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The Positive Psychology Of Job Interviewing

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The powerful idea behind positive psychology is that we can accomplish our aims most effectively by exercising and building on our strengths, not just by shoring up our vulnerabilities. Reducing boredom on the job won't create a fulfilling career; engaging in fewer arguments at home won't make a loving marriage. We perform at our best when we maximize experiences of happiness, life satisfaction, energy, and affection.

As someone who has been centrally involved in hiring for a number of organizations, from universities and medical school programs to financial institutions, I've been consistently struck with how often good candidates present themselves poorly in interview situations. There is an important reason for this shortcoming: too many candidates are not keenly aware of their own strengths and thus fail to successfully communicate those to interviewers.

Liz Ryan recently made the excellent point that job interviewers often make the mistake of treating interviews as command performances, as if their task is to please their audience. That external focus makes it difficult for candidates to stay grounded in what they most want to learn and convey in the meeting.

At the other side of the spectrum, one of the worst things a prospect can do in a job interview, Ryan explains, is so minimize the possibility of saying the wrong thing that he or she disappears in the interview. Unable to convey distinctive strengths, the candidate inevitably comes across as lacking distinction.

A grounding in our own positive psychology means that we neither focus on putting on a show for interviewers nor on minimizing negatives, but instead on making our signature strengths--our strongest values, abilities, and experiences--highly visible.

Jon Youshaei observes that "story statements", narratives that capture a candidate's essence, are much more powerful than simple declarative statements. A narrative not only brings strengths to life; it also illustrates how they fit together.

A while ago I was interviewed for a position and asked in open-ended fashion, "Tell us something about yourself." I proceeded to tell them about discovering a homeless, sick cat in a neighborhood where no one wanted her. After taking the cat home, my wife and I made sure the cat received necessary medical attention. We then engaged in a marketing campaign that lasted several weeks to find a good home for the cat. Our efforts were rewarded when a woman reached out, eager to gain a home companion after her long-time feline friend had passed away. "That's what it's all about," I explained to the interviewer, "the opportunity to make a positive difference."

Notice that the interviewer asked me to talk about myself, so I decided to talk about my self. I didn't play it safe and repeat what was already on my resume, and I didn't engage in a tap dance to impress them with how hard I work and how well I collaborate. When talking about yourself becomes talking about your self, you become visible. You are seen for what makes you distinctive.

I recently interviewed a candidate for a position as a portfolio manager at a financial firm. After a bit of small talk, he said that he had recently generated a promising investment idea and wanted to share it with me. I agreed, whereupon the candidate whipped out his laptop and walked me through a series of screens to explain his research and reasoning. His excitement about the idea and the clear uniqueness of his thought process were evident. At the same time, he afforded me a deeper understanding of his investment process than any surface description could have provided. By the end of our time together, I felt that I understood who he was and what he did best.

Making strengths visible--that is the essence of a positive psychology approach to job interviews. It starts with clearly identifying what makes you special, as a person and as a professional. Differentiating oneself based upon strengths is what 90% of the interviewees I have met have failed to accomplish. Instead of standing out, they submit relatively generic resumes and cover notes. They answer interview questions in generalities. They display little specific knowledge of the company they are applying to, betraying very modest preparation for the interview. They ask few questions, and those tend to be canned. They talk about themselves, but not truly about their selves.

The challenge is that we cannot convey our strengths if we aren't mindful of them to begin with. As an interviewer, I have asked candidates about life satisfaction--what brings them their deepest fulfillment. I have also asked about creativity, happiness, work and personal relationships, and resilience. In a majority of cases, the response I receive is an initial surprised look, followed by a hastily improvised answer--a clear sign that these were far from topmost on the mind.

An approach to interviewing grounded in positive psychology begins with what makes you special: your interests and values; your knowledge and skills; your experience; your signature personality strengths; and your strengths as a member of a team or organization. Are those visible in your resume?  In your cover note? In materials you share with interviewers? In the questions you prepare for the meetings? In your responses to the questions you are asked?

Perhaps the greatest lesson I've learned as a psychologist is that people never really change. Rather, they become more of who they already are when they are at their best. That is the challenge of the job interview: to show the world who you are at your best.

 

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