Emotional Intelligence and Interviews

Emotions are central to the job search process. You can be forever managing emotions such as excitement and rejection almost simultaneously. Emotions are in fact, high on the agenda of the interview panel when looking for the right person to join their team. Emotional intelligence has become one of the dominant factors to investigate when hiring new recruits so being aware of your emotions and being able to manage them is something worth focusing on.

Research shows that many hiring managers are less concerned with level of skills and experience a candidate holds, but more interested in the ability of people to pull together to deliver great results. People with a high level of emotional intelligence are more able to manage their emotions effectively, work effectively with others, deal with change, take criticism, and stay positive in the face of adversity. Of course skills and qualifications are important factors for recruiters to consider, but they’d rather hire a less skilled worker with high emotional intelligence than a highly skilled person who is lacking it.

So what does this mean for you, the job seeker? Preparation is key to a great interview, so start identifying examples from your work history that demonstrate how you managed and responded to situations on an interpersonal level.  Identify scenarios that were particularly stressful and explain how you managed to deal with them constructively; these will demonstrate how you cope under pressure which is central to being able to identify solutions to problems and make effective decisions.  Speaking convincingly about team work, collaboration and successful outcomes is important, together with your ability to interact with people in managerial or leadership positions.

Being self-aware is central to emotional intelligence. If you’re able to gauge situations and behave in an appropriate and empathetic manner which makes others feel comfortable then you should score well in any emotional intelligence test, including an interview.

For more information on how to prepare for interview get in touch for interview coaching or access my online interview coaching session