A quote from Malcolm Gladwell says, “Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strengths of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else’s head”. I actually think THAT is exactly what an interview well executed is supposed to do. It engages, creates a connection and gives the interviewer a glimpse into what makes you tick and why your leadership DNA can move an organization toward its vision for the future.
So on that note, I would like to say congratulations to several of this blog’s readers for the completion of successful interviews in the Southeast. My brief text exchanges with several of them tell me they created exactly such an engaging interaction with their potential employer. What did they do right? Well, since many of us in the Midwest are snowed in for the next few days, I’m hoping we’ll hear comments from them.
One thing I see my colleagues doing is duplicating a success strategy recently recommended in an article by Phyllis Korikki from the NY Times called “How to Turn Downtime into Job Offers”. Her suggestions include:
- Devote several days a week to lay groundwork for the search
- Create a “success folder” to organize accomplishments. (I understand one of our colleagues created a PowerPoint presentation to Wow their interview team. Smart idea).
- End every day planning the next one and two days after that to enable you to pace yourself (Contrast this with hunting on line at 2 a.m.)
The article ends with a quote that, slightly modified, could be our job search mantra:
Getting things done creates energy, energy creates more energy, more energy creates productivity, productivity begets confidence, and confidence increases your chance of being hired.
A passage from Romans 5:3-5 provides a similar but more inspirational job search mantra. It is:
“Tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint”.
I have always prided myself in my interview skills, and specifically in my preparation. It starts with exhaustive research on the company. Gaining an understanding of where they are headed allows you to demonstrate how your skills will advance their purpose. I actually write out “answers” that relate to their perceived direction so that I force myself to be tighter and more disciplined in my response. And, of course, I profile each person that I will be meeting. My intent is to gain a glimpse of who they are as a person so we can connect more effectively.
My challenge, is generating the emotional energy for these high octane conversations, especially given my disruption in employment. That said, Peg’s last quote from “How to Turn Downtime into Job Offers,” speaks to my experience this week. I was asked to meet the executive team of an organization to share my experiences and learnings regarding transformational leadership. Their interest and excitement, however, was infectious and I quickly found myself back in a groove I had not felt for a while; “Energy creates more energy.” My learning; even though I am not fully healed, pulling on my battle garb and getting out there mixing it up professionally helped me to generate energy. And, indeed even after the adrenaline wore off, I am in a better place emotionally than I was before. And, who knows what ultimately this stimulating and productive conversation will lead to.
My biggest “aha” around my more positive interview experiences is that while the majority of the health care world thinks we were crazy, there is a small, mighty and GROWING percentage who thinks we were brilliant and want to be just like us. If any of us choose to stay in health care, it is my deepest hope we will land ourselves with the small and mighty and continue our quest to change what we know is wrong with this industry. It’s true – “energy creates energy” and when others are excited about what we were able to accomplish, and incredulous at its sudden halt, that indeed pushes me forward.