Dream, master the Detail & Demonstrate.
Interviewing has become a daily occurrence for me and as with everything, your style evolves over time. When I first started interviewing, I was looking for difficult skills that applicants had mastered, or specific knowhow that could be valuable, but I’ve recently paid less attention to identifying these traditional characteristics in the interviewees. More and more, I’m trying to understand who they are, how their mind works, and what drives them.
I would like to share my three Ds that I’ve identified in the best hires — Dreams, Details and Demonstration.
1. Are you a dreamer ?
Being a dreamer doesn’t mean that you walk around with your head in the clouds. It means that you’re seeking a purpose in life and discovering fulfillment in the process. You are open to possibilities and to changing your environment. It’s hard to create something better than before if you’re hard-wired into your past or if you think that you know exactly what is right or wrong. So, lets dream together. What do you think we should achieve or aim for? Think big! How do you think it will change us, and the world? How can we break down old habits and introduce improved versions of our practices and tasks? Being a strong dreamer in a technical field shows that you are broad-minded, meaning that you have the ability to think (and think big!), you’re not scared to paint outside the lines, and much more.
2. Can you see details ?
Now we have established that you’re a dreamer. Can we now come back to the subatomic level and think about how you would execute that dream? Sure, you don’t need a detailed plan immediately, but you should be able to derive a rough outline of what is possible and identify bigger opportunities or problematic parts within it. Can you see critical components in that idea? Do you understand what parts will be difficult and what may come easily? How will you build a foundation for your idea and from what angle will you attempt to solve it? Are you able to find and analyze data to validate your dream? Don’t be a person who skims over headlines and presents these as your own ideas, despite having no concept of the actual workings. It’s easy to throw out random ideas, but having structured dreams with real-world benefits for people is something truly useful.
3. Demonstrate your success
So, you dream big and can see the structure of those dreams. Prove it! Surely you’ve done something you’re truly proud of. Tell me how you made it happen and how you changed the picture. Tell me how you failed on the road to success. Tell me about your strongest skills where you seem to naturally excel. How did you learn these skills? We want to work with smart, passionate, engaged, motivated and open people. If that describes you, then you have plenty of amazing experiences in your past to be proud of and showcase. Show that you’re not afraid to learn new things and will gladly get down to work in order to achieve your dreams.
Your mind matters
It doesn’t matter if you’re aiming for a VP or intern position, these 3 simple questions will reveal your attitude, motivation and thought process. It’s not surprising that people with well-trained minds and good motivation excel in many different areas and are not restricted by their past experience. These are the people who make the impossible happen and still keep their smile wide.
