Impress Hiring Managers
With Executive-Presence
March 3, 2004 (Press Release) --
Impress Hiring Managers
With Executive 'Presence'
There once was a time (in movies, at any rate, if not in real life) when business executives would say approvingly of a job candidate, "I like the cut of his jib." By this they meant that there was something about the candidate that was pleasing to the eye, like a sailboat with its jib sail properly set. While corporate-speak may have changed, drawing subjective conclusions based on a candidate's executive-presence hasn't.
Some candidates simply seem to have a generally more efficient and positive air about them than others. What elements contribute to this aura? How is it that certain candidates can sail into a room and impress their interviewers, while others don't make quite as positive an impact?
There are six elements I see that separate job candidates with a winning presence from those who don't make a strong initial impression. These include: executive-presence
Physical appearance. Tall, short, fat, thin, young, old, handsome, homely -- none of these traits is a factor in rating the physical appearance of candidates. What does count is attention to detail and the subtle cues given by body language. Appropriate dress is a must, and it's almost impossible to overdress. Even in a business-casual environment, men should wear a sports coat and women a pantsuit or other business attire. Little things count. A small stain from lunch, shoes that aren't polished or are too polished, a belt fitted to the very last hole, an ill-knotted tie -- all these are signs of potential inefficiency or poor judgment of executive-presence
The body, of course, speaks volumes, sometimes betraying things that we'd never express verbally. Poor eye contact, toe-tapping, finger-drumming, and wet palms suggest that candidates are nervous and may feel they're in over their heads. A too rigid or military bearing may indicate a lack of flexibility or imagination. A phlegmatic demeanor may indicate the candidate is bored or feels superior to the position for which he or she is interviewing executive-presence, or simply doesn't get enough sleep. By contrast, an upright carriage, a purposeful walk, an engaging smile and a confident yet deferential demeanor suggest a candidate who's comfortable with people and graceful under pressure.
Speaking ability. A positive physical appearance can be undercut quickly by poor speaking ability. Speaking ability isn't necessarily a matter of tone or inflection. You don't have to have a voice like James Earl Jones to be a good speaker. Nor does it depend on a professorial vocabulary. Rather, it's the ability to process information and arrange it in a coherent and insightful manner. The organization and selection of detail are what count. A good candidate understands the point of a question and addresses it with clarity and executive-presence.
With Executive 'Presence'
There once was a time (in movies, at any rate, if not in real life) when business executives would say approvingly of a job candidate, "I like the cut of his jib." By this they meant that there was something about the candidate that was pleasing to the eye, like a sailboat with its jib sail properly set. While corporate-speak may have changed, drawing subjective conclusions based on a candidate's executive-presence hasn't.
Some candidates simply seem to have a generally more efficient and positive air about them than others. What elements contribute to this aura? How is it that certain candidates can sail into a room and impress their interviewers, while others don't make quite as positive an impact?
There are six elements I see that separate job candidates with a winning presence from those who don't make a strong initial impression. These include: executive-presence
Physical appearance. Tall, short, fat, thin, young, old, handsome, homely -- none of these traits is a factor in rating the physical appearance of candidates. What does count is attention to detail and the subtle cues given by body language. Appropriate dress is a must, and it's almost impossible to overdress. Even in a business-casual environment, men should wear a sports coat and women a pantsuit or other business attire. Little things count. A small stain from lunch, shoes that aren't polished or are too polished, a belt fitted to the very last hole, an ill-knotted tie -- all these are signs of potential inefficiency or poor judgment of executive-presence
The body, of course, speaks volumes, sometimes betraying things that we'd never express verbally. Poor eye contact, toe-tapping, finger-drumming, and wet palms suggest that candidates are nervous and may feel they're in over their heads. A too rigid or military bearing may indicate a lack of flexibility or imagination. A phlegmatic demeanor may indicate the candidate is bored or feels superior to the position for which he or she is interviewing executive-presence, or simply doesn't get enough sleep. By contrast, an upright carriage, a purposeful walk, an engaging smile and a confident yet deferential demeanor suggest a candidate who's comfortable with people and graceful under pressure.
Speaking ability. A positive physical appearance can be undercut quickly by poor speaking ability. Speaking ability isn't necessarily a matter of tone or inflection. You don't have to have a voice like James Earl Jones to be a good speaker. Nor does it depend on a professorial vocabulary. Rather, it's the ability to process information and arrange it in a coherent and insightful manner. The organization and selection of detail are what count. A good candidate understands the point of a question and addresses it with clarity and executive-presence.
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