Career Q & A
By Alan Kearns
November 7 , 2005
The interviews I've been on recently make me
nervous. It feels like I'm struggling with my ability to perform
well. Do you have any suggestions or tips that would help me achieve
high quality results during the interview process?
To be fair to yourself, how many interviews will you do
over the course of a career? Being nervous can be a good thing, as
long as it doesn't negatively impact your ability to communicate your
intended message. In reality, most of us don't get many job
interviews in a lifetime...so let's not assume we'll naturally be
good at it. A great interview takes preparation and practice. The
well-prepared candidate can present a clear and compelling
message.
You may never have thought to make the comparison, but eulogies can
teach more than you might think about what to say in job interviews.
You want your interview to be highly impactful, however, you have a
limited time to tell a story that will connect with the audience. As
with a eulogy, job candidates have to think about what needs to be
said, what they hope gets said, and what they hope doesn't get said.
A good eulogy, like a good job interview, is not a boring chronology
but, rather, it hits the highlights and aims to leave a lasting
impression.
Job candidates often get into "interview mode" and act the way they
think they should, rather than the way they really are. I think the
interview changes the dynamics for people and they feel they have to
be something different. In a good interview, as with a good eulogy,
you get a sense of connection with the person, which I believe is the
most powerful influencer of who gets the job.
There's a new book called Farewell, Godspeed: The Greatest
Eulogies of Our Time. Morbid, I know, but the author, Cyrus
Copeland, shares some examples of powerful communication concepts.
He left an advertising job he was in for many years to pursue the
truth, beauty, and narratives that last longer than thirty seconds of
memory. Here are the books' five key points to delivering a great
eulogy:
- Start strong. Madonna eulogizing Gianni Versace said, "I
slept in Versace's bed."
- Personal is best. Great eulogies convey what the person meant to
you, but with your style capturing the uniqueness of the individual.
- Tell the truth. You have to be sincere; people can sense when
someone is not.
- Be specific. Point to specific areas in which the person has made
an impact.
- Finish memorably. James Wood on Bette Davis - "Fasten your
seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy eternity."
Eulogies have more in common with job interviews than near death
experiences. Like a job interview, a key meeting, or pitching your
message, eulogies are an example of capturing a targeted message to
share with a specific audience. The principles of great communication
are the same (although a eulogy carries a far more emotional
message). Also, like a eulogy, in an interview you have a limited
time in which to share your message and leave that lasting
impression.
Strong communication is the ultimate strategic tool we have in life.
In an interview, ultimately, we're people connecting with people. We
want to really connect, to get our message across - to be engaging.
By considering these five points, your interviews won't feel like
'near death experiences'.
Alan Kearns is the Head Coach and the Brand Champion! of CareerJoy. He is one of Canada's foremost experts on all things career. With more than 14 years of experience coaching people through successful career changes, he brings an intimate knowledge of the entire transition process to all of his clients. To contact Alan about paid professional services, e-mail alan@careerjoy.com or visit his web site www.careerjoy.com.
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Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.
