Читать книгу The Way of the Wall Street Warrior - Dave Liu - Страница 34

The interview process can take several rounds and will make you feel like you're a cast member in a reality game show, fighting for a coveted role while sizing up your competition. Your mantra has to be that you don't need to outrun a bear, just the other people it's chasing.

Rick Heitzmann, one of the founders of the venture capital firm FirstMark and former Houlihan Lokey banker, remembers as a kid working at a basketball camp run by Jay Wright, now the basketball coach of Villanova. Jay would say, “How bad do you want to be good?” and would tell the campers, “If you're tired, there are others who will gladly take your spot, so work as if you want it!”

I hope the campers remembered that advice, because for many jobs there will be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of wishful sycophants just like you competing for the same position. That means from the moment you walk in the door, you've got to stand out. You've got to show them the wow and do it quickly. From the first second you meet their gaze, you'll be sized up the way a tourist inspects Michelangelo's David. (Eyes up; get your mind out of the gutter.) In an instant, you'll be judged by what you're wearing, how you behave, how gracefully you shake a hand. Your interviewer will make a snap decision about who you are, your fitness for hard work, and your moral character.

Once again, I'm not making this stuff up. It's based on science and a very specific type of bias. Which one? Initial impression bias! Please don't tell me I need to spell this one out for you.

It won't be easy to break that first impression, so be sure it's a great one. Joanne Chen, general partner at Foundation Capital and former Jefferies banker, shared her experience: “There's no way I can be the stereotypical person people expect, so I don't even try. Instead, I focus on establishing credibility by being upfront and direct about my credentials and accomplishments.”

So strut like a peacock. Come across as optimistic and enthusiastic, but also as a big thinker, self-directed, bottom line–oriented, a team member who builds confidence in others. You've got a great sense of humor; you're a motivator who accomplishes goals by working well with others; you bring fresh ideas to solving problems.

Wow, you sound great. Even I'd hire you.