The 100% Way To Get The Job

By Sharon Thomas DeLay
When I talk to recruiters and hiring managers, I ask what their personal “deal breakers” are when interviewing candidates.
Without fail, one of the top three answers is always attitude, as in a bad attitude equals no job offer.

How does a bad attitude come across in a job interview?
• The candidate never smiles or makes eye contact.
• Answers are monotone, one-word answers that the interviewer extracts with as much pain as pulling teeth.
• Rather than keeping answers focused on strengths and lessons learned, the candidate uses the interview as a way to make demands and speak poorly about a past job.
• The candidate says something bad about a previous employer.
• Desperation.
• Body language does not convey a sense of confidence
or presence.
• Oh yeah, and the candidate says something bad about the previous employer. (Did I mention that already?)

Here is a way to remember just how important attitude is. I can’t take credit for this one, but it’s brilliant, nonetheless.

Assign the corresponding sequential number to each letter in attitude. For example, A=1, T=20, and so on.
Once you assign numbers to each letter, add them all up. What did you get?
Attitude is 100%! It can completely make or break an interview.

Before you walk into your next interview, do yourself a favor. Listen to music that makes you happy. Meditate.
Find your happy place. Do whatever it takes to get your attitude to 100% so you get the job.

Sharon DeLay is a certified career coach with the goal of helping people find jobs they love and love the jobs they have. Visit www.permanent-ink.com or e-mail Sharon@permanent-ink.com for more information or to subscribe to her twice weekly blog or twice monthly ezine. (c) 2008 Permanent Ink Professional Development Services