#001 The Importance and Know-How of Emotional Intelligence(EI) during a Job Interview

I still remember the time when I had to fill a critical project manager position for my company. The hiring manager from the technical team and I were juggling the three shortlisted candidates who reached the final stage of interview. Since all three of them showcased the same level of technical expertise, their emotional intelligence became the deciding factor in determining which of them received the position.

This reminds me of the saying of Daniel Goleman, who is a science journalist, a psychologist, and the author of Working with Emotional Intelligence, “For better or worse, intelligence can come to nothing when the emotions hold sway.”

This means people who do not process their emotions rationally will not get far, no matter how technically smart they are, and—in fact—most companies demand that their employees weigh equally in terms of technical and emotional intelligence. In other words, you will not be able to advance your career to a great extent with either of these two alone.

Therefore, showing high EI is the need of the hour for individuals and for organizations alike. Emotional intelligence (EI) is another name for Emotional Quotient (EQ) or Soft Skills. I will be using Emotional Intelligence or EI interchangeably throughout my article.

EI is used in almost all situations; however, I am going to limit my discussion on EI to address three main ideas. First, how important EI is to employers; second, how they assess EI during the interview, and third, how you as a candidate can hone your EI skills to outperform in an interview.

Before we get into details, let’s understand what EI is all about.

According to studies, Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, manage and express our emotions and to be able to be aware of and manage the emotions of others.

There is no doubt that showing EI traits is important at every level of your career for advancement, right from when you start your career to the leadership position. However, exhibiting high EI is inevitable for the managers and C-suite level because how they guide, influence and lead others, sets the tone for the company.

So, first things first: why is EI important to employers?

Studies have shown increasing globalization, and a diverse workforce makes most employers assess candidates, not only in terms of how they fit in the company culture, but also how this would reduce unwanted turnover at all levels.

After knowing why it is important for the employers to know, next would be: how do they assess EI in candidates?

Research has shown that most companies ask behavioral or scenario-based questions during job interviews, which are set on their core values. Interviewers are interested to know the specific situation, the task you carried out, the action you took, and the result that happened with relevant follow-up questions to assess how you, the potential employee, would perform in future.

A candidate’s evaluation is based upon the five elements of Emotional Intelligence, which are derived by the Daniel Goleman.

1. If candidates are self-aware about their strengths and weaknesses.

2. If they self-regulate by thinking before acting in any situation.

3. If they are motivated in whatever they do.

4. If they empathize with others and avoid judging others too quickly.

5. If they connect socially to help others develop and manage relationships.

Now that we know how much value employers give to EI, let us talk about ten ways to hone your EI skills for either online video or in-person job interviews.

It is proven that you improve on your EI skills with constant practice over a period of time and adhere to them through experience. These are not new skills, but sometimes we forget to pick up one or the other. They are:

1. Show your gestures by making eye contact with an interviewer and nod your head and smile occasionally. Put your cell phone in silence mode to avoid any distractions.

2. Do not think while the speaker is talking to you. Listen to an interviewer mindfully to respond to their question in a better way. Also, you may paraphrase to let them know that you understood whatever that was being said or asked. This way you connect better with the interviewer.

3. Have open and frank conversations with an interviewer. They love to listen to your responses to their questions with supported evidence. Be proactive in narrating your past experiences with specific situations and highlight the positive results you achieved out of them. Your compelling stories should always be tied to the job you are applying for.

4. Have a positive attitude towards the position you are looking forward to seeing yourself in. This reduces stress and helps you perform better during the interview.

5. Share how you are developing yourself. Talk about the skills you are working on to advance your career. For example, if you are taking up any certifications related to your field. This shows you are self-motivated.

6. If you are asked about any assignment you are proud of, then do not forget to highlight the members you worked with. This gives you the credibility of being a great team player.

7. Let an interviewer know that you learn from your mistakes and what you would have done differently in that situation.

8. Talk about a workplace conflict if asked. Show how you empathized with your colleague and communicated in the situation to resolve the matter. Give an anecdote for emphasis!

9. Show you are flexible and embrace change positively when an interviewer is assessing you on your flexibility. Tell them the related experience that happened at the workplace.

10. An interview is a two-way conversation between a candidate and an interviewer. You should ask questions thoughtfully in between or particularly towards the end of the interview. For instance, learn about the company’s culture and what will be the company’s expectations for you, or how your performance will be measured if they decide to hire you.

In a nutshell, if you want to move up the career ladder, emotional intelligence is a crucial asset to showcase in an interview.