Be yourself at interview - use your WHY to get the job you really want
An interview is traditionally a completely staged event where an employer invites applicants to make their case to be recruited. The rules of the game ensure that both sides are in effect playing a part.
The interviewer has a set of desired competencies, knowledge and attributes to be met. Sometimes this can turn into a tick box exercise, scoring each item in turn, taking notes so the candidates can be speaking to the top of someone’s head.
The balance of power is clearly in the interviewer’s favour – they make the rules and assess the ‘play.’
On the other side of the table, candidates do their best to present themselves according to the rules of the game – through exemplar stories, pre-crafted scenarios, trying hard to ‘sell themselves’.
But below the surface, a more intuitive type of decision-making is also taking place based on first impressions, unstated requirements and context, unnamed biases, and even mood.
The candidate may be second guessing what the role requires, what the organization is really looking for and presents what they think is expected. Often there isn’t a true connection, little natural conversation and only a surface level of understanding.
It’s no wonder it’s such a tortured experience!
So how can you approach an interview better, do yourself justice, be yourself and connect at a deeper level too? Let’s look at the experience of someone who approached me recently.
Don’t squash yourself into their box just because you can
I had a discovery call with a highly experienced professional recently, let’s call her Jo. She told me she felt she was getting good opportunities to interview for roles within her expertise and experience, but felt unable to really sell herself. The interviews never went very well, she was receiving no offers and her confidence was ebbing away.
As she trawled online jobs boards she was losing heart – nothing truly excited her and increasingly she was finding the whole process draining. She started to wonder if her experience was actually relevant and useful at all.
I could see Jo had a wealth of wonderful experience, but somehow this wasn’t translating to the right opportunities. Her energy was seeping away, so I suggested a very different approach.
Jo was looking at her job search from the perspective of what she could do, based on her extensive skills and experience.
She was focusing on skills fit rather than WHY a role was right for her.
So instead of trying to squash herself into the box required by the role she was applying for I asked her what would happen if she flipped that approach and thought more clearly about what would energise, excite and motivate her.
In other words, to start with her why rather than their what
As soon as we started exploring her why, Jo’s whole body language shifted. She sat up straight, her eyes came to life and she was animated as she discussed what matters most to her, which of her strengths she really wants to use and what kind of impact she needs for the work to feel meaningful.
This kind of clarity and motivation is priceless! Knowing your WHY unlocks so many possibilities that strike at the heart of who you are and how you want to spend your work life.
I believe your why is made up of 3 elements: values, strengths and purpose. A clear understanding of these offers you a much deeper appreciation of what will allow you to do your best and most fulfilling work.
A few weeks later, Jo told me she’d just accepted an opportunity that finally excited her. What’s more the interview process on this occasion had enabled her to speak with clarity, connection and authenticity – instead of feeling tongue-tied conversation had flowed!
She put this down to the clarity she’d gained by exploring her WHY. This boosted her confidence and enabled her to connect with real enthusiasm and energy with both the role and the organization. She was no longer trying to squash herself into a confining job specification, she was connecting with the wider purpose of the role and with the mission of the company. That strikingly good fit was apparent to all.
Reinvent your job search strategy
Starting with your WHY means you can identify the right organisations and the right roles for you on a much deeper level. What’s more you’ll be able to recognize a company culture that works for you and they’ll be able to see how well you’ll fit their team. It’ll be a much more meaningful negotiation.
When you are clear about the role and the organization, let’s look at how you can prime your application and interview for success.
1. Connect your strengths with their problems
What challenges are they facing? Dig into their strategic objectives and what the role is expected to deliver that aligns with these. What evidence do you have of achieving similar objectives in former roles? Which key strengths will help you succeed?
2. Connect your values with theirs
Understand the organization’s values and how they are enacted in the work place. How do they chime with yours? What excites you about how their values are reflected in their culture and ways of working? Again think about how your values have provided motivation and meaning in previous experience.
Values are such a powerful motivator and a really potent way of connecting. When you know what your values are and what they enable you to achieve and get excited about at work, you’ll speak with real enthusiasm and authenticity.
3. Connect your purpose with their mission
Which impacts is your target organisation proud of? Their mission statement should give you a direct line to how they see themselves and the purpose driving their business.
Similarly when you know your own purpose, you’ll be able to connect wholeheartedly on a shared vision.
I see purpose in two ways: the contribution you make and the impact it has on your clients or customers. Think about how your purpose has influenced your past achievements – what did you do and what was the impact?
Your WHY meets their culture
In a recent podcast hosted by Breathe HR Specialists, culture coach Lizzie Benton suggested that candidates these days want a job that fits their lives much more than they want a pay packet alone. She also argues that a company culture that attracts candidates now is one that demonstrates itself to be:
· Genuine, authentic and transparent
· Democratic – where people feel they have a say
· A place of psychological safety
Is this the type of place you’d like to be part of? By gaining clarity on your WHY you will also understand the kind of culture you want to be part of. You then stand a stronger chance of connecting more authentically at interview. You will be able to interrogate their culture to see if it fits your needs:
If collaboration is important to you but it isn’t central to how this organisation works, will this throw up unnecessary difficulties?
If flexibility is a must for you but the organization insists on all staff in the office at all times, is this a deal-breaker for you?
If autonomy is paramount for you but you understand you’ll be micro-managed in this role, should you go ahead?
If personal growth is central to your fulfillment but there is no system for developing individuals in this organisation, will you really thrive here?
Ultimately when your WHY meets its match in your organization, everyone wins. So next time you’re thinking about a change at work, use your WHY to inform your job search and the organization that will enable you to thrive.
It’s about mutual compatibility after all. If you’re excited to be there, want and are able to do your very best work, both your outputs and satisfaction will benefit hugely. Win, win, win!
If you’d like to gain clarity about your WHY, if you’re reconsidering your career direction or want to prepare better for interview, get in touch. I’d love to help you gain this new perspective and step into a better future.