“What’s Your ‘Superpower’?!”  Summer Recipes from a Seasoned Recruiter (pun intended)

Ahhhh summer!  Whether you enjoy the hot, hazy weather, or not – summer is a good time to slow down and enjoy the short season while it’s here.  Since I’ve had some time to catch my own breath lately, I volunteered to write my first blog.  Here’s my crack at a  “summer sizzler”!

As a veteran executive recruiter, I’ve interviewed thousands of candidates over 30+ years in the search business.  I’ve been fortunate to find and recruit my share of “stars” – and it’s been fulfilling and fun to work with so many great candidates as they nail their dream jobs!

But interviews require some advance thinking and planning.  No matter whether you are a newbie, or a seasoned leader – mastering a few simple interview techniques can help you in your interview quest.   What’s the secret sauce for a good interview? As a hobby “foodie”, here’s a few tidbits from my own personal recruiter recipe book to share:

1. WHO are you?  I encourage candidates to perfect a brief opening narrative – who they are (as a leader and a person) as well as a quick  overview of their career and lived experience(You’re your intro should captivate and draw your audience in.  Remember to KISS (keep it short and simple).  It should be an “appetizer” – not the “main course”!  There’s a lot more to come on the interview menu!!
2. Be ready and able to articulate WHY you want the job – and WHAT 2 or 3 “value added” competencies or strengths you bring that make you a great fit.  It’s amazing to me how many candidates skip over the “WHY” and only focus on the “WHAT”.   Do both.  It provides a little taste re: your motivation(s) and a preview of your great ingredients.
3. “What’s your “Superpower?”  I’ve always believed that everyone has that “one thing” that makes them truly great.  I love asking this question to candidates because: a) it always gets a polite laugh; and b) it forces candidates to stop and think about what really stands out about themselves.  What is it about YOU that makes you fantastic, exceptional as a leader, and/or makes you truly unique?  Be ready to illustrate your superpower with a real, current, great example.   Don’t serve plain old “vanilla” by saying “people skills”.    Spice it up a bit more.  For instance:  “I excel at working with teams of people because………”!  Bottom line – showcase your “specialty of the house”!
4. Don’t forget the “Punchline”!  Many candidates will be familiar with recruiters asking behaviour descriptive interview questions (“BDIQs”).  BDIQs usually require you to cite a relevant example, then answer a series of questions about it, including a type of “hindsight”.  This is something along the lines of: “what did you gain/learn/do differently”? Answering a BDIQ is like telling a good joke:  the “lead-up” is only good if you remember to include the punchline at the end!  The same rule applies to using a BDIQ example.  Draw the “connection” at the end of the example/illustration.  What DID you learn? What DID you gain?? How DID this benefit you/others??? Why is it RELEVANT to this job/organization that you are interviewing for???  Answer the question, but remember not to overcook it!!
5. Ready your examples for take-out! Like any good cook – you need to have your key ingredients ready and at hand when you want/need to use them.  I recommend candidates develop a secret “cheat sheet” or list of relevant and current examples they are proud of and want to remember during an interview (where applicable).  Ideally – these should align to the job you are interviewing for.  No sense boasting about a big stockpile of “lemons” when the recipe calls for “lettuce”!
6. Don’t skip dessert!  Just when the interview is winding down and almost over – you have a chance to leave a distinct and lasting impression – the “icing on the cake”!  Have a clear and compelling closing ready.  Is there something important that you need the interviewer to know about you or your candidacy? Do you need to highlight something that wasn’t asked or mentioned??  Have you been clear about why they should choose you???  Don’t walk away from the interview table until you’ve served it up!   Be mindful that if the interviewer is “full” – they may not want a second helping.  That said – if you can offer something new, different and satisfying – it might stand out as a memorable ending to a terrific interview meal!
7. Finally – and most importantly:  relax and be YOURSELF! I’ve often said that most candidates will go to thousands of meetings during their careers but will only experience a handful of interviews.  Treat every interview like its a meeting – and it’s about YOU!  You are the expert on YOU!!  Relax.  Breathe.  Be confident.  Be yourself.  And once you’ve mastered this simple recipe – you’ll probably be a “Michelin star” in no time!

Jordene Lyttle
Founding Partner / Promeus Inc.