No matter how perfect your resume, there are still several crucial X factors that any HR company will evaluate you for during an interview. Review these dynamic traits and think about how to incorporate them into the image you project on paper and in person!
1. Agility
This isn’t talking about your ability to physically jump through hoops or walk balance beams; metaphorically, a company wants to see you can adapt your approach when necessary, recognize shifting dynamics, and possess intercultural skills that help you find common ground and collaborate with your colleagues.
2. Attitude
Very few job postings outside of a zany start-up will list “sense of humor” as a qualification, but equally few office environments can do without enthusiastic, entertaining employees. Come to work with a sense of fun, the enjoyment of a new challenge, and the intelligence to know you don’t have all the answers (but you do have a willingness to persist until you find them).
3. Awareness
Don’t forget to research the company that you’re applying with—after the interview is not the time to google “Company Name + New York Times” and expect recent developments to do you any good. Be involved in the industry you’re trying to enter, even if it’s only as an informational resource on Twitter or LinkedIn. Show that you know what conversations are already in progress and how you fit in to them as an employee and an innovator!
