Rap·port.
Relation; connection, especially harmonious or sympathetic relation.
You made a standout CV and a beautiful cover letter. You learned about the company you were applying to and you hustled your friends until you found out the name of the person you were going to send your resume. Your skills more than covered the skills needed for the position. The interview went well, and even so, you didn’t get the job! Why?
Millions of qualified and highly skilled people are misplaced or unemployed. And at the same time companies keep complaining that it is hard to find the right people. Does not compute, right? Well, Dr. Barry Schwartz in this TED talk says that the more choices a person has, the more difficult it is to make a decision and to be happy about what you choose.
After going through hundreds of applications of individuals that have both the knowledge and skills to do the job, what is the reasoning behind the hiring manager’s final choice?
A study by Dr Rivera, from Kellogg University, found out that when human resources managers interview someone, they tend to pick people they can relate to, that are similar to them or that they can be friends with.
After the company realizes that you want to work with them and that you can do the job, they need to know if they want to work with you. This can happen at every stage of the process, when they find your profile on linkedin or at the final interview.
How will you make that decision easier for them? By connecting with them. Building rapport.
It can be your facebook profile picture at a football match. Or a tweet about design thinking. A hobby you have or a shared connection both you and the interviewer didn’t know about. Even a summer job at a pet store that somehow relates to their previous experiences.
When you heard about the company’s open position, you started to learn more about the team and what they did, right? They seemed to be the people that you’d love to work with and be friends with. Maybe they will feel the same about you too, but you have to show a bit of yourself.
Express yourself. Posting in blogs, twitter, facebook, linkedin, quora or whatever social networks that you feel more comfortable using. Maybe a comment on a blog or a tweet about an article set you apart from other candidates.
Your hobbies and activities are also important. Have fun, meet people and volunteer. You don’t know if one of your future coworkers goes to the same events and will recommend you to the position you seek.
At the interview, as you talk about your interests, you can find out both you and your future boss are into surfing. Maybe you went to the same college and you remember that coffee shop that had those wonderful croissants. These little details can make the difference. You go from an acquaintance to a cool person they want to know more about and possibly work with.
Another thing, the way you present yourself at the interviews is also important. Vision is the sense that overlaps all the others. And you want to be part of the team. Don’t wear a suit when you know everyone is wearing jeans.
Try to know more about the people you will be working with and be yourself.
Cheers,
Ana Sofia Pinho
http://www.anasofiapinho.com
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