But winning candidates show that they're eager to learn and can be taught executive-presence.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 17, 2004 --

Listening ability. Good candidates listen with not just their ears, but their bodies and, especially, their eyes. The eyes will show if a question or statement has been fully comprehended and its implications understood. Good listeners also ask good questions. An insightful, interesting or unexpected question indicates that the candidate has thought through what the interviewer has said and has taken the thought to the next level of complexity. Candidates who don't ask questions, or ask questions only about the specifics of a job (salary, start date, etc.), haven't been listening and do not have executive-presence in their job search.



A sense of humor. Clearly, there are sound evolutionary reasons why humans developed a sense of humor. It's a survival mechanism that allows us to cope with stress and to interact more efficiently with other members of the tribe, or, as we call it today, the company containing executive-presence. Humorless candidates will find themselves isolated in the workplace and, in some cases, feared. Winning candidates don't tell jokes, but they do make observations that show they have the ability to laugh.

Humility. One of the qualities employers put a premium on is confidence. Regardless of personal or professional setbacks, winning candidates are sure they can arrive eventually at a positive outcome. It's a mistake to let this spirit evolve into arrogance, however, as some dot-com refugees are discovering the neccesidy of having executive-presence in your job search. Candidates who are dismissive of the competition or of traditional business practices, who divide people into those who "get it" and those who "don't get it," quickly wear out their welcome in an interview.



There's no need for excessive modesty. Consider that Golda Meir, the late Israeli prime minister, once advised a colleague: "Don't be humble. You're not that great." But winning candidates show that they're eager to learn and can be taught executive-presence.

These signs are just that -- outward indications that an applicant is confident, efficient, personable and knowledgeable having executive-presence. Job experience, education and related factors also are important in determining if a candidate is right for a job. Nevertheless, if interviewers like "the cut of your jib," more than half the battle is won.