First, a shout out to our new bloggers from Network of Executive Women / Consumer Retail Products and NBC Universal who I met last week at keynote engagements.  You were great!

Now I want to talk about likeability.  I recently read an article that talked about the “airport test.”  It’s something that people who are interviewing you consider when deciding whether or not to make you an offer.  It goes like this… are you someone the interviewer would like to be stuck with in an airport for six hours if a flight gets cancelled?  Think about it.  During the interview do you convey the impression that you are friendly, interested in others, have the capability of carrying on a conversation?  If not, you might have to kiss that job offer good-bye. 

With jobs at a premium these days, try following these suggestions for enhancing your likeability during an interview:

• Express an interest in the interviewer.  As much as it might seem like it, it’s not all about you.  Look around the interviewer’s office and comment on something that appears personal.  It could be a picture of children, a trophy or award, or anything else personal in nature.  Ask about it and what it means to the interviewer.  If he or she gives you a terse answer simply move on.  It was a risk worth taking. 
• Pay attention to body language.  Sometimes an interviewer is preoccupied with something that happened before you even arrived.  Women tend to pick up on these subtle clues more than men, but often inappropriately personalize meta-messages.  If you notice body language that gives you the message that the interviewer is distracted or not fully present, the safest response is to remain warm and friendly but keep it simple.  Answer questions thoroughly but don’t be put off if you don’t get a lot in return.  Again, it probably has nothing to do with you. 
• Don’t be all business.  Yes, it’s important that you convey professionalism, but you also have to exhibit your human side.  This can be achieved by being self-deprecating, sharing a short personal anecdote appropriate to a question that’s been asked, or showing a sense of humor.  Of course you don’t want to go to the extreme, but in balance these behaviors will humanize you — and that’s precisely who we want to be stuck with in an airport… a genuine human being. 

TAGS: Interview skills, Likeability, Likeability Quotient