The Digital Drift

Issue #2 — In’s and Out’s of Interviewing

Welcome to the Digital Drift vol 2, the newsletter of the TechCurrents Podcast. In this edition, I’ll spend some time talking about the In’s and Out’s of interviewing. I’ll pull from some of the content that our co-host Ron Melanson has put in his (now regular) #MakingMovesMonday posts as well as some of our episodes of the TechCurrents Podcast. We will unpack powerful strategies to help you stand out in your job search, drawing essential insights from our podcast archives and cutting-edge tips circulating on LinkedIn. Take a read and give us a listen, but before we dive into that, lets first visit our favorite segment:

#LinkedInLunacy

What we have seen over the last couple of weeks is how quickly a flash in the pan can come and how little time it takes to ruin the lives of at least 2 families. Unless you live in a cave, we have all seen the video or pictures of the CEO of Astronomer and the Chief People Officer of Astronomer in an intimate moment while enjoying a ColdPlay concert in the Boston area. The moment was caught on the “kiss cam” and drew the attention of lead singer Chris Martin who suggested that the couple were either having an affair or were overly shy. A fan with a mobile phone handy caught the whole moment live at the concert and it took moments for the clip to go viral and destroy the lives of the CEO, his family, the CPO and presumably her family. Privacy is something we cannot take for granted any longer and in the world of social media, it takes only a moment for the world to know your business whether you want them to or not. Perhaps this is a teachable moment for all of us. Being a better human shouldn’t require the threat of someone catching it on video and it going viral on social media, but if folks are taking heed and as a result, we all treat each other a little better, than perhaps that would be something. In the meantime, as the Sgt used to say on the 80’s classic, “Hill Street Blues”…”Let’s be careful out there”.

#MakingMovesMonday Wisdom

The Curious Candidate’s Interview Gambit

Ever wondered how to leave a truly lasting impression during an interview? There's one highly effective trick you can incorporate to set yourself apart: ask, "What’s something your next hire needs to learn quickly?". Co-Host Ron Melanson asks the question and then answers it in this Making Moves Monday post on LinkedIn today.

Why this question works:

• It directly demonstrates that you are coachable.

• It highlights your curiosity.

• These two traits – coachability and curiosity – are described as qualities that "never go out of style".

How to implement it:

• Add this question to your list of prepared interview questions.

• Practice incorporating it smoothly into your conversation flow.

• Use it strategically, perhaps to close your interview strong.

Mastering Interview Storytelling: Going Beyond the Resume

While quantifiable metrics on your resume are crucial for opening doors, storytelling is what truly allows you to expand on details and highlight "who you are and not just what you did" during an interview. In our "hyperconnected society," the prevalence of "short bursts" of communication, like texting and social media reels, has made it challenging for many to engage in coherent, human-to-human conversations and tell stories. However, remember that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Ron Melanson, from the TechCurrents podcast, suggests job seekers practice and prepare three key stories to use in interviews:

• 1. The Origin Story:

◦ Purpose: This story addresses questions like "Why are you here?" and "Why do you do what you do?". It should succinctly explain your journey and tie your passion or interest back to the specific company and role you are interviewing for.

◦ Key Detail: It's vital to tie your origin story back to the company you're interviewing with and the specific position, demonstrating how your passion aligns with the job.

◦ Length: Aim for under two minutes to avoid rambling, but ensure it's not too brief.

• 2. The Proud Accomplishment (Success) Story:

◦ Purpose: To detail a significant achievement and its positive impact.

◦ Format: Utilize the STAR format:

▪ S - Situation: Describe the context or what was happening.

▪ T - Task: Explain what needed to be accomplished.

▪ A - Action: Detail what you (or your team, led by you) did to address the task.

▪ R - Result: Share the outcomes, ideally with quantifiable numbers (e.g., "35% higher customer engagement rate").

◦ Length: Keep it concise, "a couple of minutes," focusing on essential details and results without "superfluous detail".

• 3. The Resilience (Failure) Story:

◦ Purpose: This is arguably the most challenging but "critically important" story to tell. It demonstrates your ability to learn from setbacks and overcome obstacles. Interviewers often ask, "Tell me about a time when a project did not go as planned". Many struggle due to a tendency to bury failures or cultural conditioning.

◦ Value: It showcases self-awareness, a capacity for learning, and growth. It builds trust with the interviewer by admitting mistakes and taking responsibility. It highlights that you can own your failures and don't pass blame.

◦ Crucially: The story must emphasize what you learned from the experience and how you applied that learning to improve your future work. This transforms a "failure" into a "success" because it shows development.

◦ Format: Utilize the CARL format:

▪ C - Challenge: Describe the problem or difficulty you faced.

▪ A - Action: Explain what you did to address the challenge.

▪ R - Result: Discuss the immediate outcome, which might not have been positive.

▪ L - Learnings: This is the "most important element" – articulate what you learned and how you modified your approach going forward (e.g., "I modified the way that I actually communicate project status to share to stakeholders to ensure synchronicity").

◦ Vulnerability: Being willing to make yourself vulnerable by sharing a failure, framed as a learning moment, can go a long way towards standing out. However, be mindful that some cultures may make discussing failure difficult.

Overall Interviewer Perspective: The "Human Business" By the time you reach an interview, your skills and background from your CV and LinkedIn are already known. What interviewers are truly evaluating is: "Do I like this person as a teammate?" and "Can I see this person on my team contributing?". They want someone with high emotional intelligence (EQ) and "worldview instead of experience" who has learned from past difficulties. They seek individuals who will contribute positively to the team dynamic, not just perform well individually, especially if that performance comes with toxicity.

In essence, an interview is a "human business," and your stories communicate "here’s who I am and how I will make your team better".

Jobseeker tools and Final thoughts

If you haven’t seen, we are welcoming people to try out the GPT that has been created to help #jobseekers with some of the behavioral type of interview questions. If you feel like trying it out, you can try it out for yourself at https://chatgpt.com/g/g-6883979c33748191bf735a7199210bb5-behavioral-question-practice-for-tech-interviews

As we conclude our insights, remember that navigating today's job market demands a strategic approach to showcasing your true value. While your resume must feature quantifiable results and metrics to open doors, it's the art of storytelling in interviews that truly highlights "who you are and not just what you did". In our "hyperconnected society," where communication often comes in "short bursts," the ability to tell coherent, human-to-human stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end is vital.

Mastering three key stories is crucial: your Origin Story explaining "Why are you here?" and "Why do you do what you do?" (succinctly tied to the specific role); a Proud Accomplishment using the STAR format with quantifiable results; and the "critically important" Resilience (Failure) Story using the CARL format to showcase self-awareness, learning, and growth, emphasizing what you learned and how you applied it. Furthermore, demonstrate your adaptability and commitment to continuous learning by providing concrete examples and a clear learning strategy, assuring potential employers that you are not only capable but also enthusiastic and strategic about acquiring new skills. Remember, interviews are a "human business" where interviewers assess if they "like this person as a teammate" and if you will "make their team better".

To leave a powerful final impression, consider the Curious Candidate's interview gambit: ask "What’s something your next hire needs to learn quickly?". This "one trick" effectively demonstrates that you are both coachable and curious, traits that never go out of style.

Finally, be ever mindful of your online presence in this hyperconnected world; as exemplified by "The Unforeseen Costs of a Viral Kiss" where a private moment went viral, privacy cannot be taken for granted, and social media can instantly expose your business whether you intend it or not. This serves as a potent reminder to "be careful out there" in all your digital interactions. By strategically combining strong metrics, compelling personal stories, genuine curiosity, and thoughtful digital conduct, you can truly transform your career journey and stand out as a valuable candidate.

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