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PERSONALITY EITHER LOSES OR LANDS THE JOB
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
Most job interviews focus on several factors in considering suitable candidates for specific positions. Among
them is personality, which is appraised by the interviewer as the entire process goes on. Candidates for a job
always try to put their best foot forward during the interview process, knowing how vital this specific part of
the job application is. They wouldn’t want to have the door shut on their face just because of one lousy
interview.
Many job interviewers look for telltale signs that show great candidates. These include: punctual appearance to
an interview; neatness and good posture; direct, honest answers; intelligent use of language, without using
slang or pause words; good posture; mental alertness; genuine interest in and determination for getting the
job; and confidence. Interviews are as different as the interviewers and interviewees themselves, but the
bottom line is: interviewers know what the company needs and it is all up to the candidate to show why he is
perfect for the job.
It’s always a tall order to do an interview with so many expectations, but candidates who are called to an
interview should remember that they are given the chance to prove themselves. The call to interview shows
that the company has seen something interesting in a candidate’s résumé and wants a look-see. It’s one foot
inside the door that no job applicant would want to waste.
Personality is often seen during the interview process; it is the one factor that enables an interviewer to
consider an applicant as a good fit for the vacancy. For candidates that have inherent personality flaws, there
might not be too much hope. A glowing résumé might buoy them to an interview at the onset, but how they
present themselves on interview day can spell either failure or success at bagging the job.
Many job applicants have to go through various stages of success and difficulties before they find the ideal job
they seek. Sometimes, one might have all the qualifications and seem to be tailor-fit for a certain job, but for
some inexplicable reason, fails to land the job. Stranger still are those who get a job without really expecting to.
What really matters in the long term is to find a career that suits one’s qualifications, personality and personal
goals in life. Do not be powered by false expectations and unrealistic goals. Most of all, show the interviewer
that your personality perfectly suits the job you are being interviewed for. More importantly, decide on this
long before you are called to an interview so you need not embellish things unnecessarily come crunch time.
You wouldn’t want to be stuck in a job that suffocates your real self now, would you?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
Can you recall how you got your first job?
2.
What specific aspects of your personality do you think have helped you in your present career?
3.
Do you feel you are a perfect fit for the job you do? Why or why not?
4.
If you were an interviewer for the job you currently hold, what specific characteristics would you look
for in a suitable job candidate?
5.
Why is good personality important? Can it help somebody keep a job? Why or why not?