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151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career with Andrew Seaman
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151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career with Andrew Seaman

The Importance of Online Presence in Career Development

Introduction to the Podcast

  • My name is Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast.
  • Today’s guest is Andrew Seaman, senior managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn. He helps people navigate work and life through his Get Hired podcast and newsletter.

The Role of Online Presence

  • Andrew emphasizes that online presence acts as your first interview; it’s crucial to post about your profession and passions on platforms like LinkedIn. This allows others to get to know you before meeting in person.
  • Curating your profile thoughtfully is essential since potential employers may review it prior to any direct interaction. Regular posting can enhance visibility and engagement with your professional network.

Posting Frequency and Content

  • It’s recommended to post regularly—at least three times a week—to showcase both professional knowledge and personal interests, creating a well-rounded image of yourself online. Examples include sharing insights related to hobbies or community interests alongside professional content.
  • Engaging with current trends in your industry can also be beneficial; this demonstrates awareness and passion beyond just job-related topics. Employers appreciate seeing candidates as multifaceted individuals rather than just their job titles or past experiences.

Sharing Personal Interests

  • While sharing personal hobbies can foster connections, it's important not to overshare; balance is key in maintaining professionalism while still being relatable. Andrew shares his interest in quilting but chooses not to highlight it extensively online as it’s more personal for him.
  • The decision on how much personal information to reveal should align with comfort levels while still allowing for authentic connections within professional networks. Andrew notes that revealing interests can lead to unexpected conversations that enrich networking opportunities.

Engaging with Others' Posts

  • Commenting on others’ posts can be an effective way of engaging without the pressure of creating original content; however, comments should add value rather than simply agreeing or affirming what has been said previously (e.g., “plus one” comments are less impactful).

Interview Presence and Best Practices

Importance of Interview Presence

  • The way candidates present themselves during interviews, whether in-person or virtual, significantly impacts the impressions formed by interviewers even before the actual interaction begins.
  • Candidates should consider what they want to convey through their responses and the information shared; attention to detail is crucial (e.g., a candidate misspelling "detail" while claiming to be detail-oriented).
  • Impressions are formed from initial interactions, such as how candidates behave prior to the interview (e.g., rudeness towards receptionists can overshadow a strong interview performance).
  • Consistency in behavior across all interactions with a company is essential; candidates must project their true selves while being mindful of how they are perceived.
  • Many candidates mistakenly believe that only the interview moment matters, but presence and behavior leading up to it play a critical role.

Recovering from Poor Presence

  • While it's possible to recover from a bad answer during an interview, salvaging a poor presence is more challenging.
  • Candidates can address previous shortcomings in follow-up communications by acknowledging their less-than-best performance and clarifying points they wish they'd made.
  • Awareness of one's own performance during an interview is vital; many candidates overlook opportunities for correction after feeling relieved that the interview has concluded.

Insights for Interviewers

Preparing for Interviews

  • Hiring managers often lack formal training on interviewing skills; however, preparation is crucial given the significant impact these decisions have on candidates' lives.
  • Interviewers should enter meetings prepared with at least three key areas they want to assess about each candidate's fit for the role.

Conducting Effective Interviews

  • It's important for interviews to be conversational rather than one-sided presentations of job descriptions; this ensures engagement and efficiency.
  • Interviewers should view themselves as part of onboarding by setting expectations and assessing where new hires will best fit within the team dynamics.

Listening Skills in Interviews

  • Active listening is critical; understanding both spoken words and unspoken cues helps gauge candidate suitability effectively.
  • Asking follow-up questions based on candidate responses demonstrates attentiveness and encourages deeper insights into their qualifications.

Challenging Candidates Appropriately

Interview Strategies and Insights

Assessing Candidate Abilities

  • The speaker emphasizes the importance of assessing candidates' abilities by encouraging them to connect past experiences with current roles. Candidates should articulate how their previous actions can lead to future successes.
  • Interviewers are advised to provide examples from their own experiences to help candidates understand expectations, creating a more equitable interview environment.
  • Acknowledges that individuals learn and perform differently; interviewers should be mindful not to let social anxieties or personal quirks hinder a good candidate's chances.

Preparing for Interviews as an Interviewee

  • The speaker discusses the need for interviewees to research the role and company beforehand, identifying key themes about themselves that align with the company's needs.
  • Candidates should prepare specific examples or anecdotes related to these themes, which could include achievements, statistics, or positive feedback received in previous roles.

Structuring Responses Effectively

  • When responding in interviews, it's crucial for candidates to think ahead about how they can demonstrate their prepared themes when questions arise.
  • The speaker suggests using a structured approach (Answer, Detailed Example, Describe Relevance - ADD), ensuring responses are clear and relevant. This method helps candidates present information effectively.

Handling Unexpected Situations

  • Discusses the importance of adaptability during interviews. Candidates should showcase their ability to handle unexpected changes by providing concrete examples from past experiences where they successfully adjusted plans on short notice.
  • An example is shared about teaching in a flooded classroom, illustrating flexibility and problem-solving skills in real-time situations.

Connecting Dots for Clarity

  • Emphasizes that simply sharing stories isn't enough; candidates must explicitly connect their examples back to the job requirements so that interviewers can see relevance clearly.

Job Interview Strategies and Networking

The Importance of a Strong Resume Summary

  • A resume should not just list objectives; instead, it should serve as a canvas for the candidate to connect their experiences.
  • A well-crafted summary at the top of the resume can set the tone for how interviewers perceive the candidate's career trajectory.
  • Framing information effectively helps interviewers remember candidates better and share accurate representations with others involved in hiring decisions.

Follow-Up After an Interview

  • Following up after an interview is crucial, but many candidates fear being ghosted or receiving no feedback.
  • Candidates should initiate follow-up during the interview by building connections that allow for future communication.
  • Engaging in small talk about shared interests can help form personal connections that are beneficial post-interview.
  • Sending thank-you notes reinforces connections made during interviews and allows candidates to emphasize key points discussed.

Leveraging Online Communities for Career Growth

  • Viewing careers as concentric circles helps individuals understand their professional network: close colleagues, larger workforce, and industry professionals.
  • Each circle provides unique insights and support; maintaining relationships across these spheres is essential for career navigation.

Career Development and Interview Strategies

Networking and Career Advancement

  • Utilizing professional networks can assist in onboarding new employees and providing support during workforce reductions.
  • Tools like LinkedIn allow individuals to research career paths of others, helping them model their own trajectories based on successful professionals.

Interview Techniques

  • The speaker introduces a unique approach to the common interview question, "Do you have any questions for me?" by emphasizing the importance of having a strategic response.
  • A bold response could involve asking about potential weaknesses that might hinder job acquisition or promotion, demonstrating self-awareness and confidence.

Insightful Questions

  • Asking interviewers what they wish they had known before joining the company can yield valuable insights into workplace culture and challenges.
  • It's crucial to always have a question prepared for interviews; saying "no" reflects poorly on the candidate's engagement.

Influential Communicators

  • Walter Cronkite is highlighted as an admired communicator due to his serious approach to journalism and understanding of its impact.

Ingredients for Effective Communication

  • Key ingredients for successful communication include authenticity, truthfulness, and humor.
Playlists: Job Search Prep: Networking 👥
Video description

In this episode, Andrew Seaman shares how to communicate who you are in your resume, on your profile, and in the interview. Whether winning over a hiring manager or winning new business, career success often hinges on how we communicate. That’s why Andrew Seaman is on a mission to help people find the words that work — to get work. Seaman is the senior managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, and as the creator and host of the Get Hired podcast and newsletter, he helps millions hone communication skills to land the jobs they want. According to him, getting opportunities isn’t just about experience or connections, but how we frame and present our personal and professional narratives. With a standard resume, he says, “You're making them connect the dots. And people are not good at that.” Instead, he recommends crafting a story that explains where you’ve been, where you are, and where you hope to go. “Connect the dots for them,” he says, “so they're not viewing you as a person who has bounced around. They're thinking, this person has had a cohesive career.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Seaman and host Matt Abrahams explore tools for navigating the interview process, networking on and offline, and communication strategies to get hired.