We’ve seen this time and time again. Two candidates with similar resumes start interviewing and aside from the fact they both probably got noticed since they got their foot in the door through a referral, the main reason why one got hired over the other is simple.
According to Rohit Bhargava, author of Likeonomics, being more believable and consequently, more likable are the keys to standing out.
As per an interview with AOL Jobs, he explained,
“People are easily manipulated by marketing messages and they know it, so they have less trust in organizations. The keenest examples are the political ads we’re now seeing. The other reason is that technological advances have greatly reduced the number of face-to-face interactions people have today compared to, say, 50 years ago. Many of us have forgotten the importance of personal connections in decision-making, and why we believe certain people and don’t believe others.”
So, for job seekers to become the most likable candidate on interview day, the author recommends sharing more of “who you are and what you’re passionate about, even if it doesn’t necessarily feel completely relevant to the job you’re going for.”
By all means go for expressing how passionate you are about a sport like football and referencing current events to tie it all together.
In addition to preparing yourself for the job interview with information about the company and job itself, you’ll have the upper hand by exuding your personality. After all, the author says there is an economic benefit to being likable.
His key advice? Distinguish yourself — go ahead and do it! Instead of shying away from it, be bold and let your personality and passions shine.
“So the only way to distinguish yourself is with something that’s not on paper — your personality and yourself. It’s the same reason given by so many when asked: ‘Why did you hire this person instead of that person.’ They point to something called culture-fit — or basically they hired the person they liked more.”