The Art of Landing a Job with Polished Soft Skills
By Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick
In today’s global marketplace, the personal and professional demands placed upon business executives surpass any experienced in the past. The most sought-after job skills employers are currently seeking are soft, or “people” skills. It is not enough now to simply have the technical skills required to do your job; you must also possess the polished soft skills that will enable you to distinguish yourself from the competition and help you develop and maintain business in today’s challenging and complex business environment.
“More than anything else, I hire for attitude. Skills can be learned. I’ll take attitude any day over a good skill set.”
-G. J. Hart, New York Times Interview by Adam Bryant, 1/6/13
Following is my eight-point plan to help you present yourself and your qualifications in the best manner possible to ensure that you have the advantage over your competition, and that you are successful in your mission to land a job–whether you are out-of-work, or are working and would like to change jobs.
1. BEGIN WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Relating to others is what etiquette is all about. The many ways in which you relate to others begins with your attitude. Your style of connecting with others, your way of communicating your respect of others, and your behavior toward others are all reflections of your attitude. According to Nicolas Boothman, author ofAttitude is Everything, “The quality of your attitude controls the quality and appearance of everything you do.” Your attitude and professional image help form the first impression others have of you.
Everything you do is informed by your attitude. For some, this may be the most difficult time in your life. Very few people find searching for a job or going for an interview a pleasant experience; but, if you go for an interview with the same attitude you have when you go to the dentist, it is unlikely that you will present yourself in a positive manner. Your attitude is reflected in your facial expressions, body language, and voice. It is very difficult to “cover-up” a negative attitude. If you don’t feel good about yourself and your qualifications, it would be better to wait until you do; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Whether it requires getting into shape, buying a new suit, seeking therapy, or going back to school to update your job skills, I would recommend that you consider these options before beginning your job search. When you go for an interview, projecting a positive, winning attitude and confidence in yourself will be relayed to the person with whom you have an interview, and make them more likely to view you in the same manner. People like people with positive, cheerful personalities, not people who project a defensive, “woe is me” attitude.
In a recent survey of college admissions officers, one admissions officer of an Ivy League university said, “Some 70 percent of kids who apply are qualified to come to school here; and , we have space for one in ten. We can be as choosy as we like. It almost always comes down to whether or not you’re a likeable person. Le’t s face it, some people are just more affable and more likeable than others.” The same can be said of the job market: there are many more qualified people than there are positions for them. The jobs will go to the people with the best attitudes and ability to relate to others.
People like people with positive, cheerful personalities.
2. CREATE A POWER PRESENCE
Appearances matter in first impressions. In fact, research has shown that appearance counts for 55 percent of the impression we make. With this in mind, it would not make sense to consider going for an interview until you have done a thorough review of the way you look and the impact you make on others. You are a product, and as such, need to take into consideration your appearance. Your appearance includes not only your physical being, but also your clothes, your grooming, your deportment. Like gift wrapping, the more “put together” your appearance, the more you leave a positive impression. If you have recently lost your job after being with the same company for many years, you may not have had to worry about your appearance, but now you do.
When interviewing for a job, people buy our entire package. Research has shown that the number one reason companies reject an applicant after the first interview is poor personal appearance. A picture is worth a thousand words, and so is your appearance. “People buy you with their eyes. The visual overwhelms the verbal,” writes Harry Beckwith, author of You, Inc. Make sure that your personal package is as polished as your resume. Be aware of the company’s dress code policy before interviewing for a job. In general, it is better to dress conservatively and err on the formal side rather than be underdressed.
Put your best foot forward with a new pair of shoes!
3. REFINE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS
In today’s competitive job market, it isn’t enough to be able to do your job well. Success in getting, keeping and advancing in a job depends 85 percent on soft, or ”people” skills, and 15 percent on technical knowledge and skills, according to three separate research projects by Harvard University, the Carneige Foundation, and the Stanford Research Institute. Knowing the rules of business etiquette and protocol and knowing how to handle yourself in social situations are key elements in being successful. If you have more than one interview with a company, it is likely that one will be a luncheon meeting. Nothing is more telling about a person than his table manners. Are you ready for a luncheon intereview?
The jobs will go to the best and the brightest and the most socially skillful!
4. CRITIQUE YOUR ASSETS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Your greatest asset is self-knowledge. Know what your special abilities are, what you like to do, what your true interests and passions are, what you do best, and of course, what you are qualified to do based upon your education and experience. Be creative and flexible in your approach to job hunting. Look at the transferable skills you have which can be used in a variety of industries.
Before you can sell your qualifications, you have to sell yourself!
5. GIVE YOUR RESUME AN EDGE
Resumes are different now: they are more succinct and results-oriented. Employers today buy results and are less interested in reading a laundry list of skills. Think about the jobs you have had and how you either made money for the companies for which you worked, or how you saved them money.
Another difference now is that savvy job seekers are beginning their resumes with personal brand statements. “A personal brand statement,” according to Tom Peters, ” is a statement that identifies the qualities or characteristics that make you distinctive from your competitors–what you do that adds remarkable, measureable, distinguished, or distinctive value.” It should not be more than two sentences.
Whatever you can tastefully do to make your resume stand out from the competition is also recommended. Recruiters are getting so many resumes now that even small efforts like using the corporate logos to represent your presvious employers can help make yours get noticed. Or, consider turning your “resume” into a marketing package. After all, you are marketing a product: You!
Never send a resume without a cover letter. Your cover letter should not exceed one page, and it should convey why you are seeking a job with that particular company. Targeted job searches are generally much more successful than mass mailings to companies with which you have little familiarity. If you are e-mailing your resume, be sure to include a cover letter with it as well, and send a hard copy in the mail to the company.
You are marketing a product: You!
6. PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
If you are fortunate enough to be granted an interview, prepare for it: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Whether it is with your career coach, your wife, a tape recorder, or in front of your dog, make sure you have your lines straight. You should have a short and well-thought out reason why you are looking for a job, as well as why you are interested in working for the company at which you are interviewing. You don’t have to apologize or make excuses for why you don’t currently have a job, or why you are looking for a job. Be positive! Being granted an interview is the same as being invited to a party: you were invited because someone wanted you to be there. And keep in mind that, according to Career Builder.com, it takes an average of seventeen interviews to get one offer.
It is also a good thing to keep in mind that particularly in today’s business environment companies are looking for people who are flexible and have a “can-do” attitude, as well as a passion for what they are doing. They want team players who will work together to help their company succeed during these difficult times. At some point during the interview, it would be advisable to let your interviewer know that you are this kind of person: adaptable and willing to do whatever you can to help the company succeed.
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!
FOLLOWING ARE 10 INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE TIPS:
- Be on time. When you are late, it is not only rude, but also sends the message that you don’t really care about the interview. In fact, it is advisable to be ten minutes early to compose yourself before the meeting.
- Be polite to the receptionist. The receptionist is the gate keeper, and if you are rude to her it sends the message that you will be rude to other people in the company. People skills are considered to be as, if not more important, than your ability to do a job.
- Follow basic meeting etiquette. Stand up when you meet someone, introduce yourself, make eye contact and offer a firm handshake. Did you know your abilities may be judged by a three-second handshake? Your handshake speaks loudly about your professionalism, credibility and confidence. It communicates a powerful nonverbal message before you speak. A firm handshake conveys “I’m interested in you and confident in my business skills”,whereas a weak handshake may be interpreted as “I’m unsure of myself and I’m uncomfortable being here and meeting you.”
- Walk into the room with authority and poise. Keep your shoulders back, spine erect and movements smooth when walking into your interviewer’s office. This conveys confidence in yourself.
- Do not take a seat until one is offered. If you do, you will appear to be disrespecful and presumptuous.
- Do not slouch in your chair. This shows a lack of professionalism and is a reflection on your personality. Some experts say as much as 75 percent or more of a message is communicated nonverbally rahter than verbally.
- Actively participate in the interview. Make eye contact, lean forward to show interest, nod your head, and smile when appropriate. Participating actively in an interview helps you establish a rapport with your interviewer. Try to find a common ground with your interviewer. People like to hire people with whom they are comfortable and with whom they have a rapport. And finally, be upbeat and personable without being overly familiar.
- Be prepared with your script. This includes your 15-second personal introduction “pitch” that directly correlates with your “personal brand statement”, your situation and why you are looking for a job, your job experience, qualifications, and why you think you would be a good fit for the company. When you are asked to talk aout yourself, this is your opportunity to present yourself in the best possible light. Make sure you make the most of it without seeming overly confident and arrogant.
- Ask questions. Always ask questions when asked by the interviewer if you have any questions to ask him. Not doing so implies you are not interested in the company. If you have thoroughly prepared for the interview, you will have taken a list of questions with you.
- Thank the Interviewer. Always thank the interviewer when you leave an interview and follow-up with a thank- you note. According to Harry Beckwith, “three in four executives consider applicants’ thank-you notes in making hiring decisions.” Appparently, however, only one in three applicants sends a thank-you note. A thank-you note only needs to be four sentences, and should simply thank the person for the interview, and not be a pretense for making another pitch.
7. LEARN HOW TO SHINE AT NETWORKING EVENTS
According to Phyllis Korkki, a writer for the New York Times, “You are more likely to find a job through someone you know. The larger the circle of people, and the more you cultivate it, the better off you will be.”
Everyone learns the technical skills required for their jobs, but not everyone places importance on learning how to graciously interact with others in social situations. Learning how to shine at networking events with your power, presence and style is one of the most important things you can learn when looking for a job.
“You are more likely to find a job through someone you know.”
FOLLOWING ARE TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE NETWORKING:
- Dress appropriately and carefully for the event. No other color stands out more in a crowd ,or exudes confidence and power like red. If you are a woman, wear a red jacket. If you are a man, this is less of an issue for you, but you also need to make an effort to dress in a way that indicates you are aware of the importance of your appearance. You can’t go wrong if you dress for a networking event as you would if you were going for an interview.
- Go with a good attitude. Remember: you are there because you want to meet other people, and you want to project an open and friendly attitude.
- Make an entrance. When you walk in, take a few seconds to look around before starting to circulate.
- Wear a name tag if everyone else is wearing one. Your name tag should be placed on the right side of your jacket so that it can easily be seen when you are shaking hands with someone.
- Be the first to say hello and introduce yourself. Being the first to introduce yourself is the sign of a confident person, and it is perfectly acceptable to do so at networking events. To make the most of these initial meetings, make sure you include your 15-second “pitch” in these self introductions.
- Smile first and always shake hands when you meet someone. And don’t forget that a handshake speaks volumes about a person.
- Take your time during introductions. Make an effort to remember names so that you can properly introduce everyone when someone new enters your group.
- Don’t get sidetracked. You are at a networking event to mingle and meet as many people as possible. Learn how to graciously enter and exit conversations. Be prepared with exit lines like: “I want to talk to the speaker”, or “I want to get something to drink.” Don’t simply melt from conversations. Leave a positive impression by shaking hands and perhaps asking for their business card as you leave.
- Keep conversations short , entertaining and relevant. If you are uncomfortable going to networking events, preparing for them by selecting some business-related articles to mention, something interesting you read in the paper that day, or a few anecdotes or harmless jokes, will make you feel more comfortable when you meet someone new and can’t think of something to say to them.
- Show an interest in other people. The more you appear to be interested in other people, the more they will find you interesting and attractive. Charm is the ultimate social skill! To be charming is to get other people to like you. People are drawn to you by your openness, good humor and your interest in the world around you. And always remember: people want to be with people who make them feel special, not people who are special.
- Know how to use your utensils. The utensils you use at a cocktail party are extremely important, and like your dining skills at the table, the way you use them speaks volumes about you. The napkin is crucial. It goes in the left hand and the glass goes on top. When you take a drink, you use your right hand, holding the stem, and then return it to the left hand. Then, when you want to shake hands, you won’t have to say, “Excuse my wet clammy hand” and start the conversation on a negative note. If your fingers get wet, simply wipe the tips on your cocktail napkin before shaking hands. If you plan to eat something, using a cocktail plate, you would start by building up the same way: napkin, plate, and glass on top, on the rim of the plate. The thumb locks the glass in place. You would put everything on the plate except sauces, ketchup or mustard, so that when you pick up your glass, you would not have these on the bottom of your glass. This is not as difficult as it sounds, but practice before you go out. And eat or talk–don’t do both at the same time!
- Don’t drink too much. If alcohol is being served at an event, limit yourself to one, or at the most, two drinks. This is not the place to “let your hair down” and get too relaxed. You want to maintain a professional demeanor.
- Be patient. Try not to treat every networking event as if it is going to be your last chance to find a job. Try to enjoy the experience, and you will appear more confident, as opposed to desperate. You may be feeling desperate, but it is the last thing you want others to know. Your primary goal at networking events is to make a positive impression on everyone you meet, and to make as many contacts as possible.
8. EXPECT THAT YOU WILL GET A JOB
If you have followed the first seven steps of this plan, you can expect to get a job. It may not be tomorrow, and it may not be the job of your dreams. You many need to take a freelance position, or a part-time job, but you will get a job. “The most important province of your conscious mind is to center your thoughts on the thing you want, ‘Believe that you receive,’ and then shut the door on every suggestion of fear or worry or failure.” (Robert Collier)