Corporate White-collar Growth Notes -- The Workplace Game Plan Your Boss and Colleagues Won't Tell You

Author: Wu Yu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
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—your expressions hold the key to a bright future.
A hiring manager once shared an example. He had encountered a highly successful candidate who was a fresh graduate—a well-liked, cheerful young man who always wore a gentle smile, whether he was speaking or not. The hiring manager said, "Although his performance wasn’t outstanding, for some reason, he was impossible to refuse. I always felt comfortable talking to him." In fact, it wasn’t just him who felt this way—the other interviewers did too. It’s no surprise that the boy was hired smoothly. His abilities weren’t exceptional, but many people enjoyed working with him because he always had a warm, gentle smile, making others feel at ease around him.
If you were the hiring manager, 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 be stingy with your smiles. At this moment, your smile not only conveys a relaxed message to the interviewer but also helps calm your own nerves. "I’ve tried my best in life, and 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’re more likely to accept you.
Beyond smiles, eye contact is also crucial. Good actors often use their eyes to speak. The same goes for 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 reflecting on his interview experiences, he said he learned something valuable from each attempt.
First interview: He was well-prepared but, when answering the interviewer’s questions, he gazed thoughtfully at a corner before speaking his mind. The result? He wasn’t hired. Later, when he showed his answers to his family, his sister said, "Why do you look so indifferent?" He realized he hadn’t made eye contact while speaking, making his carefully prepared answers seem disinterested.
Second interview: He paid attention to this issue, looking sincerely into the interviewer’s eyes and answering each question thoughtfully. Unfortunately, there were two interviewers, and he focused only on one, completely forgetting the other. Predictably, he wasn’t hired again. After returning home, his classmates asked him how many interviewers there were, and only then did he realize he had ignored the other one entirely.
Third interview: With the lessons from the first two attempts, this time, his eye contact with the interviewers was just right. When asked a technical question, he wasn’t sure 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. His lack of confidence cost him the opportunity.
Fourth interview: Xiaolu was fully prepared. This time, he avoided the mistakes from the previous three attempts. Even when he wasn’t sure about the answers to some questions, he expressed his opinions with confident eye contact 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