Should I bother going for this job at all?
Ive never managed anyone.
Clients regularly ask this and my answer tends to be, Yes, of course you should.
A quick glance at a job spec will tell you why.
Good managers are, first and foremost, good communicators.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Good managers are observant.
They constantly monitor progress to see to it the team meets its objectives.
Can you prove you’re free to do any of this?
I bet the answer is yes.
This was particularly evident during the pandemic.
These are the key elements of emotional intelligence.
And more interview panels are interested in the candidates who prove they have it.
They may question you about a time something went wrong and the lessons you learned from that experience.
What precisely are they looking for?
What problems do they have?
What issues do they need to address?
Dont wait for them to ask if you could do it.
You have a lot more control in an interview process than you think you do.
And there are certain stages at which it’s possible for you to seize the opportunity to do this.
is a great way to pitch yourself directly into the role.
Avoid a meandering description of your lifes journey to this point.
Identify instead whats most relevant to them and present that in three evidence-based points.
Anticipate this need and present them with evidence to prove it’s possible for you to address it.
The second opportunity that shouldnt be missed is when answering skills-based questions.
Tell them why your ability to communicate clearly and calmly is going to benefit you as a manager.
For instance, when it’s crucial that you have conversations around underperformance with direct reports.
Thirdly, prepare to terminate the interview with impact.
Dont reply by interrogating them as to when you should expect to hear back from HR.
Or responding with an abrupt no.
