The Right Attitude
Jason Truesdell
Sometimes someone comes in and aces all of the technical questions, but
makes a fatal mistake when answering problem-solving questions or being
asked about their previous jobs.
They sound uninterested. Or worse--unmotivated.
Here's a quick list of deadly utterances that have sunk candidates in my
interviews:
- "It would be time consuming, but..." (bad)
- "It would be a lot of work, but..." (very bad)
- "Well, I guess you could do that..." (only OK if
you propose a better solution to the problem).
Body language and manner of speech speak volumes about a person. Being
a little nervous is OK if you have a positive attitude, so don't worry too
much. Just don't sound desperate.
But sounding bored, sounding like you don't care whether you get the
job or not, or sighing at the wrong moment will cost you.
Being confident is great, but be careful not so put on an air of
superiority. Arrogance is not typically considered a virtue.
One candidate I spoke to had an impressive resume but sounded like he
was under the influence of marijuana when he came in. He answered
technical questions slowly, answered our questions about his programming
projects ambiguously, and still managed to project an inscrutable arrogance. Needless to say, we didn't hire him.
Attitude isn't really something you can practice, but a genuine
interest in the work you're interviewing for will go a long way. Paying
attention when the interviewer is talking and being enthusiastic about
understanding a problem when you're being asked a logic or problem-solving
question will also help.
Attitude is one of the least measurable characteristics of a job
candidate, but it plays a huge role when a manager needs to make a
decision about an offer. When one of your other skills is lacking, we talk
about attitude. If your attitude is poor, goodbye.
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