You have an impressive resume, a wealth of relevant work experience, and glowing recommendations from numerous sources. Given this impressive background, you’ve made it to an interview with the hiring manager. But despite your professionalism and well-prepared skills, you’re unable to make it through the process. This is an all-too-common situation faced by many job seekers who have the qualifications, but seem to be missing that extra spark that makes them stand out.
There are a number of reasons why the candidate fails to make an emotional connection with the interviewer. Perhaps it’s because of personality or awkwardness that’s built up in the conversation. But one of the most common culprits in this scenario is the lack of emotional intelligence. More and more hiring managers are looking for indicators of high emotional intelligence, as it is seen as crucial to a business’s success. If you are looking to make a favorable impression in an interview, here are some tips to help you display your emotional intelligence:
– Give a Human Response
This tip is heard often, but often ignored – candidates will research extensively on the company and give automated responses that reveal little about themselves. However, emotional intelligence can help the candidate show their human side without the fear of giving an inappropriate response. Generally, emotionally intelligent individuals are better able to collect and compose their emotions, preventing disrupting behavior from emerging. As a result, they are better able to give a response that will genuinely appeal to the interviewer.
– Show Self-Confidence
One of the most attractive traits a candidate can display is self-confidence. Luckily, emotional intelligence allows individuals to show this quality in abundance. Emotionally intelligence individuals are self-aware, able to read their own emotions and understand its impact on others. As a result, they have a firm understanding of their own self and their capabilities, clearly communicating them to the other party.
– Pick up on the Interviewer’s Emotions
One of the key traits of emotional intelligence is social awareness, which allows the individual to pick up on the emotions and behavior of those around him. This is a useful skill, as it allows the candidate to get a better understanding of the interviewer’s emotional state. Is he or she engaged in the conversation or preoccupied with other thoughts? Did the hiring manager respond favorably or negatively to certain questions? By observing reactions and providing an appropriate response, candidates can make a connection by displaying their emotional intelligence to the interviewer.
– Prove Your Ability to Communicate
No matter how much you practice, there is little that can emulate the actual interview with the hiring manager. Nervousness and anxiety can overwhelm the applicant, affecting their ability to communicate. However, interviews are designed to see if the prospective candidate can handle themselves under pressure in front of others. But there are a variety of ways to overcome this obstacle – keeping steady eye contact, maintaining a friendly tone, and a clear voice are all methods of displaying that you are an emotionally intelligent candidate.
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