Dos and Donts of Showing Passion in an InterviewThe Dos and Donts of Showing Passion in an Interview In my time at Glassdoor, Ive einstellungsgesprched hundreds of recruiters to find out what they look for in candidates . And one of the most common things I hear from them, without a doubt, is passion.It might sound simple enough to demonstrate passion in an interview, but it can actually be fairly tricky. For a recruiter or hiring manager to truly see your passion, you need to show them - not just tell them. And you always have to maintain the right balance between sounding enthusiastic and sounding overeager.So how exactly can you best demonstrate your passion in an interview, and what common mistakes should you avoid? I turned to the experts for their advice.Its great to express interest in the job, but dont make it sound like you depend on it. This makes it sound like youre looking for a job just to pay the bills, and not because you think its a particularl y good fit.One mistake candidates make when showcasing their passion is being so overly passionate that theyll say whatever they feel like the recruiter wants to hear to help them be a match for a position, says DW Bobst, CEO of TrendHR .This will not only make recruiters and hiring managers question the veracity of your responses, but also view you as a little too over-eager.Think of interviewing kind of like dating. No one wants to be the creepy over-the-top person on a date. Its a give and take, a back and forth of showing mutual interest If an applicant is over the top, much like in dating, it can backfire and be a turnoff to the employer, Bobst says.A hallmark of inexperienced candidates is that theyll focus on how the company can benefit them, and not how they can benefit the company. For example, when asked why they want to work at a given company, some candidates rave about things like how amazing the office is or what a good reputation the company has.Everyone may know tha t Google is an awesome place to work, but the job seeker should not gush about the perks or focus on how a prestigious job will take them to the next level, says Donna Shannon, President of Personal hauch Career Services . By focusing on the company, they are missing out on demonstrating what they actually love about their work.Now, its fine if you genuinely do admire the company and its products/services - but its best to tie that back to something greater, like the companys mission or values. A candidate who says they want to work at Glassdoor because everyone they know uses it wont stand out in my mind, but one who says they want to work here because they love our mission of helping people everywhere find a job and company they love will. And if they can talk about how excited they are to apply their specific field of expertise to help us, even better.Dont be scared to state that you love your work. Be specific about what draws you to it, Shannon suggests. For example, a salesp erson should show that they love making new connections.Sometimes, in an effort to sound enthusiastic and informed, candidates will come off as arrogant or over-knowledgeable a showman/woman, says Jill Tipograph, Co-Founder of Early Stage Careers . This is especially noticeable when a young adult professes to be an expert at something. And this gets layered with complexity if the interviewer/hiring manager really is an expert at something, and his/her questions result in a candidate not being able to walk the talk about the topic.Its great to talk about the skills you possess, software you regularly use and accomplishments youve achieved, but stay away from broad all-encompassing statements like I pretty much know everything there is to know about Salesforce or I practically wrote the book on Excel - unless, of course, thats true.Anyone whos ever had a big schoolyard crush understands how difficult it can be to stay concise when talking about the object of their affections. When y oure really geeked about a job or company, things play out in much the same way - but you shouldnt subject a recruiter or hiring manager to a ten-minute stream of consciousness on why you love the company. Interviewers only have a limited amount of time with you, after all, and theyll want to make sure its spent well.Sometimes candidate are so excited and passionate about a position or the work theyre doing that they talk, talk, talk without taking a break to check-in with the interviewer, says Marielle Smith, VP of People at GoodHire . My advice is to listen carefully to the question and answer it succinctly, then stop to check in with the interviewer to see if they want to discuss the topic further, or if they want to move on to another question. Listening, responding, then giving space for follow-up questions is key.You might have heard that flattery will get you everywhere, but thats rarely the case with recruiters and hiring managers. Theyve seen it all before, and are wise t o such cheap attempts at wowing them. Sucking up to them will come across as insincere at best or at worst, creepy.I have seen candidates trying to show their passion by mentioning things about me personally from my online presence, says Pete Sosnowski, Chief Human Resources Officer at career site Zety . You can absolutely research the interviewer if you know who it is, but dont make it creepy - mentioning that you saw my hometown newspapers mention of me from ten years ago sounds plain weird.Passion isnt always about saying youre passionate or putting on the widest smile you can.A job seeker can show real passion by doing the requisite prep work before the interview even begins, says Brian Porrell, Principal & Manager at WinterWyman . In the days leading up to an interview, a candidate should take the time to research the company, learn about the industry, understand the competitive landscape and learn about some of the general trends and challenges that are likely to affect the person who wins the role. If a candidate goes into a job interview armed with that information, the interviewer will know the candidate is passionate about the position.One of the best times to prove that youre passionate about the opportunity at hand is when an interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them.For an employer, not having a good question is equivalent to not being interested, says Cristian Rennella, VP of HR & Co-Founder of oMelhorTrato.com . This significantly reduces your chances of being hired, especially when you are looking for a competitive job.Rather than asking self-serving questions about the salary or benefits, Rennella recommends drawing upon your research You should always ask questions that occur to you when you are doing the pre-interview research in your home before the interview and write them down - even those questions that occur to you on the way to the interview and when you are observing the workplace during the interview itself.Telling a story about why youre passionate will always be more memorable than just saying you are. Thats not just common sense - its been scientifically proven that humans are hardwired for storytelling .Work on architecting your personal story to include your passion, so recruiters hear its genesis and find it memorable and/or want to dig deeper into the topic, Tipograph says. For instance, one could say (if true) I was raised in a family with a long lineage of loving nature. I grew up always taking vacations outdoors, learning how to create gardens, care for animals. As I matured, I found myself drawn to sustainability causes given what I saw as a child and teen.Regardless of how your interests developed, you can craft them into a compelling narrative.At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. If you have any concrete proof points that speak to your passion, bring them up in the interview - theyll go a lot further than lip service alone.Be sure to include job-related passio ns on your resume. This includes memberships, affiliations, board memberships or volunteer organizations you care about, says Kim Hughes, Manager Talent Acquisition at CMI/Compas and founding member of DisruptHR Philadelphia. As an added bonus, someone coming across your resume could see a common connection that can lead to more opportunity, Hughes adds.Above all other things, the best way to highlight your passion is to be your authentic self. If youre truly passionate about an opportunity, that passion will likely shine through in your conversation.The applicants should show interest, but the most important thing is to be GENUINE. Be yourself. Answer questions honestly and with integrity, Bobst says.You can fake a lot of things, but you cant fake passion, Hughes adds.

7 things the most successful people do that make them the best

7 things the fruchtwein successful people do that make them the best7 things the most successful people do that make them the bestWant to be mora successful? Actually, thats bedrngnis ambitious enough - want to be the best?I do. SoI called my friendDaniel Coyle, author of the best books on getting better at anythingThe Talent CodeandThe Little Book of Talent.Dan knows that the 10,000 hur rule is nice but you need to align your effort with the way your brain welches designed to learn.Hours are vital, but you can get to mastery faster - much faster - by practicing the right way.So how can you and I do that?Here are 7 steps experts use1. Be uncomfortableYou learn best when youre reaching. Flow is great. But flow is not the best way to learn.You want to be stretched to the edge of your ability. It needs to be hard. Thats how your brain grows.Heres DanWe learn when were in our discomfort zone.When youre struggling, thats when youre getting smarter. The mora time you spend there, the fa ster you learn.Its better to spend a very, very high quality ten minutes, or even ten seconds, than it is to spend a mediocre hour.You want to practice where you are on the edge of your ability, reaching over and over again, making mistakes, failing, realizing those mistakes and reaching again.More on the best way for you to practice here.2. Stop reading. Start doing.Keep the Rule of Two-Thirds in mind. Spend only one third of your time studying.The other two-thirds of your time you want to be doing the activity. Practicing. Testing yourself.Get your nose out of that book. Avoid the classroom. Whatever it is you want to be the best at, be doing it.The closer your practice is to the real thing, the faster you learn.Heres DanOur brains evolved to learn by doing things, not by hearing about them. This is one of the reasons that, for a lot of skills, its much better to spend about two thirds of your time testing yourself on it rather than absorbing it. Theres a rule of two thirds. If yo u want to, say, memorize a passage, its better to spend 30 percent of your time reading it, and the other 70 percent of your time testing yourself on that knowledge.More on how to shift from reading to doinghere.3. The sweet spotYou want to be successful 60-80% of the time when training. Thats the sweet spot for improvement.When learning is too hard, we quit.When its too easy. . . well, we quit then, too.Always be upping the challenge to stay in that 60-80% zone.Heres DanYou dont want to be succeeding 40 percent of the time. Thats flailing around. You dont want to be succeeding 95 percent of the time. Thats too easy.You want to constantly be toggling, adjusting the environment so that youre succeeding 60 to 80 percent of the time.More on how to find your sweet spot for learninghere.4. Commit to the long termAsking someoneHow long are you going to be doing this? was the best predictor of how skilled that person would end up being.Merelycommittingto the long haul had huge effects.Here s DanThe question that ended up being the most predictive of skill was How long are you going to be doing this? Commitment was the difference maker. The people who combined commitment with a little bit of practice, their skills went off the charts.Commit to the long haul. Dont give up. Even works for mice.More on how long term commitment can take you to the next levelhere.5. Find arole modelWatching the best people work is one of the most powerful things you can do.Its motivating, inspiring and its how you were built to learn.Study the best to be the best.Heres DanWhen we stare at someone we want to become and we have a really clear idea of where we want to be, it unlocks a tremendous amount of energy. Were social creatures, and when we get the idea that we want to join some enchanted circle up above us, that is what really lights up motivation. Look, they did it. I can do it. It sounds very basic, but spending time staring at the best can be one of the most powerful things you do.M ore on finding the best mentor for you here.6. Naps are steroids for your brainNapping isnt for the lazy. Its one of the habits of the most successful people in any field.Sleep is essential to learning. Naps are a tool that will make you the best.Heres DanNapping is a high performance activity. If you looked into the habits of highly successful people you would see a lot of naps, a lot of recovery. Its sort of our brains janitorial service. It helps us clean out the stuff we dont want. It also helps us work on ideas while were asleep. Top performers use sleep as a tool.More on how astronauts use sleep to increase performance here.7. Keep anotebookEminem keeps a journal. Peyton Manning keeps a journal.Top performers track their progress, set goals, reflect and learn from their mistakes.Heres DanMost people who are taking an ownership role in their talent development use this magical tool called a notebook. Keep a performance journal. If you want to get better, you need a map, and tha t journal is that map. You can write down what you did today, what you tried to do, where you made mistakes. Its a place to reflect. Its a place to capture information. Its a place to be able to track your progress. Its one of the most underused yet powerful tools that I could imagine anybody using.More on how to use a notebook to be your best here.If you only remember two words from this . . .Dan says the two key words are Reach and Stare.Reach Always push yourself to the edge of your ability.Stare Look at those better than you and emulate them.Heres DanI would say, Reach. Get out on the edge of your ability. Get into your discomfort zone and reach past that. And I would say, Stare. Find somebody you want to be in two years, three years, five years, and stare at that person. See what theyre doing. See exactly what theyre doing, and steal that. Steal from them.Sum upSadly, you werent born an expert.But you can become one with practice and time. Start now. Youll be amazed at what you can achieveIll be sending out more tips from Dan in my weekly email.Join 45K+ readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsWhat 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?8 Things The Worlds Most Successful People All Have In CommonHow To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple EmailsThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.7 things the most successful people do that make them the bestWant to be more successful? Actually, thats not ambitious enough - want to be the best?I do. SoI called my friendDaniel Coyle, author of the best books on getting better at anythingThe Talent CodeandThe Little Book of Talent.Dan knows that the 10,000-hour rule is nice but you need to align your effort with the way your brain was designed to learn.Hours are vital, but you can get to mastery faster - much faster - by practicing the right way.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satis faction, Neuroscience, and moreSo how can you and I do that?Here are 7 steps experts use1. Be uncomfortableYou learn best when youre reaching. Flow is great. But flow is not the best way to learn.You want to be stretched to the edge of your ability. It needs to be hard. Thats how your brain grows.Heres DanWe learn when were in our discomfort zone.When youre struggling, thats when youre getting smarter. The more time you spend there, the faster you learn.Its better to spend a very, very high quality ten minutes, or even ten seconds, than it is to spend a mediocre hour.You want to practice where you are on the edge of your ability, reaching over and over again, making mistakes, failing, realizing those mistakes and reaching again.More on the best way for you to practice here.2. Stop reading. Start doing.Keep the Rule of Two-Thirds in mind. Spend only one third of your time studying.The other two-thirds of your time you want to be doing the activity. Practicing. Testing yourself.Get yo ur nose out of that book. Avoid the classroom. Whatever it is you want to be the best at, be doing it.The closer your practice is to the real thing, the faster you learn.Heres DanOur brains evolved to learn by doing things, not by hearing about them. This is one of the reasons that, for a lot of skills, its much better to spend about two thirds of your time testing yourself on it rather than absorbing it. Theres a rule of two thirds. If you want to, say, memorize a passage, its better to spend 30 percent of your time reading it, and the other 70 percent of your time testing yourself on that knowledge.More on how to shift from reading to doinghere.3. The sweet spotYou want to be successful 60-80% of the time when training. Thats the sweet spot for improvement.When learning is too hard, we quit.When its too easy. . . well, we quit then, too.Always be upping the challenge to stay in that 60-80% zone.Heres DanYou dont want to be succeeding 40 percent of the time. Thats flailing around. You dont want to be succeeding 95 percent of the time. Thats too easy.You want to constantly be toggling, adjusting the environment so that youre succeeding 60 to 80 percent of the time.More on how to find your sweet spot for learninghere.4. Commit to the long termAsking someoneHow long are you going to be doing this? was the best predictor of how skilled that person would end up being.Merelycommittingto the long haul had huge effects.Heres DanThe question that ended up being the most predictive of skill was How long are you going to be doing this? Commitment was the difference maker. The people who combined commitment with a little bit of practice, their skills went off the charts.Commit to the long haul. Dont give up. Even works for mice.More on how long term commitment can take you to the next levelhere.5. Find arole modelWatching the best people work is one of the most powerful things you can do.Its motivating, inspiring and its how you were built to learn.Study the best to be t he best.Heres DanWhen we stare at someone we want to become and we have a really clear idea of where we want to be, it unlocks a tremendous amount of energy. Were social creatures, and when we get the idea that we want to join some enchanted circle up above us, that is what really lights up motivation. Look, they did it. I can do it. It sounds very basic, but spending time staring at the best can be one of the most powerful things you do.More on finding the best mentor for you here.6. Naps are steroids for your brainNapping isnt for the lazy. Its one of the habits of the most successful people in any field.Sleep is essential to learning. Naps are a tool that will make you the best.Heres DanNapping is a high performance activity. If you looked into the habits of highly successful people you would see a lot of naps, a lot of recovery. Its sort of our brains janitorial service. It helps us clean out the stuff we dont want. It also helps us work on ideas while were asleep. Top performer s use sleep as a tool.More on how astronauts use sleep to increase performance here.7. Keep anotebookEminem keeps a journal. Peyton Manning keeps a journal.Top performers track their progress, set goals, reflect and learn from their mistakes.Heres DanMost people who are taking an ownership role in their talent development use this magical tool called a notebook. Keep a performance journal. If you want to get better, you need a map, and that journal is that map. You can write down what you did today, what you tried to do, where you made mistakes. Its a place to reflect. Its a place to capture information. Its a place to be able to track your progress. Its one of the most underused yet powerful tools that I could imagine anybody using.More on how to use a notebook to be your best here.If you only remember two words from this . . .Dan says the two key words are Reach and Stare.Reach Always push yourself to the edge of your ability.Stare Look at those better than you and emulate them.He res DanI would say, Reach. Get out on the edge of your ability. Get into your discomfort zone and reach past that. And I would say, Stare. Find somebody you want to be in two years, three years, five years, and stare at that person. See what theyre doing. See exactly what theyre doing, and steal that. Steal from them.Sum upSadly, you werent born an expert.But you can become one with practice and time. Start now. Youll be amazed at what you can achieveIll be sending out more tips from Dan in my weekly email.Join 300K+ readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

Job Interview Body Language Speaks Volumes

Job Interview Body Language Speaks VolumesJob Interview Body Language Speaks VolumesBroadway actor John Treacy Egan and acting coach Jodie Bentley share body-language tricks to use (and some to avoid) during a job bewerbungsinterview.Actors know that body language speaks volumes, and the good ones use it subtly to persuade the audience.Poses, positions and postures tell the audience what to think about the character.A job interview is no different, said Jodie Bentley, owner and co-founder of The Savvy Actor, a firm that coaches actors on the business of acting and teaches them how to market themselves. Your body language tells the interviewer things about you.I think it is important to have body awareness before you go into an interview, she said. There are many actions and habits that we should consider doing or avoid doing to tell the right story during the interview setting.Actor John Treacy Egan, featured in such Broadway hits as The Producers and The Little Mermaid, demonstrates some of the body-language tricks he uses and avoids on stage.Practice these, and you will take it over, he said. Its like muscle matter.1) WardrobeBentley emphasized the importance of wearing clothes that show you in your best light during an interview. I really think that the clothes that you wear impact who you are, and if you wear something that makes you feel fabulous, your body language is going to be so much mora comfortable in the moment.2) Hold onto a talismanWear a piece of jewelry or a scarf or something that has meaning to you and can ground you in the moment, Bentley said. If I get nervous, sometimes I will look at my wedding ring and think of my husband who supports me, and I realize I should be doing this and I am on the right path. When we get nervous, we feel ourselves being removed from our bodies slightly. I think that having that talisman is a great way just to keep us grounded and present in the moment.3) Feet on floorEgan recommended that you keep both feet on the floor and sit up straight. Crossing your legs, he said, portrays complacency.4) Sit stillNervous energy isnt good, Bentley said. And so a lot of people cross their legs and shake their legs over and over again. bedrngnis that we need to sit with ankles crossed and be stiff.5) Hands on kneesIf you have to make a point, Egan said, you can use your hands. But rather than speaking with your hands, he recommends you rest your hands on your knees until you need to make a gesture.6) Sit a little bit forwardYou dont want to sit back, Egan said. Leaning backwards can leave the impression that you are overly relaxed and can make you look untidy.7) Dont fold your armsI think that is a bad habit that a lot of people fall into. It definitely closes you off (from the interviewer). Not a lot of actors do it, Bentley said.8) Avoid body ticsDont crack your finger joints or fiddle with your cufflinks. I have big, red, curly hair, and I used to twirl my curls when I got nervous, Bentley said. It i s about really being honest with yourself and saying to yourself What are my habits when I get nervous, and how can I eliminate them? 9) No hands in pocketsIf you are standing at all in the interview, then hands in the pockets are a big no-no. That just looks so clumsy and messy, Bentley said. Let your hands drop to your side, and talk, is Egans advice. When you need to use your hands, engage them.10) Dont invade the interviewers spaceSome people just get too close for comfort, Bentley said. They think that they want to make a connection, so they get closer. Really knowing that boundary is really important. For example, dont stretch your hands or body over the interviewers desk.11) PropsIf you need a prop like a pen, use it if it makes you feel a little bit more comfortable, Egan said. abflug with the place where you feel safest, holding your hands together or holding a prop, but give yourself the chance to step away from that during the presentation or interview. It makes you look stronger.12) Dont stareIn a conversation, (actors) never fully lock eyes with people, Bentley said. We talk, we look people in the eyes, we have a thought, and we look away. We look to the right, and we look to the left. Sometimes in an interview setting, you focus too much on impressing the audience. And we start really staring at them, and staying focused so much, that we start to look a little crazy. Egan concurred If you feel like you are looking the person in the eye too long, hold it one more second and break away.