The A(uthenticity) of CASE

If I had to list the four components of CASE in order of importance, Authenticity would undoubtedly top the list! I can’t stress enough the necessity of being authentic and genuine in interactions. Even though recruiters rank it as the most desirable skill to have, it is still one of the least common to find.

This is because the incentives are so misaligned!

When it comes to networking, info (informational) sessions, info interviews or real interviews, the candidate with the best interpersonal skills usually stands out. These candidates have an air of vibrancy around them, have an ability to make people laugh, sound witty and are fun to be around. They ultimately land “the most likeable” title almost instantly!

These skills require high confidence, tons of practice and to some extent, innate abilities. The results of these skills are huge: instant recognition, reward, and the candidate almost always makes the cut! It is therefore not surprising, that every student is adopting these skills rampantly, almost imitating the behavior. However, we know what the ramifications are with imitation: the behavior is not genuine or sincere! Worse, guess who gets the short end of the stick? The person who is actually genuine.

Now coming back to the first statement of the post, I would like to tell you why I consider authenticity to be THE most important factor in your success.

Most MBA candidates are on an equal playing ground in terms of their skills. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be in an MBA school in the first place. If not skills, what differentiates one student from another? PERSONAL SKILLS. Period. I didn’t say soft skills for a reason. I believe soft skills can be learned and acquired over time. However, personal skills are unique and inherent. Being genuine is one such personal trait. Every person has it and it is left to circumstances if a person wants to use it or not. So, why should we use it to our advantage?

1. Everyone loves REAL people. I call it one of the laws of human attraction. Remember, “It’s not what you say but how you make them feel”. If you are curious how recruiters can get that so easily, check out my fun fact at the bottom 🙂
2. It helps YOU to relax! Every time we play against our natural instinct, it occupies and uses a part of our brain. Imagine how productive you can be if your brain can function at 100% of its functional capacity!

How can you be authentic?

1. Be vulnerable in interviews! Vulnerability is a highly appreciated trait that we often fail to have in this world of perfection! People appreciate honesty all the time! It helps people develop empathy for you. It could be as simple as this: “These days I am taking my friend’s help to develop networking skills. Since I come from a different culture and English is not my first language, networking does not come naturally to me. My friend told me one of my strengths was that I could connect dots faster. Well, time will tell how good I get at it (smile) but I am feeling good about stepping outside of my comfort zone for now! “
2. Fool your brain to look at the interviewer as your friend, not a recruiter. Yes, it works! Have you experienced how you tend to be very calm and natural with an interviewer that is friendly vs someone stone-faced? Yes, that is how the human mind works. As soon as it senses familiarity and likeability, it shuts down its fight or flight mode and relaxes the entire body. Now, not every interviewer is going to click with you or be friendly. It very well depends on their personalities. Also, a lot of times, they are asked to behave in a particularly strange way to test how well you can handle pressure and ambiguity. So, telling yourself that the interviewer is your friend and that you will “talk” to them rather than “interview” with them changes your body language and your mindset. You are now able to relax, lean in and smile, think on your feet, appear more energetic and ENGAGE in the conversation.

Fun fact: When you sit in the chair of the interviewee, hundreds of things are running in your head such as:

“I hope I am not sitting stiff”

“I think I should smile more”

“Did I not answer this as per interviewer’s satisfaction, he seems to make this weird expression”

“I am too boring… look, the interviewer is yawning” etc., etc.

Right?

Now, let’s think about the person on the other side of the table. First, they have already been in your shoes so they can see through you with ease. Second, by evolution humans are wired to read other people. It is a survival instinct so we basically can’t do anything about it! If we want to take a sneak peak into the interviewer’s mind, what would it sound like? I believe something along the lines of this:

“The day is so good, I get a break from my work and still get paid”

“I would love to do this more often”

“This poor guy is getting nervous”

“This candidate has something in them, I like them”

“Oh, can I finish this conversation sooner please“, etc., etc.

In short,

The interviewer sitting across from you has nothing to do BUT to observe you every second.

They can see every move, every expression, everything you say, and even most things you don’t even say. Yes, people love to play detective and discover what the other person is thinking and feeling. Therefore, it is ALL the more important that you are intentional and authentic in both your words and actions.