The 4 Best Ways To Land A Good Job

Naomi Cahn

I recently interviewed an applicant for a job. Her cover letter showed that she had spent time thinking about what the position would require, that she had relevant experience, and that she was excited about the work. When I asked about her work habits, she explained that she was an organizer, who asked lots of questions about the work. After we spoke, she wrote me a follow-up thank you email that arrived in my inbox less than an hour after the interview ended. 

I hired her.

With 21 million people unemployed, finding a new job has become a job. People looking for work receive conflicting advice: use LinkedIn, don’t post updates on LinkedIn, be yourself, or cater to what you think the employer wants.

Here’s what some of the latest research tells us about the best ways to find a new job. 

1. Authenticity. It turns out that being honest and true to yourself is a better strategy than turning yourself inside out to cater to what you think an employer wants. In a new study — To be or not to be your authentic self? Catering to others’ preferences hinders performance — researchers from Harvard Business School and UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School asked participants to imagine that they were applying for a job and needed to prepare a two- to three-minute video about themselves and the job. Some participants were told to cater the videos to what they thought would meet the expectations of the interviewers, some were told to just be themselves, while a third group was not given specific instructions. 

The “caterers” not only experienced greater anxiety, but they were less likely to be hired than those who were told be authentic.  As Francesco Gino, one of the study authors explained recently,  the desire to present ourselves accurately leads us to communicate in a more fluid way about who we are – and so that means that others see us as more genuine.  Think about how much easier it is to be yourself than the person you think the interviewer wants to meet. And then be authentic: that will make you feel and do better. 

The “caterers” not only experienced greater anxiety, but they were less likely to be hired than those who were told be authentic.  As Francesco Gino, one of the study authors explained recently,  the desire to present ourselves accurately leads us to communicate in a more fluid way about who we are – and so that means that others see us as more genuine.  Think about how much easier it is to be yourself than the person you think the interviewer wants to meet. And then be authentic: that will make you feel and do better. 

4.      Making a decision.  Remember that not only is the interviewer examining you, but you are interviewing the position to see if it is the right one for you. Ask questions as they come up during the interview if you have them. Scary as they may be, interviewers are people too. Trust yourself, and, as organizational psychologist Adam Grant notes in Tim Herrera’s Smarter Living New York Times column: “Listen to the advice you give to others. It’s usually the advice you need to take yourself.”

Finding a new job at any point can be daunting, and trying to do so during a pandemic can be even more difficult. But there are jobs out there, and there are strategies to help you get one.

See all 4 ways and the complete Forbes article