Job hunting is very much a dating process. Admittedly, you may not need to buy as many bunches of flowers or chocolate boxes as you would if you were involved romantically with someone, but the process of finding a company that meets your interests and values is similar to meeting your next boo. Indeed, whether soul-mate or dream company, your first step, as you know, is to gain their attention and let them know that you are interested in what they have to offer.
Additionally, just like the dating scene, there’s a thin line between capturing your interlocutor’s attention and sounding painfully desperate. The dream applicant doesn’t rely on fabricated pickup lines. In fact, if you’ve rehearsed your text a little too well, the clever line might produce the opposite reaction. Indeed, when your lines sound too clichéd, your interlocutor puts their guard up. Recruiters can sense a trick. Instead, they want to feel not only that they can trust you but also that you are not another applicant reciting generic lines.
Be genuine about the relationship
Each job interview requires you to build an authentic connection to the business. Therefore, it’s important to relax before the meeting so that you can offer as much reciprocity as possible. The recruiter is your connection to the company, and as such, you want to prune your relationship, ahead, during, and after the interview. Additionally, it can be profitable to make contacts within the business or the industry sector to give more weight to your application. A strong local social network can get you through the door. Indeed, just like with dating, people are more likely to trust you if you have contacts in common.
Boost your self-esteem
You can’t force people to be interested in you. But you can send a positive signal about what you’re saying. If they feel that you’re not confident about your story or yourself, they are unlikely to want to invest more time in getting to know you. Confidence is a difficult skill to develop, but you’ll find that by boosting your industry-related knowledge and experience, you can improve your self-esteem. For instance, taking an accounting test – you can check the live CPA exam review for more info about the current options – can give you the confidence you need to run a small business admin team. If you’re applying for a non-tech role in a tech company, taking code courses can give you some precious insight into the computing world.
Start the conversation
Last but not least, a date night or a job interview is nothing more than a discussion between individuals. Keeping it natural is a delicate art to master, but it can make a great deal of difference. Indeed, a conversation is an exchange between individuals. When it comes to a business interview, you can rely on known factors to navigate your way through the conversation, such as the business field or company history. Your ability to maintain the back-and-forth of the exchange can give the interview a more natural feel.
Thinking of a job interview in terms of dating gives a stressful process the humanity it needs. Remember, you are more than a resume that ticks all the boxes. You are a person who is reaching out to build a positive relationship and create a conversation.