Adapt Your Communication Style to the Gender of the Interviewer
In a recent commentary in The Star Ledger, I gave insight into how considering the gender of a job interviewer, and adapting your communication style to that of the gender, may help you secure that position you are applying for.
A female candidate recently was offered the opportunity to interview for a job with a large financial institution. She knew that she was going to be interviewed by two individuals, one a man and the other a woman. Her job coach suggested that she approach the male and the female differently, which she did.
When she interviewed with the male she used words like “productivity,” “ROI,” “effectiveness,” “efficiency” and “bottom line.” She focused on keeping her answers short and to the point. She sought to be “friendly but strong.” When she interviewed with the woman, however, she used words such as “team,” “helping” and “contributing.” When asked about her successes she gave examples of how she had helped her team to succeed. And examples of how she mentored others in the department who needed help. She felt that she had effectively connected with both interviewers. She also felt that the adaptation of her communication style to reflect the interviewer’s gender made a “big difference.” The result was that she received a job offer. The coach who advised her to adjust her communication style based on the gender of the interviewer was Frank De Raffele. He is co-author of the just released book, “Business Networking and Sex: It’s Not What You Think!” (McGraw Hill/ Entrepreneur Press 2012)
According to De Raffele, although “HR professionals are trained to be objective, and they generally are, if you can get them to identify with you on a deeper level, it can make the difference in getting offered the job or not.” This connection, he notes, does not necessarily happen at a conscious level. The interviewer may not know why he or she feels a strong connection with you. It can result not so much from the substance of what you say, but rather from “your communication style and showing respect for their point of view.”
To read the full article, including my commentary, visit The Star Ledger.