What Separates Candidates From One Another During The Interview Process?

After Conducting Thousands of Interviews, I’ll tell you what I believe they are! 

I began my career working as an executive recruiter - interviewing dozens of candidates every week for various IT and Accounting roles. After a couple of years, I joined American Express, and would hold a variety leadership positions over the next 25 years. Initially at Amex I was hiring a least a dozen people every month to help staff a fast growing customer service and tele-sales department in a new Operations Center. Later in my career, I held more senior roles in Product, Sales, Account Development and General Management functions. In these roles I was hiring teams of Managers, Directors and Vice Presidents. And while I’m no longer at Amex, I’m still out there interviewing. Currently, I’m supporting amazing early-stage companies, like Extend – a Fintech Payments Company HQ’d in NYC. One of my roles at Extend is helping to hire key leadership and revenue generating talent. In the past 30 days alone, I’ve probably screened a good 300+ candidates and conducted at least 60 interviews.  

With all this interviewing, I think it’s safe to say, there are very clear character traits that always need to stand out, and I’m looking for them! 

1. Passion - How much does this really matter to you? If it matters a lot (and it better), then show it when we meet, speak or video chat - a little emotion, some excitement in your voice, in your eyes, in your expressions. I’m talking “edge of the seat, hair on fire” excitement – well, not “on fire” as they say, but perhaps “smoldering”. I want energy, drive and excitement. If the energy is low in the interview, what are you like a few months into the role when things become challenging? 

2. Joy - Happiness is clearly an advantage. I won’t attempt to prove it, but I’ll let Shawn Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage do it for me. I want to hire joyful people. First, they’ll be a pleasure to work with. More importantly though, they’ll help the team get through the tough times, they’ll be more optimistic, and in the long run, far more successful. I want to see a “growth mindset”, and optimism is a key piece of the puzzle.  

3. Humility - Before you tell me how amazing you are, get ready - I already know you didn’t do it alone, so don’t try to say you did. Yes, I do need to separate out your specific role in the process, but I want to know how you won as a team. How you brought others along with you. How you failed from time to time, what you learned from it, who you learned it from. Lincoln said it well, “a problem shared is a problem had”. What I think that means is, through humility we expose our problems and challenges, and with the willingness to let others help us, we then overcome. As the famous theologian and author C.S. Lewis said, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s to think of yourself less…”

4. Drive - Embracing the grind and being resolute when adversity strikes. Work can fun, it can be amazing, but sometimes….it sucks. I want to understand when it was hard for you, and despite this, somehow you and your gritty, scrappy self, were able to power through. Because if it’s always been amazingly easy for you, then you’ve not been tested. And without being tested, and then finding a path to success, I don’t know if you’re really that good. 

5. Curiosity - This word gets used a lot, but in a short conversation, I can figure this one out very fast. Generally, I believe you either are, or you’re not. Your questions will show me the answer. So please, please, please have better questions than, “What’s the timing to fill the role?”, or “What’s the next step in the selection process?” How about a few questions regarding our corporate strategy, the competitive environment, our culture, my specific experience, the product roadmap, financial results, etc. I mean, you’re making a big decision too – you better find this stuff out beforehand, or you may be joining an organization that’s absolutely the wrong fit for you!  

6. Influence - How have you demonstrated influence in your previous roles, within your specific teams, the broader company or even in the marketplace? Do you lead those who don’t report to you? Given my level, I’ve had the opportunity throughout my career to lead leaders of leaders who often were even leading other leaders. With that, some of the most amazing “leaders” I encountered, were “technically” not leading anyone (at least on the org chart). They knew however when to jump in, take over a problem, attack an opportunity, speak-up and drive engagement and change when others were afraid. These were people that everyone in the organization knew, and when they spoke, you listened to what they said (E.F. Hutton moment for those over 45). 

7. Like-ability - This word has come under fire a little lately because “bias” can come into question. Meaning, the interviewer may tend to “connect with” or “like” people who are “like” they are.  So, perhaps I’ll clarify the definition just a little to be clearer. Are you nice, are you kind, do you exercise some humility, love for others, helpfulness, generosity, loyalty, etc.? These traits are demonstrated through the words you use, the things you’ve done, and the values you demonstrate. These things “ooze” out of certain people, and others, not so much.  

There are many other character traits that matter, and it’s a given that critical technical skills are needed for any role. But hopefully though this list gives you a good place to begin, to self-assess, and adjust where needed. If some of these traits are challenging for you (especially things like Drive, Passion and Curiosity), then perhaps you’re interviewing for a role you really don’t want. If other traits on the list don’t really fit, like Joy or Humility, perhaps this is an opportunity to think about your approach to workplace. I’d challenge you to work hard to change your approach, and perhaps even the kind of work you are pursuing. 

Lastly, no matter who you are, or how you feel, I believe you should bring the “real you” to any interview. What often “trips people up” is when they try to represent themselves as something they’re not. Bottom line, be honest with yourself, and honest in the interview process. Interviewing is a “two-way street”, you’re trying to uncover if this company, or perhaps this leader, is a place, or someone you want to work for. And as a hiring manager, I’ve always valued honestly and transparency in the interview process. I’ve had people openly tell me about certain traits, gaps, and challenges (even personal fears) in their interview, and I hired them anyway! I knew, if they were honest at this juncture, I could trust them. They’d always tell me what they needed to be successful, and how I could invest to help them grow. 

So, the best of success to you in your career journey’s ahead.  Maybe just maybe I’ll have the chance to interview you one of these days – or heck, maybe you’ll be interviewing me!!