(There are a couple of short case studies at the bottom)
The Interview
If you are selected for an interview and your credentials are accurate, all you need to do to prepare is know your cover letter 'to the letter'. This means getting it proof-read by somebody other than yourself and making changes in spelling and grammar if needed. Then, memorize the way it is written. I choose to go for a formal conversational tone that's light on ego. When you are being interviewed, the questions and answers sound more natural.
Keep in mind that many people conducting interviews are looking for credentials as well as 'likability'. They want to be sure the person they are considering will fit in nicely. If you are generally not a nice person, consider taking a 'how to be nice' class or something because you never know when you are being given 'the airport test' (ie; would you be a good travel companion or not?).
The Routine
You don't have to know everything to hold onto a position and you don't have to be the 'go to' person, either. If you want to stay employed, you have to learn how to have a pleasant demeanor and get along with people. If you do that, you have a much better chance of staying employed when downsizing occurs or when a new manager simply wants to 'clean house'.
Having a positive attitude with a progressive approach to things will go a long way when times get turbulent. This doesn't mean kissing up to anyone, either; it simply means that you are confident with what you do and you won't being weighing down the boat when things need to get moving. Doing these things will help you attain the 'untouchable' status.
The Rut
If you ever find yourself in a rut, see if you can change anything around you so you can keep a fresh mind at work. It's easier to get excited about work when something new is about to happen, especially if you are helping to develop it . Even if you leave your job, you can always be proud that you had helped the company progress and that becomes a part of your own life's work, which you can bring with you to any future positions.
Then, start the process over!
Case Studies from the Field
1) The CEO of a small, but growing company told his employees about the way he hires new talent. He said that he first needed to like the person, then came the credentials. He didn't want to unleash a can of worms into his company simply because a person was the most qualified; he needed a great team, which far outweighed any single person's achievements or qualifications.
2) An instructor at a career college was slandered a couple of times, once by someone who simply wanted her job. The slanderous statements about her 'incompetence' didn't go over very well with the department head with whom they spoke. One reason the job-stealer failed was because the department head really liked his current instructor and another reason was that the instructor was hired by them! If a person tells somebody that the person they hired is incompetent, you can rest assured the person that hired them will be greatly insulted and that won't go over very well.
3) A phone technician was once asked to take on more work over another, more qualified person simply because the technician had a very positive mindset, was liked by others and got along well with the team. When asked why they were chosen, they were told that it was because there were changes being made to create a more positive environment.
- Enjoy your work!
Buck Moore
