In my position I often perform several interviews per week. I have been told that my interviewing techniques are often a bit unorthodox. I guess this is true since I tend not to ask typical interview questions found in “How to Interview” texts. My goal in any interview or dialog with a perfect stranger is to determine if my conversation buddy is passionate about life. Do they show enthusiasm about any particular subject? Do they cry when they see the ocean and feel the sand? Do they scream when their team makes a touch down and spill their beer on the person sitting next to them? Do they wax the paint off the ‘55 Chevy?
It is amazing to me that a person can advance through life and never really develop a love or passion for any one given event or thing. I often hear the response that my kids are my passion or that I work so much that I suppose work is my passion. While both of these are deemed acceptable responses I like to dig bit deeper to see what really makes a person tick!
Take a moment to reflect. What is the one thing that you enjoy doing? What would you consider your one passion? What gives you great joy?
My father loves to restore furniture. He is extremely slow and will work on one piece for months or years because the item must be restored to perfection. He will spend hours carving out of wood a missing piece on an old chair until it perfectly matches the original. Nothing delights him more than to gaze at a completed restoration and to hear the compliments from those that viewed the original broken and ugly, old discarded relic as a piece of junk. They will often pay a great deal of money for the restored and now cherished antique.
My mother loves to paint. She is extremely talented with both oils and watercolors. She spends hours at a time sitting or standing in front of an easel creating a work of art. In the beginning, it is simply canvas and paint. In the end, it is a painting deemed a work of art.
Not long ago I was performing a couple of interviews and had a new manager observing the process. The first candidate was so boring she nearly put herself to sleep. No matter how determined I was, I simply could not discover her passion. I knew after a few moments of conversation that our customers would not appreciate us choosing her to help develop their future careers. The second candidate entered the room with a bounce in her step and a smile that was contagious. We were immediately drawn into a conversation about baking pastries and owning a restaurant. What a delight she was! The observing manager remarked that she realized after meeting the second candidate what was missing with the first. The first candidate has not discovered her passion.
It is extremely important to exhibit your collection of skills as well as your accomplishments in education. But even more importantly, you must expound on your passions. Show the person performing the interview that you are human. You laugh, cry, work hard and you are passionate about life. In a world were competition is high for the perfect job, one must exude determination and a passion for being the best. I often ask the question, “is it important to you to be the best or the best that you can be?’ 90% of the candidates will respond that it is important to be “the best that you can be.” How does a company determine “the best that they can be?” That is a copout! No one can measure “the best that you can be.” However you quickly know who the best is. They win medals in the Olympics and trophies at the races and promotions in the workplace and people by their furniture and paintings.
People are watching you.
What's your passion? Let it show!!