mashable.com: Imagine sitting in a job interview. You're already nervous. You know you have something to contribute. You really admire the company. However, when the interviewer asks you to tell them about yourself, you buckle. You realize telling your story in person is quite difficult. You stumble or forget the most important pieces of your personal story, potentially damaging your interview experience. Now what?
4 comments:
Although I saw some of these techniques like googling your name and making sure your offline and online accomplishments match seem like helpful, but overstated advice, I found the idea of telling your story very helpful. I had never thought of going into a job interview and just talk about a story. Open ended questions always scared me but to think of it this way it helps me know that I can be right, because who knows me better than me! Telling your story also gives you a better chance at talking about your own personal accomplishments and passions. Chances are that somewhere in your work history you did something you were proud of. And another great chance is that what you are proud of is also what you are passionate about. I will defiantly be using this approach in the future job interviews. I think it is creative and would be highly helpful to stand out, show your passions and calm your nerves.
Something that bothers me a lot about this article and the new development of employers checking potential employees' social profiles and internet presence is the assumption that someone's online presence has to fully match the resume/interview version of you. Obviously, I think that people shouldn't post incriminating pictures of themselves online or pictures they wouldn't want other people to see, but at the same time, why is it that employees shouldn't be able to have interests and a presence outside of work that they don't need to justify or explain to a potential employer. If someone wants their Facebook to be plastered with posts about Star Wars memorabilia or how much they love Legally Blonde and not mention at all that they are also a fully-qualified registered nurse who is incredibly dedicated and good at their job, they should be able to do that and not have an employer hold that against them. I know I'm fighting a losing battle here and there's nothing I can really do to change the reality of things, but it kind of feels more and more like potential employers have the right to know everything about an employee and then be able to use that to judge him.
While I agree with Cat that I wish employers didn't create biases about potential employees based on their social media accounts. I also think that anyone going for an interview in this day and age needs to be aware of the employment process. Have closed accounts if you want to argue about your privacy. If you have an account open for public viewing, then you are saying to that employers, "look at my page!". If it is hidden to friends only, then it is private. People need to learn how to protect themselves and think. Apart from that I think that the article mentioned some good points, especially the pointers on telling your story.
I love that this article, one of the first I've seen like this, really acknowledges the online presence that can help or really hurt your job prospects. In this day and age, the story has to be real, and it has to be more in depth than "fake" sounding answers to interview questions, and a resume. I think that being personable and interesting in your answers will give you a better chance at getting the job. Because accept it- the employers are looking at your social media. If you hide it all, it looks like you're hiding something.
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