What interviewers want from job seekers

But there are some things interviewers would love to tell job candidates before the interview starts.

1. “I really want you to stand out.”

A sad truth of interviewing is that later we often don’t recall, unless we refer to our notes, a tremendous amount about some of the candidates. (Unfair? Sure. Reality? Absolutely.)

That means the more people we interview for a job and the more spread out those interviews, the more likely we are to remember certain candidates by impressions rather than by a long list of facts.

So, when we meet with other people to discuss and decide on the best candidate, we might initially refer to someone as, “the guy with the purple suede shoes,” or “the woman who rides dressage,” or “the Duke grad who speaks four languages.”

In short, we may remember you by “hooks”-whether flattering or unflattering-so use that to your advantage. Though your hook could be your clothing, an outside interest or an unusual fact about your upbringing or career, a much better hook is the project you pulled off in half the expected time or the improbably huge sale you made.