Why being too formal can lose you the job

I’ve interviewed hiring managers from all sorts of companies and industries Can't view this email properly? [View in Browser]() {NAME}, I’ve interviewed hiring managers from all sorts of companies and industries: tech, finance, retail, agencies… Find your dream job Chatting with hiring managers in my Find Your Dream Job program (stay tuned for more next week) Every manager says some version of the same thing: “I’m not looking for experience on paper. I’m looking for certain personal qualities.” Today, I’m going to share those exact qualities with you. The qualities hiring managers are looking for in 2024 People want to work with people they know, like, and trust. So show the following qualities in your job interviews. If you don’t, chances are you won’t get the position (or salary!) you really deserve. Show ingenuity.Managers want candidates who can think on their feet. So when you’re asked, “What would you do in this situation?”—a super common interview question—avoid the phrase “It depends” at all costs. Instead, talk through how you’d approach the problem. Even if you don’t have experience solving that problem. This shows managers you can take responsibility for any issue and that you won’t just dump issues on their doorstep for them to fix. Be enthusiastic.There’s a fine line between appearing confident and seeming indifferent. The latter can destroy your chances of getting the job. Managers want to see that you’re excited! Play it too cool, and you’ll come off like you don’t care. So even if this is your 500th job interview this year, find a way to show genuine enthusiasm. Be detail-oriented.Communication is key to basically every job. So if your resume, cover letter, or post-interview email contains errors, you’ll come off as unforgivably sloppy. (PLEASE, spell the interviewer’s name right in the email!) Know your environment.Being too informal in certain environments can cost you the job. But so can being too formal! One manager I talked to liked a candidate after spending the day with her…then dismissed her from consideration. Why? Because she sent a follow-up email starting with “Dear Mr. So-and-so.” This proved she didn’t gel with that company’s relaxed approach. In interviews, pay attention to the company culture and environment. Is everyone wearing T-shirts and talking over each other? Match that casual vibe. Is the whole Zoom meeting dressed in blazers and staying silent while the Big Boss makes a speech? Button yourself back up. Ramit and his IWT team The IWT team dressed up for the launch of my Netflix show, “[How to Get Rich](),” but normally we dress for comfort Is it bad to be visibly nervous? Surprisingly, one of the managers I interviewed said he appreciates when a candidate is visibly nervous in a high-stakes situation. In his particular case, candidates had to present in front of a group—including their competitors—for the job. This manager remembered one candidate who was well-dressed, enthusiastic…and super nervous. And that was a good thing! “It shows to me that he cares about what’s going on, that he really wants the job, that he understands the gravity of the situation,” said the manager. Now, you don’t want to be so nervous that you’re dripping sweat and shaking. But a small amount of visible anxiety can build trust because it shows you’re taking the interview seriously. (By the way, if you’re anxious during job interviews, [you’re in the majority]().) How to ace your next interview Before I give you one of my best interview tips, let me clarify why using this approach matters so much: The hiring manager’s job is to find the best person for this position. But their job is ALSO to make sure they’re not hiring the wrong person. Hiring the wrong person costs an *enormous* amount of money—from the labor costs to find and interview candidates, to paying the new hire’s salary, to scrambling to replace them with expensive contractors or temporary help when the new hire inevitably leaves or gets fired. Ramit face palm So when you go in for the interview (whether you’re hitting the green “Answer Call” button on your phone or walking into an IRL office wearing a blazer), you need to go on the offensive. Instead of playing defense against questions like, “What’s your biggest weakness?” show the risk-averse hiring manager exactly how you plan to excel in the role. You can even invite them to describe what excellence would look like! I call this “co-creating your own success.” Better yet, come in with a timelined plan to help them reach their business goals. Most managers prefer to tweak and edit someone else’s work instead of having to start from scratch. ([This technique earned one of my students an $80,000 raise]().) If you can show a hiring manager that you’ve thought about what the business needs, you’re showing them that you plan to stick around. They’re not going to have to replace you in six weeks while their own manager yells at them about doing better vetting. Plus, by previewing how you’ll perform, you’re helping them picture you in the role. Since 99% of people will just be crossing their fingers and hoping to get through the interview, this simple act of preparation automatically puts you ahead of the pack. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how interview techniques like this could help you invest $1 million more over the course of your career. [Signature] P.S. You can also use this interview approach to get a raise at your current job. More on that tomorrow. [Programs]() [Podcast]() [Netflix show]() [Books]() [Website]() [IG]() [in]() [X]() [YT]() Was this forwarded to you? [Sign up here](). 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