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Is Your Resume Really Enough? What You Need to Get From Interview to Offer

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Most candidates dedicate the majority of their job search to their resume or LinkedIn profile, spending hours tweaking headlines, mission statements, and job summaries. But while your resume may be enough to get your foot in the door and land an interview, all that effort won’t help when it comes to showing your potential new employer how great you could be at the job.

(Photo Credit: Flazingo Photos/Flickr)

When it comes to the interview process, showing who you are — instead of telling, as you do in your resume — will really help you stand out from a crowd of excellent candidates. Recently, Inc. listed the seven traits of star employees. As a prospective employee, it wouldn’t hurt to demonstrate in the interview that you, too, possess some of these characteristics. Here are a few ways to show a potential employer that you have what it takes:

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1.  Be Happy

It goes without saying that nobody likes a grumpy or depressing person — especially when deciding if that person would be a good fit for a team. If you’re interviewing for a new job, walk in with a smile and have strong body language. Research shows that those who sit in an interview with closed-up body language or who lean forward toward the interviewer are perceived as less happy, secure, and confident — and as a result, are less likely to get the job

2. Be Honest

As the adage goes, honesty is always the best policy. As an employee, you’ll be trusted with information that could potentially make or break the success of the company. You don’t want to start off on the wrong foot by lying and giving reason to distrust you, so it’s critical to demonstrate your ability to be honest during the interview process. If they ask if you were ever fired, and you were, be honest and explain why. Though answering the tough questions might feel like a blow to the ego, your potential employer will likely see your strength and integrity instead.

3. Be Passionate

It’s one thing to say you want a job. It’s another to genuinely care about the company you are interviewing with. Be sure to do your homework before walking in the door for your interview. Know how the company was started, who the founders are and what their story is, and who is interviewing you. Being able to strike up a personal conversation with those across the table can often make or break your chance of getting a job offer. If you show enthusiasm during this process, your potential employer will believe that you will have passion for your job, day in and day out. Passionate people are not only more productive, but also more fun to be around.

4. Be Confident

As we mentioned before, being confident can be a significant reason why people are offered a job — but not just because they appear more dominant. If you demonstrate confidence during the interview process, your potential employers will believe that you’ll be more likely to take on challenges if you’re hired and push through work responsibilities with outcomes that may seem doubtful. Your confidence may also eventually be seen by others as willingness to take on a leadership role, which could lead to promotions, making this a character trait that you should not only possess, but continue to strengthen. 

Tell Us What You Think

What traits are important to show during a job interview? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.


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