Though we may be worried about finals and the end of the semester, I found some food for thought that will give us something to ponder over long after finals end — especially for those who will be trying to find a job in the state of this economy. Perhaps the questions that stump us most aren’t those that reflect grades, a resume and a name brand school, but those that question what it is that makes us tick and who we are.
It may very well be the intangible and amorphous qualities that develop as a result of the significant activities we do every day that offer a window into our minds for employers.
After reading an interview with Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson, it dawned on me that arguably one of the most important aspects of the job interview and the job itself is the person that you truly are. It seems that for too long we have thought that our grades, resume, etc. have created the person that we are. Most of the time, however, it is the other way around. According to Anderson, it was the personable and offbeat questions that he asked that often revealed the most interesting details and aspects of a potential employee. This type of question tests the influence of the values that we claim to espouse.
Anderson sums up this secret by saying, “It’s not just education and experience. It’s education, experience and the human factor.”
It’s this human factor that has eluded us for too long. Perhaps as potential employees, we need to show the human side of ourselves and not be afraid to think that our personality can have just as much influence as our resume.
Anderson also discusses the importance of having strong communication skills, as he mentions that “More and more, the ability to speak well and write is important.” It’s nice to know that all those papers actually have a purpose in the end.
I know that a good chunk of people will head to grad school in the fall, yet those brave enough to weather the career storm may just have to remember that the most important part of the job interview is to not forget your sense of self. If we stick to who we are, perhaps we won’t mess up too much at an interview.