The Extroverted Job Hunter – Pros and Cons

If you’re an extrovert you enjoy certain advantages when interviewing for a job, but you also need to be aware of potential liabilities.  Let’s explore…

Perhaps your biggest advantage is your ease with meeting new people or being in new situations.  Remember, employers look for a good combination of competency and culture fit when hiring.  With an outgoing person, the employer has a bit of an easier time assessing whether you’ll ‘fit in.’

Let’s face it.  It’s easier to “sell yourself” to someone if conversation comes more readily.  But don’t overdo it.

By that I mean don’t take over the conversation.  Let the interviewer complete their sentences.  Look for non-verbal cues to know when you might be talking too long.  As any good salesperson will tell you, it’s easy to talk yourself out of the sale.  Be enthusiastic and engaging, but not overbearing.

Extroverts can tend to work well where collaboration is required.  I’m sure you can come up with examples of how you’ve worked with others.  But what if this job doesn’t require collaboration?  Can you point to times where you’ve worked alone?  As a side note, is that the sort of job you’d even want?

Have you done your homework on the company?  Too often extroverts will look to win the day based on their personality – and not their attention to detail.  Instead of “winging it,” go in prepared.

As I often say, it’s a big world out there… with many different personalities, views, etc.  If we recognize our personality traits, we can use them to our advantage.  By the same token, understanding where we might be vulnerable can help us to devote energies to shoring up those areas.

No candidate and, for that matter, no job is perfect.  Go into the interview prepared and with your eyes wide open.  Good luck!