An Important Job Interview Advice That People Never Talk About

It’s proven — Your attitude IS a strength.

This story is about a job interview — one that I didn’t pass.

To my surprise, my interviewer, also my would-have-been line manager, reached out to me to personally send his regrets. He said:

“You were honestly quite a long shot, as the candidate pool was quite experienced, but we kept your name in because of the great attitude and questions you brought up.”

I was flushed.

How many interviewers take pains to contact and explain to a candidate why he or she didn’t make the cut? And how many of those interviewers bother to frame it so nicely with the most encouraging words?

I’m not the type to flatter myself, but you can seldom claim a failed opportunity as a win. But that’s what it felt like for me.

My experience is proof that in job interviews (and probably, in life), your attitude doesn’t just count for something. It is what will ultimately make you stand out.

So, I tried to recall the interview and dissect what I had said or done to earn that message. I wanted to understand what about my attitude shone so that I could hone in on those strengths.

Here are 3 things I believe I was able to demonstrate:

1. Diligence

It wasn’t difficult to remember the discussion because I took notes. I’ve always been the type to take notes extensively. And he was such an insightful & pleasant person. It was a brief and casual discussion where I didn’t feel like a mere interviewee or just another candidate. It was a two-way discussion, and I couldn’t allow his advice to elude me.

There I was, discreetly typing through the virtual interview, trying to soak in as much as I can.

And so I was a bit ashamed when he mentioned at the end that he heard me taking down notes (He said he hoped that that was why I was typing. I assured him that it was).

Diligence is when you put in the effort to do something because you care. You pay attention because you want to do a good job, not just deliver. Listening intently, remembering details, and showing keen interest are signs of diligence. Taking down notes especially when you don’t have to is simple diligent behavior.

2. Coachability

As his message read, I asked him a couple of questions. And not just those types of questions that are obviously asked for the sake of asking something (Always prepare questions, they say).

I clarified certain aspects of the job description and the company. I was open about my shortcomings and the gaps between my previous experience and the position I was applying for. I asked about how I could enrich my role given my personality and motivations.

I asked these things because I wanted to communicate that though it was quite a senior role and, hence, required a bit more experience, that I was very much eager to learn, stretch myself, and do whatever it takes to be good at it.

It’s in the earnest desire to learn that you are able to not just ask questions but ask quality questions. Not mere curiosity, but the line of questioning.

As a fairly young candidate with only a few years of professional experience, what I’ve learned from previous mentors is that coachability is an asset. And it’s crucial that young professionals can display this in the workplace. Being trainable more often than not means you are an agile learner, adaptive, hungry for growth, open to new ideas, and able to receive criticism constructively.

3. Authenticity

“So, what’s next for Ria? Where does she want to be in 3 to 5 years?”

This is one of the tricky ones.

We rarely get to interview for our ultimate dream jobs early in our professional careers. Sometimes we apply for jobs that we know are simply stepping stones. Sometimes we just want to test the waters. Sometimes we go in because it’s the only call we’ve received after a hundred applications.

For me, it’s the first scenario.

There’s a lot of advice on what to say when this question comes up or how to effectively frame your answer, but the fairest way to go is to simply be authentic. So I told him the truth: My goal was to manage my own brand (The job I was applying for was related, but not brand marketing).

With the way he responded, I’m pretty confident I didn’t ruin my chances by being honest. In fact, he talked about how the role would contribute to my vision and even gave insights on how I can further my skills & experience to achieve that end.

You don’t have to be super articulate about these things. Just being able to properly communicate what you want is a strong indicator of not just ambition, but sincerity & clarity. These are simple but rare traits that are especially hard for young professionals to build and practice in this noisy, ideal-driven, dog-eat-dog corporate world.

So, do yourself a favor and take the high road.

Be nice. But be honest about who you are, what you want, and where you want to go.

Do your best to show your work ethic

You can get your foot in the door through your credentials, but so will other experienced people.

A resume can’t prove how you’re going to act once you're hired, what kind of employee you are going to be, or how well you are going to adapt to the culture. Only you can show and communicate that through your interview.

So in future applications, don’t underestimate the power of your attitude.

A great attitude will show that you have a solid head on your shoulders. And people will notice and consider you for it.