Happy Tuesday everyone, another busy week in the world.

I had a thought this morning, yep, just the one.

It was “why do I write blogs?”

Well, it’s simple, because I need to connect with you, my audience, my clients and many of you who after 17 years in the biz are now my friends.

I dislike that fluffy word, connecting, but everything and I mean everything, is about relationships; personal, work, with yourself, your pet, your kids, your boss and the interview team.

Ah yes, the interview team.

They don’t have the advantage that I do, so you need to make it easier for them.

Many of you on return trips to Pinstripe after 10 years are surprised I remember you, well I usually remember names and as soon as you start talking, it all comes flooding back. During coaching, I have the privilege of getting into the nitty gritty of your career and often your life, so I have an advantage that interview teams do not.

They are however, sitting there thinking, “Do I want to work with this person?”

If you are at the interview, they already know you can do the job, that figures.  So at this stage, it is about you fitting into the culture, the team and having the right behaviours.

In aviation terms, it’s called “non-technical skills”.

Think about what you watch on telly or at the movies, do you watch the stuff that makes you feel, that you relate to, that makes you excited or passionate or angry? If you’re like me, it’s all of those things. You are finding that connection with anything on the screen that makes you feel or that you have something in common with.

Whilst we don’t talk about feelings in interviews, we do interact with and form relationships with anyone we come in contact with during the assessment day.

If you don’t understand what an employer is seeking in a candidate then how does one build that relationship on the day?

Ensure you know 3 things:

• 1.   Know what non-technical skills the airline is seeking;
• 2.   Know how to exhibit those during all interactions and within your example answers;
• 3.   Everyone you come into contact with will have an opinion of you, be on your game from the start.

We are here to help and even if it’s just a chat, that’s ok. Get in touch!

Kirsty Ferguson – Kirsty@pinstripesolutions.com

Founder, International Aviation Coach and Author