Confident jobseekers appreciate the value of giving interviewers insight into who they really are beyond the words of their cover letters or their accomplishments on CVs. Still, doing so is an art much like figure-skating on thin ice because it requires a delicate balance, comfort and the ability to captivate one’s audience and leave a lasting, positive impression. It is no wonder why some job candidates believe that the job interview is a performance for which they must play a role. However, there are three benefits to being yourself when searching for the right job for you.
1. You Will Contribute to a Relaxed Atmosphere During the Interview
Interviews can be stressful whether you are preparing for them or living through them. If you are taken up with being perfect for the job rather than showcasing who you are, then your stress level is likely to increase due to inclinations either to overthink your responses, or to craft them in ways to garner the interviewer’s favour. You will be more relaxed if you focus on being yourself and resolve to accept the outcome of the interview ahead of time.
2. Both Parties Will Have a Better Gauge of How You Would Fit in If Hired
Nobody likes pretenders, especially hiring managers and bosses. The need for authenticity is implicit in the interview process but the process itself cannot completely filter out aspects of pretense that might inure to the benefit of one candidate over another.
Fast forward to days, weeks or months after the interview. At that point, the potential for a host of problems to manifest as gaps between your performance in the interview and your performance on the job could call your authenticity and ability into question. You owe it to yourself and your future employer to navigate the interview process authentically to give both parties the best gauge of how you would fit in if hired.
3. You Can Focus on Work Instead of Keeping Up Appearances
When it is all said and done, your manager expects one thing: that you do your job. By being authentic at job interviews, if you ultimately get hired, you can focus fully on work instead of being distracted by the need to align your actions with embellished or falsified statements you made during the interview. This is a good way to maximize your productivity and ultimately convince your boss that hiring you was the right decision.
Conclusion
Before you go into your next job interview, remember these three things. You may also add to them any others that you like to maximize your chance of finding the perfect job for you and keeping it for the foreseeable future.
