With hulu.com releasing the entire “Seinfeld” series for streaming online last week, the show about “nothing” gave us a lot of pop culture references that have stood the test of time. The infamous “No soup for you” episode can feel a little like a job search if you’re not doing it the right way. Here are tips to avoid feeling like your job search is an episode of Seinfeld:
1. Did you get in line the right way?
In the “No soup for you” episode, Elaine immediately gets in trouble because she approaches the counter and starts banging the metal counter like it’s her own personal drum. However, instead of yelling at her immediately, the soup man allows her to try to order. Did you approach the interview process in an overly confident manner? After all, it’s just a job interview, and you have done this dozens of times before, so why shouldn’t you be confident? There’s a major difference between being confident, and being arrogant. Confidence is appreciated, arrogance is minimally tolerated. Do not approach the interview with the idea that you “have this in the bag.” You’ll probably leave the interview like Elaine left the restaurant, empty-handed.
2. Do you know how to order?
When you’re applying for the job, do you know what method of application will most likely land you an interview opportunity? Did you try to apply online before talking to a recruiter or personal connection that you know has a relationship with the company? If you applied on your own, the recruiter can’t represent you. Don’t do what Elaine did when she approached the counter by herself, and without all the information she needed to get the soup. If you have a connection that can introduce you to the right people in the company and provide you with information that you won’t find in an online job posting, that’s worth more than the most perfectly crafted resume.
3. Do you know how to follow up?
After Elaine is banished from the restaurant, she crafts a strategy to return and order “the right way.” Do you know the right way to get back in touch with your interviewer after the interview? Is an email expressing your thanks enough, or will you need to complete a handwritten note and put it in the U.S. Mail? Your recruiter or networking contact can give you good advice here. Simply hoping they liked you and not showing any gratitude, even if you have already been invited back for a second interview, can demonstrate inattention to detail and that you’re possibly uninterested. Make sure you say thank you in the most appropriate way, don’t get “banished from the restaurant” like Elaine.
4. Do you know what you could have improved on?
Ok, so you didn’t get banished from the “restaurant,” but did you get asked to come back as an employee? If not, do you know how you could have performed better, or what sort of background better aligns with what they’re looking for? Try to get feedback about your interview performance, and learn from that feedback. If it wasn’t your lack of confidence or over-confidence, did it just come down to when you joined the interview process?
If you use these four tips during your interview process, we’re hoping you “leave the restaurant” with soup or a job every time!