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Do You Come Here Often?
Interviews, First Dates, and Getting a Call Back
By: Jamie Boyle
Our team recently learned of an applicant’s test to see if he was succeeding in an interview—he’d lean in, and count how many laughs he got. Like an amateur Jim Gaffigan, the applicant played to his crowd and took the laughs as a sign that everyone was comfortable and confident. This litmus test got us thinking
… Is there really a way to know mid-interview if it’s going well, or if you need to head back to the drawing board tomorrow?
What I’ve determined is that interviewing is a lot like dating. Long silences, awkward laughs, and “Oh look at the time” glances tell you it’s not going well. Smiles, leaning in, and “What is your availability next week?” inquiries tell you, you are doing great.
To ensure your first interview is a good one, here are a few dating cues that can come in handy.
1. Don’t talk about your ex. A date tells you, “She was the love of my life, and we’re still best friends. I just don’t know what went wrong.” Or, “It was the worst relationship ever; it was all his fault, he was always a smug know it all.” In so many words, they’ve told you everything you need to know. You clearly aren't the “love of [their] life," so you might as well move on. They aren’t over their break-up (and may never be). Alternatively, they’ve given you clear
warning signs: should this relationship go wrong, you will feel their wrath. As with that first date, your employer doesn’t want to listen to you badmouth your ex (job); it’s unprofessional, awkward, and makes poor use of your time. Even if your last job was great, you're supposed to be in the market for a new job; you don’t want your interview to sour because the employer thinks you aren’t interested. Let your new employer know how the skills from your last job will translate to this new opportunity.
2. Are you interested in them, or do you just want to be in a relationship, er, job? Some people are serial monogamists. They will date anyone so that they have a date for the holidays, and will hang on to a relationship to avoid being alone. We’ve all been in the place where we felt like we had to take any job that was available due to financial needs, or fears of what might happen if we had a gap in our resume.