November 1, 2012

What presidential debates can teach us about interviewing

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The job candidate had loads of experience, the skills to tackle tough challenges, a track record of making smart decisions under pressure and a long list of references from respected peers. During the early selection process, he seemed to be a lock for the job, especially compared to his closest competition.

Now, after three in-person interviews were conducted last month, the decision on a hire has not yet been made and the choice appears to be less clear than ever. What happened?

The candidate, of course, is President Barack Obama, and his bumpy ride in the October debates with Republican challenger Mitt Romney can serve as a lesson for job seekers everywhere about the importance of nailing the interview. According to many political pundits, the race seemed almost over until these "job interviews" arrived and gave former Gov. Romney new life.

Now that we're almost done with this tortuous election process (the 2016 race starts Nov. 7, folks!), let's look back on the performance of the two main candidates and find out what tactics can be applied to your next job interview.

Demonstrate your interest. An interview is often the first time a hiring manager hears what the interviewee has to say beyond a resume and cover letter. Enthusiasm on the part of the job seeker should never be assumed; it must be made clear through body language. In the first debate, a smiling Romney surprised many viewers for the alacrity of his answers, his confident explanation of how he felt the Obama administration went astray and his direct eye contact with the moderator and audience. The President, on the other hand, looked tired, kept his head down, slouched as he made notes and grimaced most of the time. To the casual observer, Obama's body language signaled that he was uncomfortable and uninterested in even being there. Advantage: Romney, by a mile.

Stay on message. Hiring managers don't want to hear platitudes about potential; they want to hear about proven results and a specific plan of action about how the hire can improve the company. During the first debate, Obama spoke in generalities about how each candidate differed, but never fully made his case why his specific plan was superior. Romney, meanwhile, hammered home his points, over and over, about the rise in deficits under Obama and the slow rate of job creation over the last four years. It was not really until the third and final debate when the President finally began to focus on his accomplishments and his vision for a second term, so he had too much ground to catch up. Advantage: Romney.

Respect the interviewer. One popular political strategy is to always answer the questions you wish you had been asked, rather than the actual questions. Both candidates were equally guilty of these evasions, but Gov. Romney appeared to show greater disrespect of the moderators' authority. At several times in the first two debates, he complained about the rules and told the moderators directly that he would avoid their questions and move to different topics. In a real job interview, such petulance and arrogance would be an immediate deal-breaker. Advantage: Obama.

Do your homework. Job candidates must always study up on the employer and use every opportunity to explain how they can meet the company's needs. In the first debate, Romney clearly came out swinging with many challenges to Obama's economic policies, however Obama seemed unprepared and never adequately addressed this harsh criticism. In the next two debates, Obama brought more specifics to the table about his plan for economic recovery and finally began to confront Romney more directly about conflicting statements the Governor had made in the past. Meanwhile, Romney continued to repeat the same arguments made in the first debate and didn't add much new information in the next two bouts. Advantage: Obama, by a nose.

Make a good first impression. This may have been Obama's biggest stumble of the whole debate cycle. In the real world, hiring managers tend to form an opinion about a job seeker quickly — in a matter of either seconds or minutes. If you don't get on their side from the outset, there may be little you can do to overcome their judgment. While most pundits agree that Obama improved significantly on his second and third debates, the one memory that the majority of hiring mangers (read: voters) will take away is the convincing first blood scored by Gov. Romney. Advantage: Romney.

Will any of this make a difference? It's up to you (and the Electoral College) to decide, so be sure to get those ballots mailed in. The next president will send you thank-you notes later.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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appearance, enthusiasm, government, interviewing, politics, self-confidence