Interviewing for a job is serious business.  You present yourself at a place of business that someone started and worked hard to build over several years, maybe many years.  A loyal customer base counts on this business delivering a consistently high level of service.  The employees of the company rely on each other to perform at a high level in order to meet the quality and service expectations of their customers and thus to preserve their jobs.  Their livelihoods are at stake.

When you walk in the door, the question for today is will the owner and the employees say “Oh, my . . . this will never do.”  Or will they say, “Oh, my!  This looks like somebody we want as part of our company.”

The determining factor will be in the level of awareness you have of your Constant Messaging®.  Constant Messaging is detected through sensory perception.  In other words, in an instant people you come into contact with judge who you are and what you are about from what they see, hear, and feel.  As you walk in the door, they “see” what you look like, what you are wearing, the quality of your eye contact, and the sincerity of your smile.  They “hear” your attitude, your vocabulary, and your delivery.  They “feel” your strength or weakness by your handshake.  When you survive this first hurdle of the job interview by making an excellent first impression, you will move into the interview room where your preparation for the interview will be on full display.  Here are a few important personal attributes you will want to address prior to arriving for the interview.

Scouts working for teams in the National Basketball Association have an interesting method of assessing a college player’s assets.  They ask five questions:

1.      Does he have a weapon? For example, the “sky hook” that Kareem Abdul Jabbar had in his day.

2.      Does he have a position? Can he play either guard, center, or forward so well as to leave no doubt as to what position he should play?

3.      Can he get his own look? In other words, can he work the court in order to get a shot at the basket from his highest percentage spot on the floor?

4.      Can he defend his position? A player has to move his feet quickly in order to stay in front of his opponent and keep him from scoring, or at least to make it difficult for him to score. It takes commitment to play good defense.

5.      Does he “get it”? Can he lead? Does he have a work ethic? Is he responsible? Will he be a team player?

You can make the same assessment about yourself. A prospective employer will want to know the same things about you that the basketball scout wants to know about a player.

When making your personal assessment here are a few basic questions you will want to address:

1.      Do you have a weapon? What makes you nearly impossible to replace?

2.      Do you have a position? What’s your specialty?  What are you bringing to the company?

3.      Can you get your own look? Are you self-sufficient? Are you a self-starter?

4.      Can you defend your position? Do you know your stuff?

5.      Can you express yourself? Do you “get it”? Are you a responsible individual? Are you a team player?

These five questions get right to the heart of the matter, don’t they? To begin your assessment, make an honest determination of your attributes. Next, evaluate the

requirements of the position to which you aspire. Finally, formulate a plan to fill in any gaps between your current attributes and the requirements of that position. The purpose of personal assessment is to make you a better product to sell.

When you know the answers to these questions you will be able to align your Constant Messaging® to the expectations of the company with whom you are interviewing for a job.  Constant Messaging is not a gimmick.  It is part of a lifestyle that relies on thoughtful, purposeful, and genuine application for its effectiveness.  For more information, please search the Outfluence website or contact us at 888-881-1660 to learn more about our coaching and teaching services.