Dev Application: Add Emotional Intelligence to your job interviews

Career AdviceApplication

A lot of developers spend a lot of time just preparing for the technical part of the interview. They can easily answer questions about skills and professional background, but a little emotional intelligence is very often forgotten.

You've probably heard of emotional intelligence. It is said that emotional intelligence is just as important as your IQ. According to today's understanding, people with high emotional intelligence are very empathetic. Furthermore, they are acutely aware of their emotions and those of others. At work, this helps when working with colleagues and avoids conflicts.

Emotional intelligence will also help you in your job interview. If the interviewer mentions something personal - for example, that they recently saw an exciting movie, or just returned from a holiday in a certain country - this is your opportunity to respond (briefly) in a way that shows you have something in common. "I saw that movie too!" or "Sure, I've been there before!" would be appropriate answers.

You can also use elements in the HR manager's or interviewer's office to establish a connection. Is there a book on the shelf that you've read? Mention it briefly. An unusual item on the desk might be worth a brief discussion.

Against this background, however, three important points should be noted:

Keep it short: While a short personal interaction can help humanize you, please be careful and don't share too much about yourself right away. Feel free to mention that you enjoy a particular activity, but don't go into a long monologue. After all, you are there for professional reasons.

Don't show too much emotion: Emotional intelligence primarily means empathy, less, big outbursts of emotion. So keep calm. Anger and sadness can quickly become uncomfortable for an interviewer.

Don't Force It: While giving the interviewer your full attention not to miss a personal cue, don't try to artificially force a personal moment when it just didn't come naturally.

With a little practice, you can quickly and easily create a personal bond with your interviewer and leave a positive, lasting impression. Together with your technical background you are unbeatable :-)