Are you looking for a new job because you're not satisfied with your current job, or because you've lost your job?  These are common and difficult circumstances that can cause you to carry an air of negativity into your new job search.  W. Clement Stone said "There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."

Before interviewing, whether it's a live online interview or in person, stop and take time to assess your current attitude.  It's helpful to write down some common non-technical interview questions, answer them honestly, and then review your answers.  Here are some examples of common interview questions with negative answers along with a guess at what the interviewer is thinking. 

Question #1:             

"Why did you leave your last job?"

Negative Answer:     

"The people I worked with were complete idiots and didn't appreciate my high level of intelligence."

What the interviewer is probably thinking:

[If I hire this person and it doesn't work out, they'll tell everyone that I'm a complete idiot.  What if they don't like the team, and thinks they're idiots?  Will this cause a problem in the work environment?]

Question #2:  "Can you tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor?"

Negative Answer:

"My supervisor laid me off, so that's a problem, right?  We just didn't see eye to eye."

What the interviewer is probably thinking:

[If this person had a problem with their supervisor, didn't they try to resolve it?  If they start working here and they have a problem with their manager and don't try to resolve it, this is going to reflect poorly on me.]

I think most people can generate honest negative as well as honest positive answers to interview questions.  After a layoff, or in the midst of a job you're unhappy with, however, it can be very hard to muster the positive answers, even if they're in there!  If you see that this is the case with you, start looking for the constructive positive answers before the interview.  All you need to do is put yourself in the shoes of your interviewer.  Think about the position you're applying for and what they're looking for. If you talk negatively about a previous co-worker or job, your interviewer will picture you doing the same thing to them down the road.   Why would they hire you?   

Making a transition from negative to positive thinking can make that "big" difference in creating the personal connection you need to get the job you want.  Yes, the interviewer is looking for job skill requirements that you must meet, but also of importance is to hire someone that they can work with or that can work well in their company's team environment.

By: Laura Parrish

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