In an hour, I have an interview for 30 minutes on the phone. I want to put my newest, littlest, spring-greeniest changes to work: what happens if I practice empathy for the interviewer?
How can I get out of my own head long enough to get into a conversation? That's part of the problem. My rich inner life is noisy.
I'm good at this. I do it a lot. But what makes me good?
I think these things make me good:
How can I get out of my own head long enough to get into a conversation? That's part of the problem. My rich inner life is noisy.
I'm good at this. I do it a lot. But what makes me good?
I think these things make me good:
- I have appropriate education.
- I have matching experience.
- I have notes on my work history. I've had a lot of jobs, but contract jobs are just that: they're contracted. They have a defined duration and budget. This job too is a contract job.
- They already know what my salary bid is and they asked to talk to me anyway. So I haven't priced myself out of the market.
- I have achievements. I did introduce new project management methods and brought three projects up from late to on-time.
- I will write down everyone's name, and role.
- I will repeat the question, ensuring that I understand and heard the question. This is hard for me because it feels like a waste of time, but it may keep me from blanking out.
- I will say "I don't know" if I don't know.
- I will ask what their highest concerns are and answer as a consultant, not an applicant, putting their interests first.
- I will stop talking if I think I'm babbling.
- I will ask if I've answered the question.
- I will remember that they already think me competent, because they don't waste time on phone calls with people who aren't.
- I will ask what they're expecting as major job responsibilities, who my principal contacts will be, and how success will be measured.
- I will remember that my worth as a human is not measured by my performance at an interview. It's just talking shop about common professional interests.
