Have you ever looked for a job and been frustrated by your relatively low success rate in finding one? Have you ever "needed" a job and been confused by the number of negative responses you received? Have you ever expressed your frustration at an interview or spoken to a recruitment officer about it? A candidate's behaviour during a recruitment can make or break a job opportunity in two seconds.
But why bother to follow the etiquette, to behave the right way? you might ask.
And if it's not the right job for me, why should I care about making a good impression?
The answer is simply this: be polite and correct with your interlocutors, whatever the situation.
In the age of technology, where we can hide behind social media publications, behind text messages, many of us have lost sight of the fact that what we do, how we act and what we say can affect our image.
My mother and father understood this.
They always told me to be nice, but of course they didn't spend their time on their smartphone and had to talk to people face to face. They couldn't delete a message and act as if nothing had happened. Have you ever thought that recruitment interviews might be easier if they weren't face-to-face? Face-to-face job interviews are becoming more difficult for many of us because this form of formal communication is a dying art. However, it is of the utmost importance to have the right behaviour, attitude and composure during a job interview. Your behaviour can carry you from this interview room to other places when you are looking for your next job.
Here are some proven techniques you can use to make sure you're at your best the next time you meet face-to-face.
Communication is the most important skill to perfect, as this is how we establish the first contact with a new company.
They have called or e-mailed you saying that they have reviewed your CV and want to move on to the next steps. It's exciting, isn't it? But what if you forgot to reply or didn't check that email for a week? Then your response would probably be less excited and more anxious. If you are actively applying for a new job, check your voicemail and email regularly.
If a company tries to contact you several times and you are not available, you can only blame yourself when they decide to move on to someone else. Do not make the mistake of answering positively and then reporting that you are not available. Honesty is the first quality on the scale of important values. People who talk for a living - like recruiters - can sense quite easily when something is wrong, so don't lie. Under no circumstances should you tell the company what you think they want to hear so that you can get the job.
The "best" job is really the one that suits you best, and only when work, society and your personality are compatible will you flourish at work. Could you imagine engaging in a relationship with someone who tells you false things or half-truths? It probably wouldn't work and would probably end quickly. Honesty will always open and close doors. But when it does, what a wonderful discovery.
Flexibility comes in second place. You may wonder why, so let's imagine a scenario:
Company: Can you come and interview us tomorrow at 11 a.m. at our office in the city centre?
You: No, sorry, I have a meeting with my manager at this time. The company: How about Tuesday at 3pm?
You: I have a doctor's appointment that day.
The company: OK, I'll see what other opportunities we have and I'll get back to you.
And then there's you, twiddling your thumbs as hours turn into days and days turn into weeks and maintenance is never planned.
If a company that interests you invites you for an interview, your answer is yes.
The hard truth is that you don't hold all the cards and that, for most of us, companies are not flexible in their timetables. A good way to show that you are inflexible and leave a bad impression is to try to make your interviewer work to your schedule. Don't do this. Do everything in your power to say "Yes, I'll be there" with gratitude and humility.
Show them that you are willing to do what it takes to succeed. (This is also how you stand out in an interview).
Then come the conversations about pay. Don't be afraid to talk about pay with an interviewer. They don't ask you about your requirements in order to compare you to other candidates. They ask because they want to give you what they are capable of giving that matches the experience and skills you bring to the job.
If you want to ask for more than your current salary, check the market rates for your position, level of experience and city. An informed man is worth two.
You have often been told to always do your best. Paying attention to maintenance etiquette is a simple and effective way to get good results. Stay patient, persevere and look for your dream job, because it is worth it.