White-collar growth notes from foreign companies

Author: Wu Yu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Who pays for dinner when you get a promotion? Is it strategic thinking or being genuine? How to subtly distance yourself from office politics? What aspects do colleagues and bosses pay attention to? How to skillfully use snack diplomacy and sandwich-style communication techniques? Who pays for dinner when you get a promotion? Is it strategic thinking or being genuine? How to subtly distance yourself from office politics? What aspects do colleagues and bosses pay attention to? How to skillfully use snack diplomacy and sandwich-style communication techniques?
Smiles and eye contact reveal your future prospects
A hiring manager once shared an example. He had encountered a successful candidate who was a fresh graduate—a well-liked, cheerful boy who always wore a warm smile, making him seem gentle and approachable whether he spoke or not. The hiring manager said that although his performance wasn’t outstanding, he couldn’t help but feel drawn to him, as talking to him was always a comfortable experience. In fact, it wasn’t just him; other interviewers felt the same way. It’s no wonder this boy was hired smoothly. His abilities weren’t exceptional, but many people enjoyed working with him because he always had a gentle smile, making him seem stress-free to be around.
If you were the interviewer, would you prefer a candidate with a downturned mouth and a stern expression, or one who smiles and appears confident and cheerful? The answer is obvious. Don’t hold back your smiles. At this moment, your smile not only conveys a relaxed message to the interviewer but also helps you maintain a calmer mindset. "I’ve tried my best in life, success or failure doesn’t matter." Remember, your smile is also part of your effort. People are like mirrors to one another—your smile can bring others a good mood. When others are in a good mood, they are more likely to accept you.
Beyond smiles, eye communication is also crucial. Good actors often use their eyes to convey messages. The same applies to interviews. Maintaining appropriate eye contact with the interviewer is essential. My friend Xiaolu deeply understands this. He interviewed three times before finally succeeding on his fourth. When summarizing his interview experiences, he said he gained something from each attempt.
First interview: He was well-prepared but appeared distracted when answering questions, looking thoughtfully at a corner before speaking his mind. The result was unsuccessful. Later, when he showed his answers to his family, his sister remarked, "Why do you look so indifferent?" He realized he hadn’t made eye contact with the interviewer, making his carefully prepared answers seem disengaged.
Second interview: He paid attention to this issue, looking sincerely at the interviewer and answering each question thoughtfully. However, he only focused on one interviewer and completely forgot about the other. The outcome was, of course, another failure. After returning home, his classmates asked him how many interviewers there were, and only then did he realize he had ignored the second one entirely.
Third interview: With the lessons from the first two attempts, this time, his eye contact with the interviewer was just right. When asked a technical question, he felt unsure about the answer and lowered his gaze, hesitantly sharing his thoughts. As soon as he left the company, he knew he hadn’t made it, because his lack of confidence cost him the opportunity.
Fourth interview: When the chance came again, Xiaolu was fully prepared. This time, he avoided the mistakes of the previous three attempts. Even when he wasn’t sure about the answers to some questions, he expressed his opinions with confident eyes and a firm tone. This time, he finally succeeded.
Eyes are the windows of the soul. Let the interviewer feel your sincerity and confidence through eye contact, and your interview is halfway to success. P13-15