As you observe and interpret body language, remember that each separate signal may not be a definitive indicator of a person's emotions. Different people have their own mannerisms or habits, so it is best to evaluate clusters or groups of signals to decipher the true message.
In an interview, it may be particularly helpful to monitor not only your own but also the interviewer's body language, for instant feedback on how you're doing. If you receive positive signals while discussing a certain area, continue talking in the same vein. If you detect negative signals, try to modify your approach. You may find, too, that the interviewer begins to imitate your signals. For example, when you lean forward, the interviewer may do the same. This copying of signals usually indicates agreement, and you may even encourage a good reaction from the interviewer by subtly copying his or her signals.
Nontraditional Ways to Gain Access to an Interview
Occasionally the job hunter needs to try something unique to get a foot in the door. While networking, telephone calls, and letters are the traditional approaches to securing an interview, you may reach the point where you're ready to become more creative and more aggressive.
A warning: not all employers endorse these approaches. Consider how conservative your career field is, what traditional methods you haven't yet tried, and what you have to lose. Remember, too, that some career experts swear unorthodox approaches are the best. Use your best judgment, and when you've carefully considered your options, make a plan.
- Go to the work place carrying a tray of food or a box of doughnuts. Tell the receptionist you don't want your name announced to the person you want to see because you really want your visit to be a surprise. The combination of the food and the implication that you're an acquaintance works wonders in getting you in the door. Once inside, introduce your-self and make your pitch.
- Send your resume to the person you'd like to work for via an express mail service or courier marked "Personal and confidential."
- Get creative with your resume. Make it very large or very small, make a puzzle out of it, or print it on neon orange paper. In your cover letter, explain your unusual presentation. For example, you might start out, "I'm the piece of the puzzle Brown, Incorporated, has been looking for." Accompany a tiny resume with a letter that begins, "Sometimes it's easy to overlook the obvious choice."
- Walk right into the employer's office. Sometimes an office is so busy that if you enter through the employees' entrance and dress and act as if you belong, you can gain instant access to a key person. Go early in the morning or late in the evening when the receptionist has left.
- Send a videotaped resume.
- Walk in front of the company wearing a sandwich board listing your qualifications.
- Create a business card giving your name, phone number, and a few of your best qualifications. When you meet potential contacts, give thorn your card.
- Put a "position wanted" ad in the newspaper.
- Send balloons or flowers to the employer with a note containing your name and number or a clever message.
- Learn whether the prospective employer belongs to any local clubs or organizations. Go to a meeting and introduce yourself.
- Wait outside the office or office building until the person you want to meet comes out. Walk him or her to the parking lot or bus stop.
- Find out which car belongs to the person who might hire you and put your resume- on the windshield.
- Rent an airplane to carry a banner message to the employer.
- Send a singing telegram about your name or qualifications.
- Send a series of postcards. The first might read, "Wish I was there." Send more information on each one.
- Learn what the employer's hobby is. Send an appropriate item. For example, you might send an avid sailor a model sailboat. You may need to enlist the aid of a secretary to find out this information. These small gifts might also be more appropriate after the interview.
- Send an object related to your name. Reginald King might send a crown; Dawn Greenleaf might send a pressed, four-leaf clover.
- Send a photograph with your resume printed on the reverse.
- Send an unusual object with an explanation. For example, send some shoelaces with a note that reads, "I'm sorry you've been tied up, but could we get off on the right foot?" Send a jar of cinnamon with a few words about how you can add spice to the company.
Brainstorm three to five other methods that might be suitable for your career field or position. Write them here.
When you've committed yourself to one of these guerilla tactics, carry it off with confidence and enthusiasm. It may turn out to be the most profitable and memorable of your job-hunting experiences.
