Understanding Yourself and
the People Interviewing You
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to "read" everyone who interviews you ... and to
know, based upon their personality and behavior pattern, the kind of candidate
they prefer? Well, as part of our service, we help each of our clients do just
that.
We start by helping them gain a very good understanding of themselves. This is
important because, aside from just identifying the job title and financial
goals, career satisfaction is often dependent on accepting a situation in an
environment that is right for you.
When we initiate our service, you will be asked to spend a few minutes on a
checklist profile form that asks you to choose phrases that are either "most
expressive of you" ... or "least expressive of you." Prior to our marketing plan
presentation, you will then be sent a 12 to 20 page written report to review.
The purpose of the profile is threefold.
First, by understanding your positive and negative traits, you can adjust your
communications to best present your strengths during interviews.
Second, with an understanding of this profile concept, you can more easily
"read" the interviewer, and adjust your behavior to leave the best impression.
(That will be the focus of this discussion).
Third, by getting a better understanding of yourself and how you interact and
influence others, you will be able to better choose a position and a career
environment that will enable you to excel.
Here's how we help. All of us have certain personality and behavioral patterns ...
distinct ways in which we think, feel and act. These patterns often remain
stable throughout our careers and are reflective of our individual
personalities.
Obviously, your ability to communicate effectively will be critical to your job
search. To influence the person interviewing you, you will do best if you can
match the style of that person.
Everyone's personality can be measured on four scales. How they rank on those
scales will determine the people they relate well to ... and those they won't. You
and everyone you know have a personality and behavior pattern that is somewhere
on the "D" scale ... the "I" scale ... the "S" scale ... and the "C" scale.
Everyone's profile can be viewed in terms of these four dimensions of behavior.
Your first key is to understand them, and how others may view you. To enhance
your effectiveness, you need to determine which pattern your interviewer falls
into, then communicate in that same dimension.
The current profile we use has been completed by more than two million
professionals. Its key indicators include Dominance (D); Influence (I);
Steadiness (S); and Conscientiousness (C). Here is a simple explanation.
1. The degree to which you are a high "D" reflects your need to be in control ...
your need to direct and dominate. This is opposed to a low "D" ... those who
prefer to take a lesser role in the background and be a team player. Someone who
is very high on the "D" scale is often demanding, forceful, decisive and
competitive. A person low on the "D" scale is often unobtrusive, conservative,
modest ... someone who weighs pros and cons.
2. The degree to which you are a high "I" reflects your need to be involved with
people, interacting with them and influencing them. This contrasts with a low
"I", where people have a preference for, and work best, alone. Someone who is
very high on the "I" scale is often persuasive, enthusiastic and sociable. Those
low on the "I" scale are often controlled and more reticent.
3. The degree to which you are a high "S" reflects your preference for
predictable structure ... situations that are stable and steady. This is opposed
to a low "S" ... those who prefer environments that offer variety and constant
change. Someone who is very high on the "S" scale is often loyal, predictable
and patient. Those low on the "S" scale are often change-oriented, restless, and
tend to dislike the status quo.
4. The degree to which you are a high "C" reflects your preference for
procedures and order, environments that allow a cautious, systematic and
fact-finding approach to problems. This is opposed to a low "C" ... those who
prefer environments which allow spontaneous, independent, risk-taking actions.
Someone who is very high on the "C" scale is often conventional, accurate and
restrained. Those low on the "C" scale are often independent, arbitrary and
sometimes defiant.
Naturally, there is no right or wrong here. Where you and your interviewer fit
on these scales indicates what is "unique" about both of you. If you are not
used to this particular form of personality profiling, this may seem somewhat
complex upon first review. Once you are familiar with the concept, it is
remarkably easy to use.
Reading Your Interviewer
and Adjusting What You Project
Many of our clients have used the principles explained in our profile report to
"read" the likely preferences of the individuals who interview them. Since all
personality types fit somewhere within the same four scales, our clients who
understand and practice this concept are often able to judge where someone
sitting on the other side of the table likely fits.
For example, in an interviewing situation, someone who is high on the "D" scale
is often, but not always, formal. Their feelings may be unexpressed and they
tend to maintain a cool or closed posture. Many top executives are high on the
"D" scale. When they question you, their focus will be on "what you did" ... the
actions you took ... rather than "why" you took them.
If you identify the interviewer as high on the "D" scale, that person will be
looking for someone who is very bottom-line in their orientation. These people
prefer others who are brief, to the point, and decisive like they are. They
often make hiring decisions quickly, and prefer those who seem efficient and who
place a priority on goals and results.
Someone high on the "I" scale can be identified in the interviewing situation.
These people are often animated and express their feelings quite readily. They
tend to adopt an open posture and are warm by their nature.
When they question you, they will be looking for how you managed people, who
you worked with in getting consensus and making your decisions. They will be
much less likely to concern themselves with "what" you did, or "why" you did
something.
Chances are this person will prefer candidates who are like themselves ...
expressive and sociable. They will focus on how interesting you are, and will
have less desire to evaluate you in terms of details. They will enjoy
testimonials and war stories.
They usually put a priority on people skills and are likely to make hiring
decisions based upon emotions or gut feel. This type of person does not relate
well to those who give complex explanations, or who prefer to work alone rather
than as part of a team.
You can sometimes easily recognize a person who is high on the "S" scale. These
people also tend to be relaxed and warm. They too express their feelings and
tend to be more casual and open. When they question you, their focus may be on
"why" you did something rather than "what" you did. And, they generally appear
stable themselves.
Someone with a high "S" is going to be focusing on service to the company. They
will be looking for people who project stability and steadiness. You don't want
to overpower this type of person or you might offend them. These people often
make hiring decisions in a deliberate manner and like to be assured of a
person's stability. They dislike people who tend to be unpredictable, or whose
opinions might represent any form of conflict.
People who are high on the "C" scale are sometimes less expressive and cool.
They will often adopt a closed posture and will be more formal in their
questioning. They too will focus on "why you did something" ... trying to analyze
your response. During their questioning they usually put a priority on product
or service quality and analytical decision-making.
This individual responds best to people who demonstrate they are conscientious,
accurate, analytical and fact-finding in their approach to problem solving. This
type of person disapproves of people who appear to be disorganized, or who
provide unclear explanations when answering questions. They respond to logical
approaches and make hiring decisions in an analytical way.
It only stands to reason that if you can get an accurate reading on the person
who might be responsible for selecting you over others ... you will be better able
to control the situation and project the image in best keeping with their likely
preferences.
When You Receive
Your Written Report
Our senior campaign manager will send your custom report in advance of our
marketing plan presentation. You need to review it thoroughly and confirm that
it is a reasonably accurate description of who you are. Most people feel the
profile is 80 to 85 percent, or more, descriptive of themselves.
Remain open-minded and keep our purposes in mind. Start by looking to identify
things about yourself that might better be toned down in the interviewing
process. At the same time, you will want to look for descriptive phrases you
might use to build greater chemistry throughout your interviewing or networking.
After reading your report, take some time to think of people you know. Project
how you think they would fit within the four behavioral dimensions. Our senior
engagement manager will be calling you to confirm your understanding of the
concept.
Then, when you visit with us for your marketing plan presentation, we will
review this concept of "reading people" in greater detail. If you can master
this concept, you can gain a major competitive advantage in the interviewing
process.
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How Some of Our Clients View
The Importance of Reading People
"One of the best parts
of your service had to do with refining my skills in the final stages of
interviews. Your staff spent a lot of time with me. I became fascinated with the
system you teach for reading the interviewer and adapting your behavior. What I
gained in the process will be used in all business relationships."
"I am an HR executive with Kellogg, and we sponsor your service for executives
we outplace. I don't think you can isolate any one facet of what you do as most
beneficial. However, we've had 25 executives visit your national center for
presentation of their marketing plans and the materials you write for them.
Several have raved about your three-part system for maximizing control and
effectiveness in high level interviews. Reading people in interviews is
something all executives think they can do routinely, but you have elevated it
to another level."
"I have truly lifted my abilities because of the system you use for helping
people read other executives. As an aside, I have managed sales forces as large
as 3,000 at Sun Microsystems, and I didn't really think you could teach an old
dog new tricks ... but you did!"
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