Occasionally, CNN has some articles about job interviews, the job market, etc. The most recent one I read was entitled “9 things that seal the deal for hiring managers.” Though the title is grammatically poor and slightly confusing the article shed some interesting light for job-seekers. You can read the whole article here but here are the 9 main points that I was able to get from it:

1. Follow up: One manager said that he enjoys hearing feedback from his candidates. He enjoys getting thank you cards or follow-up emails. We’ve gotten a few thank you cards at our branch and it leaves quite the impression. Regarding the follow up this particular manager said, “shows me that they are motivated, tactful and professional.”
2. Show Personality: In interviews you don’t want to come across as boring, lifeless, and winner of “dullest person alive.” Don’t be afraid to be yourself in an interview: your potential boss needs to know who you really are and that you’re not afraid to speak your mind.
3. Ask Questions: Interviews are a great opportunity to learn more about the company you’re applying for. Ask sincere, probing questions about the company. Move beyond pay and benefits and company party traditions. Angie Nelson, one of the managers interviewd said, “By showing interest in learning more about what the job opportunity actually involves, it shows that the candidate is just as concerned about this job being the right fit for them as I am.”
4. Be Honest: Managers want to know how you’re really feeling about issues or how you’ve honestly felt about past issues. It helps them learn more about how you handle different situations. If you’re not honest up front they’ll find out after they’ve hired you which can be beneficial or detrimental.
5. Be Confident: Be confident, but not arrogant. You need to understand that there will be many applicants who are probably just as qualified as you are. Your confidence could be what sets you apart from all the other qualifying applicants.
6. Attitude and Values:  Michelle Roccia said, “A positive attitude, strong work ethic and strong values should trump more experience and skill.” Some of the other managers interviewed re-assert this view by saying the values of the candidates let them know what to expect from them while on the job.
7. Energy: If you want the job you’re applying for why not act like it? One manager said, “The fastest way to end up with a short interview and ruling yourself out from being considered is to arrive to an interview to only lack energy, give short answers and show no excitement to be there.”
8. Passion: Some managers spoke of needing to hire the right person. Along with all the other things listed, a passion for what the job entails can give you an edge over other applicants. Having a passion and desire to work for the company is ideally going to get you a lot further than just wanting the paycheck.
9. Roll With The Punches: Answer whatever question you’re given - no matter how silly it is. One manager shared the following:

For the upcoming semester we chose one intern over the others solely based on her answer to ‘If you were a candy bar, what kind would you be?’ She sat for about three seconds but didn’t think we were crazy for asking it. She smiled and said ‘I’d be a Caramello because they’re awesome and hard to find, but when you find them you get a happy feeling inside.’

Those are some awesome things that I think are very applicable. What else do you think is good to keep in mind that maybe wasn’t listed here?