Resume Boutique Blog: Interview Tips for Millenials - Thoughts from a Harvard Business Review Blog Posting

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Interview Tips for Millenials - Thoughts from a Harvard Business Review Blog Posting

The Harvard Business Review Blog (HBR Blog Network) posted an interesting article on March 16, 2012, "Digital Natives Are Slow to Pick Up Nonverbal Cues." In a word, the article posits that people who have grown up using digital media (referred to as "digital natives") may lack the interpersonal skills to perform certain jobs AND may have a more difficult time interpreting non-verbal cues in interviews.

Whether or not you agree with the post, the interview tips listed in the article are sound. Here is my spin on the three tips mentioned:

Eye contact is key. It starts at the moment you walk in the elevator. Say hello to people you meet there. They could be your interviewers. Continue the eye contact with the receptionist, when you shake the interviewers' hands, and during the interview.

Emotional intelligence is powerful. That includes checking your audience and understanding the impact of your posture, hand gestures, and manner of speech.

Face-to-face communications still rule the day. The clear majority of the "digital natives" we have counseled through the interview process would rather communicate by text or email rather than by telephone or in-person. That is the way you are wired. In an interview, however, you should demonstrate you understand that face-to-face communications are the most important way to be in relationships with colleagues, particularly when a difficult issue needs to be resolved.