Did any of you watch the TV special that had every young person dreaming of “FAME?” They interviewed and auditioned candidates from the east coast to the west. All of this to find the number one candidate that would possess what they called the triple threat! And what did they win? A million-dollar recording contract, a place to live and amenities galore. In other words, a career!
The reality is that pursuing a career is in essence auditioning to play the leading role/ filling the open position. So the question is, are you ready for your audition? What is the Triple Threat and how can you develop skills so that you can be offered the contract of a lifetime?
Develop and perfect these three things and you will become the Triple Threat.
Think about it this way. If I’m interviewing you for a position, I want to find out what makes you different, special and what makes you stand out! Now let’s look into these three skills in more detail so that you know how to catch the attention of the interviewer.
1) The Dance!
Dancers learn the basic steps that are used over and over again. They know the value of learning the basics of dance. The movements need to be sharp and exact. Dancers will often use a mirror in order to see themselves as others see them. A few basics you should have when you are interviewing would be an updated resume, a clear career goal and objective, knowledge of your target market, as well as knowing your strengths and how to verbalize them with specific examples that illustrate them. Using a mirror is not a bad idea when preparing for an important interview. Do you have a strong control of the basics?
2) The Song!
Make it your own! How many times do you hear someone sing a song and you can tell that it has no real meaning to the person singing it? The song lacks power and charisma! Everyone has his/her own personal journey that is unlike anyone else. Do you know how to sing your own song/praises? I can’t tell you how many people think that they don’t possess any qualities that are different from another career candidate. It’s the one thing that interviewers are looking for in a candidate. Don’t sing someone else’s song. Trust me, it will not ring as truth to those that hear it.
3) The Stage Presence!
A good impression consists of good posture, eye contact and an overall feeling of confidence, knowing what you are about. The body language of “poor is me, I’m not sure I know what I want in life. Can you give me a chance?” will not make the cut on stage or in an interview. So many applicants think that the best way to prepare is to wait until they are on stage and then wing it. The Stage presence should be confidant, a dose of polite gratitude. Haven’t you met individuals who are invited to a party and, as they walk in the door, it seems that their commanding presence changes the group dynamics? They know who they are and have mastered the art of “Poise and Positioning.” This to me is one of the hardest skills to master. So much of this is learning from your experiences and learning how to be comfortable with yourself.
So, there you have it. The Triple Threat consists of
- Learning your basic steps
- Singing your own song
- Presenting a commanding presence with poise and gratitude