What Applicants Say In Interviews That Get Them Hired

By
Naomi Seselja 

The most irresistible job applicants marry their emotional intelligence with competency based answers in their job interviews to impress on all levels. These applicants understand an interview isn't an interrogation but an interactive platform for interviewer and interviewee to arrive at the same station - and feel good about it.
While there are a range of processes to understand about behavioural interviews, I will focus here on three pointers compelling candidates understand about their job interview and what they say that highlights their emotional intelligence.
Successful applicants are incredibly passionate about the job at hand - and prove it.
You are a high quality candidate with a history of excellence in your chosen field, or as a newbie you showcase your potential and willingness to be great at your job. Passion, enthusiasm, zeal, cannot-wait-to-get-the-offer-and-get-started, or any way you want to put it - is undeniably magnetic.
Show off your fervour in a way that translates to "I will be on top of my game in this role". Anyone can say "I would love this opportunity." In fact, a user of this phrase probably uses it in every interview they're asked to, and interviewers remain untouched by this cliche. Why not suggest your enthusiasm by the questions you fire back with?
A sample of questions that impress upon your passion:

• "What would you expect me to have achieved in my first 3 months on the job?"
• "Can you tell me about the upcoming projects / campaigns in your company?"

Irresistible applicants come across as someone others would love to work with.
In focusing on facts and figures, don't forget the 'likeability' factor. Sometimes the person most qualified for the job misses out because the interviewer didn't warm to them and didn't feel the team would, either. The most skilled candidates practice empathy with their interviewer, understanding they are only human with their own social needs to fit in, to be understood and respected, and use this bias to their advantage.
Ways to be charming in an interview:

• Make the interviewer feel comfortable by being warm and even humorous if the occasion calls for it.
• Think of the interviewer as someone you know, talk to them as if you genuinely like and respect them. They will feel this warmth and be confident that the team will to.
• Speak about your greatest achievements, in a modest tone. Let your achievements speak for themselves.
• Be interactive and ask questions of your own. People often say they don't get the chance; but when you are answering a question, the floor is all yours to fire away with your own.
• Don't be combative, boastful, cold or disengaged - the most superhumanly intellectual of candidates can lose the opportunity just by being unlikeable.

The best candidates aren't reserved about complimenting the company at hand.
Stipulate your admiration for the companies initiatives, campaigns, projects, presentation, vibe, vision - anything you genuinely like about the company. Compliment the company.
When answering questions, feel welcome to talk about past relevant experiences and then inject what you like about the company's matching initiatives.
For example:
"I volunteer with an NGO that helps rescue victims of human trafficking, and was actively involved in my previous company's campaign to stop child trafficking. I'm so excited that you have projects now in Europe involved in this - it's such an important global initiative that attracted me to applying for this position. I'd love the opportunity to be on board with what you're doing there."
Just by using some emotional intelligence to target your answers and build rapport on a range of levels, you are able to get greater insight into the position and company and find out if it's right for you, as well as being able to sit in a very comfortable position.
Of course, there are exceptions in some cultural climates, but in general this is how the best of candidates do it. This is not enough in itself to get you hired, but by putting your best social foot forward and having that correlate with your suitability for the position, correctly answering competency based questions and highlighting your fit within the company culture, you are giving yourself the best chances of success.

About The Author
Naomi Seselja is the founder of Mode Recruitment & Career Services. An expert resume writer and interview coach, her clients include: CEO's, Biologists, Executives, Financiers, people in the beauty industry and everything in between all across the globe. If you'd like to make a booking, email naomi@moderecruitment.com.au

Reasons why I support Food Security Bill,2014-Ken Mwangi

The legislation on the right to food in Kenya, that is the Food Security Bill, 2014 [FSB],  is timely for following three reasons:

Firstly, it addresses directly a right provided to Kenyans in the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 [COK] at Article 43(1)(c) which states, “Every person has the right to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality;” In addition, such legislation also responds to Article 53(1)(c) that states, “Every child has the right to basic nutrition, shelter and health care;”. The FSB is therefore purposed towards ensuring compliance with constitutional provisions regarding the right of Kenyans to food.

Secondly, the passing of the Food Security Bill, 2014 would enable the realization of the spirit of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, which can be gleaned from several provisions within it. These include Article 10 which articulates the National values and principles of governance among them social justice. It also includes Article 19 of the COK that states, “(1) The Bill of Rights is an integral part of Kenya’s democratic state and is the framework for social, economic and cultural policies. (2) The purpose of recognising and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is to preserve the dignity of individuals and communities and to promote social justice and the realisation of the potential of all human beings.” Moreover, Article 20 indicates that, “(1) The Bill of Rights applies to all law and binds all State organs and all persons. (2) Every person shall enjoy the rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights to the greatest extent consistent with the nature of the right or fundamental freedom.”

Finally, the Food Security Bill, 2014 enables the National and County Governments to fulfill their obligations to Kenyans through providing a solution to the stark realities emergent from recently concluded comprehensive research that was undertaken in 20 Counties by the African Women Studies Centre, University of Nairobi. The research was with respect to the issue of food security and the data from this research paints a grim picture. For instance, in response to the question whether the respondent or any member of their household had gone to sleep at night hungry because there was no food, it emerged that out of the 20 Counties Kirinyaga recorded the lowest number of households that slept hungry rated at 2.1% whilst Turkana had the highest at 48.1%. The overall findings of the research were that 18% of the population or 7.1 million Kenyans are often or always hungry. Clearly, this situation is untenable and the fact that one Kenyan lacks what to eat at all is reason enough for the state to take urgent action to remedy the situation.

It is important to note that although there exists a qualification in Article 21 of the Constitution with respect to the implementation of the socio-economic rights canvassed in Article 43 where the latter are pegged for progressive implementation, the findings from the above research clearly establish the need for the legislation of the Food Security Bill as immediate. Undeniably, if interventions such as those proposed in the FSB are not put in place now, the quality of the health and therefore output of the future generations will be compromised. In addition, the majority of persons will be anxious as they age because of the fact that in some cases elderly persons become vulnerable when they do not have a social support system that is able to ensure they have a meal daily and a meal that addresses their peculiar needs.

I will be offering the essentials of the bill in a later article.

Ken Mwangi, Courtesy of the African Women's Studies Centre, University of Nairobi

kenmwangi90@gmail.com

0711765028