Being authentic in yourself: How to show “your true self” in a competitive marketplace

Wearing different hats through taking on lots of different responsibilities, shifting between our home lives, office environments and social activities etc. can lead us to create an impression that we believe we should be portraying.
 
Do you feel that you leave part of yourself at the door when you walk into a work environment?
 
Do you change your style to suit your manager or your fellow colleagues?
 
Is your organisations’ culture expect you to perform and behave in a certain way?
 
Many clients I have worked with over the last few years often state the same things when we first start working together … they don’t feel able to truly show themselves either at work or during an interview.
 
As Henry David Thoreau said “Be yourself – not your idea of what you think somebody else’s ideas of yourself should be”.
 
Being true to yourself through your thoughts, words and actions and having these three areas match each other is critical in an interview.
 
Whilst it is normal to try to create an “interview persona” as you think this will allow you to “fit” in with the organisation or with the interviewer you are only setting yourself up for a fail. 
 
Of course, it is important to strike the right balance between being professional but also remain true to yourself.
 
So what do you need to do to ensure you remain authentic throughout an interview process?
 
Demonstrate the real you
An interviewer is assessing whether you would be a cultural fit for their department and the wider organisation.  Putting a false mask on distorts this image and may lead to you struggling with your fit with the team should you end up being selected for the role and is often the reason why people end up leaving.  You wouldn’t want to work for somewhere that makes you question your personal values so why would you work for somewhere that does?
 
It can be quite exhausting too if you are trying to portray a different image.  Instead focus on showing your “why” in terms of your strengths, skills and expertise, whilst gauging whether the organisation is truly for you.
 
Remember to think back to your research that you completed during your interview preparation how would you fit into the organisation?
 
Weave your personality into your responses to interview questions.  Think about how you handle situations e.g. focusing on solutions rather than seeing a problem as a mountain to climb, having a positive attitude to situations etc.
 
An interviewer wants to know how you would react in certain situations.  They don’t want to select you for the role only for you to sink very quickly.
 
Keep your nerves under control
Try and get yourself into a positive mentality before an interview.  Remember an interview is a 2-way process not an interrogation.  It is perfectly acceptable to take a moment before responding.  Think about how you want to come across, try not to show your nerves.  Adrenaline that is realised during strange or awkward situations can be tamed.
 
You don’t need to put on a mask during an interview, show the real you!
 
Preparation is key!
You want to make a good first impression but don’t try too hard.  When you are preoccupied with giving the “perfect” answer you often fail to demonstrate to the interview your true personality. 
 
It is important not to over-rehearse for your interview.  If you recite a “perfect” answer you run the risk of sounding like a robot and missing the point of the question, indeed you could go off on a tangent which could actually lose the interview.  To avoid this happening, write down the key pointers for each competency using bullet points to help jog your memory.  This will then allow you to create a natural response during the interview.
 
Focus on why this opportunity is for you
What is it about the opportunity that sparks an interview or joy for you? It could be the mission, values, people or projects.  Weave this into your interview to show that you have a real passion for the organisation and your true self will naturally come through.
 
Don’t try to be perfect!
Employers are much more interested in someone who recognises their development areas or acknowledges any past mistakes rather than a candidate who pretends that they are perfect.  Afterall we are all human and no-one can be perfect!
 
In conclusion,
 
Give yourself permission to be your authentic self.  Show an interviewer that you understand the role, the organisation and that you genuinely are interested in the role.  Use the interview as an opportunity to show what you would truly be like to work with.
 
#authenticity #interviewtips #interviewing #benatural