During an interview, always be yourself.
Don’t try to be some other person.
Don’t try to be the cutout figure you imagine your interviewer wants you to be.
Don’t gaze into a crystal ball in order to cobble together a preconceived idea of what you think is the “perfect candidate.”
Simply breathe, prepare, and be yourself. Be your best self, but always be yourself.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It's not always such an easy thing to pull off. In a world where we are constantly being told what to do, how to act, or what to buy, being authentic can be a challenge. It takes introspection, honesty, and discipline to get acquainted with your core self and understand what it is that you have to offer.
Just know this… In an interview understand your strengths and weaknesses. Evaluate how you -- the authentic you -- is aligned with the position being offered. Know how to highlight strengths, and study how to acknowledge and either deflect or minimize weaknesses. Remember that we all have weaknesses and employers want those weaknesses to be recognized by a prospective employee. They really do.
Remember, you can only pretend to be someone else for a limited time frame (and the wheels will eventually fall off that bus), but you can always be yourself.
People like authenticity because, in our world, it’s a rare quality. Find comfort in that notion. Find strength in it as you walk into the interview. Find yourself.
©2023, Portico Inc.