Let’s say you are dusting off your resume and positioning yourself for a career change.
Much effort will go into tweaking the way you present yourself -making sure the facts and details are correct, fiddling with the layout and fonts, finding references, making sure that all your gifts are prominently displayed and producing a WOW! document.
BUT…
…in the end, there will probably be one overridingcriterion for the decision maker(s) -one thing is really going to clinch that new position for you.
The big question the decision maker(s) will be asking is, “Do I like him or her?” If they don’t like you much, or if you don’t stand out in any likeable way, your beautiful resume will simply sit in the middle of a large pile of other beautiful resumes.
But if they like you, they may not even read your resume – they may go straight to, “I really like this person. They would be a great asset to our team. I love their personality, character, big caring heart, sense of humor, passion and communication skills and everyone else seems to like them too. I would love to work with this person, perhaps even get to be friends with them too. Surely, we can find a position in our organization for such a terrific person?”
It is the same in everything we do – leading others, marriages, relationships and team dynamics. Are you the most likeable person you know? Does your likeability shine and inspire others? We can focus all we like on the processes – the head -but if we overlook the role of the heart, we overlook everything. The head will only do what the heart tells it to. That’s how the world gets changed.
Precisely so. Another quality, that I would put just below likability, but is usually underrated is: enthusiasm. In hiring, many interviewers feel somewhat constrained by formula: 3 years or this, extensive that. It’s a precise set of ingredients to be followed as closely as a recipe for baking bread. Sometimes the right bowl of ingredients finally plops down across from you and you just don’t like her. Or he’s sullen. Many interviewers wish it were otherwise. In such cases, genuine enthusiasm for the industry or the work or the community helps overcome such deficits.
In this economy I supposed many people are interviewing because they must, not because they want to. In such a field, true enthusiasm shows up like like a bright flashlight at night, a mile distant. How do you generate real enthusiasm? I had the privilege of spending two days working with a man who has identified his own Destiny-Cause-Calling, and when skeptics went after him about certain projects, nothing could knock him off course. Most impressive.
You are so right Lance. Back in a job where I was lucky enough to
hire people, I used to hire people with no jobs to offer them. If I had
the right vibe from them, I knew that they would bring work in because
of their talents. And I never had to let any of these folks go, work
did come. I used to hate interviewing, instead I would have a simple
conversation. If I had to get someone else’s opinion I knew it was not
the magic I was looking for.
As a hiring manager I first screen resumes for the skill set and education that fits the position. Some aspects I look for while interviewing the qualified candidates is likability between the people and company and whether the person really can do the job. When a candidate passes through this first interview, I have them interview with the team. It is important, and I share this with the candidate, that the team and candidate feel a fit ~ likeability.
We spend most of our lives working with our colleagues. We want to be with people we enjoy, who will support and encourage us. Getting the job done well will happen naturally when the qualifications meet the position and there is likeability.