Naughty or Nice? Seven Tips to Get You on the Hiring Manager’s Nice List

After you interview, do you deserve a lump of coal from the hiring manager?  Or, will you be rewarded with the gift that keeps giving – a new job!   Naughty or nice is highly subjective.  You must impress the hiring manager in an interview.  You’d better watch out for these seven ways you can get on the hiring manager’s nice list.

Articulate Answers (No Rambling Please)

Sitting through an incoherent answer, so long that the interviewer forgets the question, is a great way to land on the naughty list. The secret to delivering a clear and articulate answer is to practice.  Many candidates work with a career coach to sharpen their interviewing skills.  When it is the difference between a lucrative new job and six more months of job searching, the money you spend on a career coach is an excellent investment.

Professional Information Only (Avoid TMI)

The interviewer does not want to hear about your divorce, your health, your kids, or your Star Trek fandom. Keep the content of your interview professional.  Just like your resume, only share relevant details.  Sharing personal information will alert the hiring manager that you either don’t have a sense of professional boundaries or the career sense to know what is not appropriate to share in an interview.

Prepare Yourself (Don’t Wing It)

Research the company thoroughly.  Don’t be caught unaware of the company’s mission, products, areas of business, scope of operations, and key leaders.  This shows that you are intelligent and interested. Trying to breeze through the interview will earn you a place on the naughty list.

Show You Are Likeable (Don’t Be a Grinch)

You can be the smartest guy in the room with degrees from the best schools, but if you are unlikeable, you could be passed up for the second smartest guy in the room with a good personality.  The hiring manager wants to see that you interact well with others, have a high emotional IQ, and are respectful.  If you let your inner Grinch out during an interview, expect to find yourself on the naughty list.

Prove You Are a Star (Don’t Hold Back)

Rehearse examples from your history that prove you are the best candidate for the job.  Gain an understanding of the job requirements.  Craft your talking points so you show from your past how you can fill the employer’s needs. Illustrate how you are the aspirin to their pain. If you hold back and only talk in terms of functions and characteristics, you are selling yourself short, and you may not rise to the level of the nice list.  

Be Honest (Cover-ups Fail)

Experienced interviewers can detect a cover-up or lie. Don’t hide those unflattering aspects of your employment, such as gaps or terminations. Answer the questions truthfully and plainly.  Employers understand that people have gaps and set-backs.  That is a surmountable issue. Lying is not.

Look Sharp

Plan ahead and dress appropriately.  Every elf knows that only the best-dressed candidates make a good impression in an interview.  You don’t have to have a million bucks to dress like a million bucks.  The secret is wearing professional clothing that fit well. Make sure your apparel is impeccably clean and pressed, and your shoes are shined to perfection.  An investment in a moderately-priced business outfit will produce a nice return when you win the job. Look sharp to help you gain a spot on the nice list. 

Here’s wishing you happy holidays and a place on the hiring manager’s nice list.  If you have questions about your career, contact me.  I have coached many candidates to reach their goals.  I would be happy to help you reach your goals in 2015.