Job hunting is an exhausting task. The constant skimming through hundreds of job descriptions, refining CVs, and writing long cover letters have now become the ritual for job hunters. However, there is a new factor that interviewers now take into consideration – the emotional intelligence of the candidates.
Emotional intelligence is your ability to understand your emotions to make better decisions, and is considered to be one of the most important Interview Skills. In this context, the interviewers test how high your emotional intelligence is to understand how cooperative you will be while working in a team.
In this blog, we will take a look at the various aspects of emotional intelligence that makes it an important criteria in job interviews today. We will also look at the various ways through which you can effectively demonstrate your emotional intelligence. Let us begin!
What Are The Five Components Of Emotional Intelligence, And Why Are They Important In Job Interviews?
1. Being Self-Aware
One of the most important criteria of emotional intelligence is being aware of your own emotions and capabilities. For instance, if you are working on an important project but are ignorant of your weaknesses, you might end up compromising the outcome significantly.
This is why recruiters look for the quality of self-awareness in job interviews. A candidate who is more familiar with their abilities and shortcomings is more likely to use that knowledge in future projects, thus eliminating any potential blunders in the workplace.
2. Self-Regulation
There is no point in being aware of your emotions if you can’t regulate them well. Hence, the second component of emotional intelligence is self-regulation – and it is highly sought-after in job interviews. The extent to which you can control intense emotions affects how you react in tough situations, which can be an asset for whichever company you choose to work for.
For instance, imagine you are giving a presentation and a co-worker gives his opinion – which is not something that aligns with your ideas. Instead of putting him down for thinking differently, your high emotional intelligence would allow you to suppress any kind of extreme reaction. An emotionally intelligent person would stay calm, take relevant points from their co-worker’s ideas, and then present them such that no one feels less than the other.
3. Being Motivated
The aspect of motivation is yet another important factor when we talk about why recruiters today assess the emotional intelligence of candidates. It refers to the urge of wanting to do something passionately and can be a great asset in the workplace.
For instance, if you are motivated towards building a successful project, it is obvious that you would put your best in every step that you take while working on it. How motivated you are as a person allows the interviewer to understand how likely you are to work passionately in the office as well.
4. Empathizing
Being good in your field is not enough to secure a good job today. Since almost every role requires you to communicate and engage with people, it is crucial for interviewers to look for Interview Skills like empathy in the candidates.
Empathy is the ability to identify and comprehend the emotions of those around you. Hence, if you are meeting a new client and want to crack a deal, the company would want you to be empathetic toward the needs of the client to make them feel comfortable enough to sign the deal. Similarly, high empathy also allows people to cooperate better with their co-workers when they need support in tough times.
5. Socializing
Working in the corporate field requires you to network and build connections. Hence, job interviewers also look for the component of social skills under emotional intelligence. If you are an effective communicator and can respect everyone, you will most likely be liked by everyone around you. This can help you to cooperate better with your colleagues and leaders, thus boosting the overall productivity of the workplace.
How To Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence In Job Interviews?
1. Listen Actively
While it is understandable that reciting your memorized answers instantly might seem like the most comfortable option during a job interview, it is strongly suggested that you do not. One of the major signs of being emotionally intelligent is being an active listener, i.e., paying attention to every word that your interviewer speaks. Once you are clear with the question, tailor your answer to fit well to the context for the best impact.
2. Be Genuine
Let us face it – job interviewers skim through hundreds of job applications in one stretch. Hence, being a parrot and repeating generic answers that your interviewer has probably come across thousands of times before is of no use. Instead, try being as genuine and authentic as possible. Talk about your passion for the job, what makes you stand out as a candidate, and how your experience in the field makes you perfect for the role.
3. Discuss Growth
Most interviewers ask the golden question, “What is your biggest weakness?”. Instead of moving ahead with the most popular “I am a perfectionist and commit way too much to my work”, this would be the perfect time to discuss your growth.
While you may feel uncomfortable as you discuss your past mistakes, you can take this opportunity to talk about how you have improved yourself. Talk about how you have learned from your weakness and the mistakes that you committed in the past in workplaces. You can also talk about where you stand today, and how much you have outgrown your weakness.
Conclusion
With the rapid development in almost every field today, companies do not just need employees that work like machines. Instead, they need intelligent humans who can make smart decisions and cooperate well with their colleagues and/or clients. If you have an important job interview lined up and want to brush up on Interview Skills like emotional intelligence and effective communication, you should consider checking out Orator Academy. It is one of the best platforms to become a better speaker, so visit their website today!
