The Mind Reading Syndrome

An interview is a chance to probe who the best candidate for a job is, isn’t it?, so what happens when you believe to be that perfect match and once you leave the interview you never get a call back.
It may sound quite too much when you hear ‘prepare, prepare and prepare’ for the interview as it seems obvious, but in real life most people seem to prepare in their minds while going through their different resume versions and job description and never really rehearsing or role playing for the interview, hoping as a result what I will name as the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ outcome.
Now, take a look at some questions I’d like you to ask yourself to check whether you are a ‘mind-reading syndrome’ victim:

1. When you go to an interview, you:
a. Hope the interviewer will ask the easy open questions that provide the best freedom to choose what to say at your best
b. Dress for success and hope they like what they see
c. Have clarity on the key professional Brand messages you are ready to sell
2. When talking to the interviewer, you:
a. Focus in telling your story
b. Listen to what the interviewer wants to know and read between lines
c. Ask proactive questions that show how prepare you are for the interview and the job
d. Share some personal stories ‘to connect’ to him/her
3. When leaving the interview, you:
a. Shake hands, thank the interviewer and leave the office hoping for the best
b. Do not leave the place until you have clarity on the next steps, decision making process and feedback on your own questions regarding the open position relationship map and career development for it
c. Go straight back home to send that thank you letter that will put you on the right spot

Now, what do you think? Have you got what it takes to learn from the experience and figure out what happened to that perfect job you were so ready for but never heard anything back on? Are you doing your homework to verbalize while role-playing with one of your allies what you’ve got to tell while in the interview? Have you identified what distinguishes you from the other candidates? Have you done your research on the company, networked among your key contacts stories about its corporate culture, business dynamics and decision making process? Have you worked on your virtual brand to ensure once you are done the interviewer will find a remarkable profile on the web that tells a positive story about your track record with referrals included (e.g. LinkedIn)? Are you ready to thank the ones that not just interviewed you but potentially referred you to it?

So, what about switching for a minute the syndrome and making it your responsibility, so then you are so prepared in a way that gets you to proactively respond with tangible and concise examples what makes you not only competent for that job but a perfect fit for it.
And what if that calls you never got did not have anything to do with you but with the fact that there may have been another preferred candidate selected?
The fact is that I could give you lots of excuses (or reasons) to push you to be under the ‘mind-reading syndrome’ for a looong time, but I will do you a favor and just tell you that learning from your own stories and growing your Brand in between will not make you a mind-reader but a successful job seeker that knows how to move on to get to a goal and achieve a career vision.

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.“- Moliere

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.“ William Feather