I am sure that their attitude towards the interview process started out positively but, several interviews later with no successful offers, things have changed.

When I spoke to them, I could feel desperation oozing over the phone lines. And if I can feel it then prospective employers can feel it as well.

Subconsciously when employers pick up on this type of energy during an interview they are turned off. They begin to look for ways to disqualify you without even realizing they are doing so.

It reminds me of Donkey in the first Shrek movie when, in response to Shrek asking where he can find Lord Farquaad, Donkey jumps up and down yelling, “Me. Me! Oh, oh. Pick me! Oh I know! I know! Me!

Shrek, needless to say, is a bit annoyed. He wants to pick anyone but Donkey. In this case, Donkey was the only one who volunteered so Shrek had to pick him.  Not so in interview situations. Companies will keep looking when they are not feeling it.

Up Sh*t’s Creek with “Graspy” Energy

When you are on a job search it can feel like that is what you need to do. Jump up and down, waving your arms to get the company to notice you. To see your value. To pick you.  This is what I call “graspy” energy.

“Graspy” energy is fear-based. Your body tightens up when you are in “graspy” energy. Your listening ears get turned way down so you are unable to hear the interviewers questions.

Instead you start spewing all your career highlights using up 15 of the 30 precious minutes set aside for the interview. The interviewer never gets all their questions answered and wonders who is interviewing who.

It’s as if you are paddling upstream doing whatever you can to get where you want to go even as you exhaust yourself.  The interviewer and you watch as the tide of opportunity turns against you.

Let the Island Come to You

I had another client who recently landed her dream job. She has been open to a new role for a while now and would spend time applying to jobs that seemed interesting. She approached each interview prepared and curious.

She responded to the questions the company asked and asked questions so she could make an informed decision about whether the company and role were right for her. And when it was not a match, either from the company side or her side, it was OK.

She trusted that she was being guided to where she was meant to be.

Then it happened. A company reached out to her on LinkedIn and wanted an interview. The job looked amazing! Location, role, industry, company size and compensation all fit in line with the next role she was hoping to move into.

She was excited. She really wanted the role, but she knew that she had to let go of any “graspy” energy and be in the flow of the process.

She prepared and asked good questions, she listened to what they were looking to accomplish and showed how her past experience aligned with where they were going.

An offer came in and, after some “non-graspy” negotiation, she accepted her dream job.  She could not be happier.

The island had come to her.

Are you ready to put your canoe in the water and let your next great career island come you?  Sign up for Your Future Now to make it happen.