How to easily exude (the right amount of) confidence when recruiting

Published: September 13, 2013

We are so excited we get to bring you back to campus multiple times a year to speak to our students – they love your energy and your powerful advice every time!

Maureen Manion-Leone Senior Director, Career Management Center Emory University – Goizueta Business School, Georgia

It’s clear that you need to exude confidence when interacting with Recruiters and Influential Individuals.  However, this can typically be difficult for engineers or people who don’t have much sales experience.  This is also typically difficult for international candidates who come from cultures that are not used to “boasting their accomplishments.”

Often, those with a “sales” background can be seen as being too much of the “salesman” and come across as ingenuine.  Recruiters wonder… is s/he just talking the talk?  Can s/he really walk the walk?  There is a fine line between confident and cocky.

So, how can you figure out how to exude the right amount of confidence? Leverage the mini-assessment I’ve outline below:

Assess each interaction you plan to have from the Recruiter’s viewpoint.  How can you figure out what the Recruiter is thinking?  Having been a recruiter of top candidates for over 4 years, let me give you a little industry insight: When an Influential Individual or Recruiter assesses you, they will ask questions like:

  • Will this candidate perform well in the position?
  • Will they impress clients/senior leadership?
  • Will they become a leader at the firm?

So what do you need to do?

Practice your 30-second pitch in the mirror.

Practice your behavioral interview questions with classmates or colleagues.

Practice articulating your story with a mentor or coach.

Perform a self –assessment, get feedback from others, and rate yourself… would you answer yes to those questions if YOU were the recruiter?

Only by practicing and being self-aware can you really convey “true confidence” when interacting with Recruiters or Influential Individuals.  And remember, since each networking interaction will directly impact your reputation, its worth taking the time to practice, prepare, and perform this mini-self-assessment.

I recommend starting by finding 1 person you trust to practice with first and get their honest feedback.  See how you rate, and how much more work you need to do so that you can articulate your story with ease.

If you’d like more information/support on this topic, download my new book for FREE on my website, its called “The Rockstar Approach: A Beginner’s Guide” and it will get you started down the right path to success.  For more details and some actual examples, check out my original book “The MBA Guide to Networking Like a Rockstar”.

Practice your “true confidence” and you will make the right impression to get that dream job!