![]() |
Attraction Information |
|
|
The Likeability Factor - Do You Have It?
Growing up, we all had a mental picture of the perfect life partner The person we thought would be our happily-ever-after -- a person with a perfect smile, beautiful eyes, and an adorable button nose. Fast forward to reality and who did you wind up with? Chances are that if your partner of choice happens to be male, you ended up with a guy who is shorter than you expected, has less hair than you anticipated, but overall is a pretty neat fellow. And if you're interested in women, chances are that the woman you ended up with isn't as curvaceous as you dreamed, but overall is a very special person. The truth is that no matter what you envisioned, you bought into what your partner was offering. Although he or she didn't meet all of your set criteria, they met the most important one -- they are good people -- and that is why you chose their companionship. When it comes to hiring decisions, recruiters aren't any different. Realizing that one candidate isn't going to meet all the criteria in the job description, the recruiter buys into the person as a whole -- not one characteristic, accomplishment, or degree. After all is said and done, hiring decisions, for the most part, are based on whether or not the candidate is likeable. What most don't understand is that likeability is more than the knack for getting others to hang out with you after work and share a couple of beers. This is why most interviews are challenging. Not only do you have to demonstrate that you are technically capable of doing the job, you must go a step further and impress the recruiter with your professional makeup -- that is, your ability to be assertive, focused, and versatile. Assertiveness When done right, assertive behavior is a nice balance between self-assurance and cockiness. This attribute can be a driving force during an interview because the person sitting across from you can't help but be drawn to you, and therefore begins to respond to your ideas, thoughts, and words. Coming across as assertive leaves the listener the impression that you are confident in who you are as a professional; and that attribute wins job offers. Focus Believe it or not, most interviewers dislike going through the motions of hiring, just as much as candidates dislike going on interview after interview. For this reason, a huge part of a successful interview is based on your ability to focus your responses on results. In doing so, you bring clarity to the conversation and help connect the dots for the interviewer. This is an important point because there are times when interviewers don't fully understand how your marketable skills can easily transfer to the open position. When the interviewer begins to buy into your experience, you automatically become more appealing, and -- in the eyes of the interviewer -- the most qualified candidate. Versatility Interviewers seek candidates who have a broad perspective and aren't stuck in their way of doing things. Individuals who are versatile are natural-born achievers and are recognized for being forward thinking, flexible, and resourceful. These attributes interest organizations since the candidates who are adaptable will more than likely flourish in any circumstance. Too often, job seekers overlook the likeability factor. The reason? It's always easier to lay the blame on a hiring manager than to take a personal inventory of how you are affecting your job search. Though it is true that sometimes hiring decisions are based on factors beyond your control, there are occasions when it comes down to whether or not you made a positive first impression. About The Author Recognized as a career expert, Linda Matias brings a wealth of experience to the career services field. She has been sought out for her knowledge of the employment market, outplacement, job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume writing, quoted a number of times in The Wall Street Journal, New York Newsday, Newsweek, and HR-esource.com. She is president of CareerStrides and the National Resume Writers' Association. Visit her website at www.careerstrides.com or email her at linda@careerstrides.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Attraction - Google News |
RELATED ARTICLES
Part II--The Journey to a State Called Authentic Are you on the road yet? If not, pony up your?.um, pony and pretend that you are gracefully cantering down the road toward that state called Authentic. Do You Have an Exit Plan? Recently, I came across something strikingly shocking, fascinating, obscure, and yet, completely obvious.Few of us have an "Exit Plan. 5 Practical Shyness Tips That Work Everytime We all experience a little shyness at times with people who we find intimidating.Here are some useful suggestions and ideas that can help you overcome shyness and speak up when you need to in order to achieve your goals. Sometimes Being Unfocused is the Risk You Need to Take I was accused recently of being unfocused. This lady challenged me to decide whether I was a coach, a writer, or a TV personality. Telling Your Story of Success We are often asked to tell our life-story. I wasn't aware of it when it happened to me. Communication Quiz: Are You a Great Communicator? Communication, which occupies approximately 70% of our waking hours, is what many leaders find the most frustrating. The fact is most of us were never taught how to communicate in a way that produces desired results, so we continue to experience frustration, resistance, conflicts, or breakdowns. Are You Attracting Prosperity, Happiness, & Your Hearts Desire OR Just the Opposite? If you are not manifesting success and prosperity or whatever else you truly desire, then I ask you seriously to examine the messages you tell yourself about living successfully.Consider this: Success is a state of being and a state of mind. How To Master The Art of Conversation The art of conversation is a skill shared by most successful people. Good conversation promotes an image of self-confidence, intelligence, and wittiness. Where Do Your Eyes Gaze? The pupils of the eyes will dilate (enlarge) up to four times their normal size when excited. An angry, negative mood causes the pupils to contract (become smaller). Break the Cycle The other day I was walking out of a store and a guy who appeared to be homeless stepped up to me and asked if I could spare some change. I gave him a few dollars and struck up a conversation with him. Simple Truths for Change, Healing, and a Magnificent Life! Many people on the planet are realizing that the key to a healthier, happier and life of abundance can be distilled into simple truths. We live in a complex and cluttered world. Avoid a Life of Regrets With Your Yes List How many times have you told yourself "yes!" today? Not enough I bet. Yes is the most powerful word in the English language. Do You Have Tickets To Your Dream Theater? I'd like you to do an exercise with me.I want you to use your imagination to construct a dream theater. Become a Practicing Artist At heart, everyone's an artist. In practice, of course, this is not so. What Did I Do? Will Someone Tell me? There are many systems, psychology analyzes and personality typing in order to help people understand one another.One of the areas that causes a lot of grief in business and especially in relationships, is that no matter what category you fall into you are either a:Say Show FeelDiscovering what the other person is in this area, can take you a long way in building relations, credibility, confidence and the ability to make the other person happy. How To Invite Positive Change In Your Life Gnothi seauton,, said Socrates. "Know thyself. Turn Whats Bothering You Into A Blessing That which you desire to remove from your life is a blessing that you haven't yet learned to appreciate. For life does not send misfortune upon you it sends you only love. The Good Luck Recipe! Good luck was not part of my life for many years until; I discovered a formula that has proven to be effective for me and many others.Are you ready?Okay, then here it is:1. Enjoy the Magic of Prosperity There is an art and a science to prosperity. The art is playing with the magic of prosperity. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Most of us don't want to admit we have a dark side. And from that dark side we do attract some ugly stuff. |
| home | index |site map |
| © 2006 |