How many conversations today will begin with “Man, it’s freezing out there”/“What’s the weather going to be like this weekend”/“Ooooh, it’s so cold”/“Feel my hands” or something of that vein…? Yep, about as many as in Autumn, Spring and probably Summer for that matter, that start with how it was so nice this morning and now it’s cold and “You know Melbourne – four seasons, one day” (insert a link to one of those “SH1T Melbourne People Say” YouTube clips including remarks about being foodies and drinking coffee)… Yep. It’s cold. Undoubtedly. It’s getting dark earlier, it’s getting harder to wake up and we all want to sit at home watching Foxtel eating loaves of bread and blocks of that new Cadbury popping beany chocolate. Including the recruiters, including the clients, including the cab driver you’ve paid to take you somewhere because waiting for your tram is just way too painful.We’re all here in the big icicle that is Melbourne freezing together…
“So, Tess what in god’s name does this have to do with recruitment, or really anything at all”… Good point blog reader, I’d almost forgotten myself because it’s so cold… And there it is… In days and nights of cold, and day dreams of doonas, as a job seeker it is a damn good idea to be the warmth that breaks up someone’s day. Have some inspired “chit chat” on hand, think of ways to create some rapport in first 10 seconds of meeting someone that is personalised – a funny anecdote or story, a genuine question or observation (besides for telling us our office is cool, but thank you – we know). An interview at the end of the day is like a sale, you are the product and we are your consumer… Do we want to buy the “Mr I made the same comment as the last 15 people you met with today” or the “Miss witty and bright who made that joke about losing her favourite beret”…
Nerves, cold and general awkwardness aside, the #1 thing that will get you a role is getting the person interviewing to like you, and as humans we want genuine interaction, we want excitement, we want a gem of goodness in an otherwise monotonous week… Don’t be afraid to be yourself as opposed to putting on your “Job Seeker” hat… Put on the “Best Friend” hat, the “Host” hat… Put on one of those delightful Russian fur hats so that you feel warm and foreign and full of light, put your best foot forward and turn the heat up a little… Remember, Nelly didn’t suggest we all take our clothes off because it was getting cold in here.
