The Hippo Technique

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The Lion’s Pride: Interviewing

The Hippo Technique

One of my clients recently nabbed a great job. When I asked her how she landed it, she said she interviewed like a hippo.

As you might expect, I was a little confused. Okay - a lot confused. How does a hippo interview and what would kind of job would a hippo hold?

She laughed at my question. Then she explained hippos have traits that can be transferred to interviewing. Here's a recap of what she said:

Growth. Male hippos continue growing throughout their lives. My client said that since it's a man's world (whether or not that's correct is a matter for a different time), she exhibited some male rhino characteristics - such as her continual growth. She showed how her skills and experience has grown throughout her career. She explained to the hiring manager that she has an unquenchable thirst to gain new skills and to apply them for the benefit of her employer.

The eyes have it. She told me that hippos' eyes and ears rest very high upon their heads. Likewise, she said, she demonstrated her ability to be mostly submerged in work while having her eyes and ears on the look out. Just like hippos in water. She told the interviewer that she immerses herself 95% in work, but leaves an important 5% free so she can see what's coming toward her.

Not floating but resting. Hippos generally hang out in shallow water, she said. While they may look like they're floating, they are, in fact, resting on the muddy bottom. This, she added, is akin to someone not showing all of their cards at once. She didn't show all of her cards, either. Not until she was comfortable with the information the hiring manager was providing.

IN THE CARAVAN: Interview like a hippo and you may just land yourself a job.

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Interviewing

Negotiating Pay / The Questions You Hate to Answer / Nerves? Schmerves! / Pre-Interview Prep / Dress the Part / How to Show Your Portfolio / Speaking Of Pay... / All Shapes and Sizes / Interview Practice / What To - And NOT To Reveal / Andre's Answers and Roger's Requests / Practice Like The Karate Kid / Building Rapport 101 / Be a S.T.A.R. / Worst...Interview...Answers...Ever. / The Five Most Important Questions for You to Ask / Reflecting for Rapport / 18 Questions You're Bound to Hear / The Phone Interview / Negotiating With Mr. Smith, Part I / Negotiating With Mr. Smith, Part II: My Pete Rose for Your Reggie Jackson and Matchbox / Negotiating With Mr. Smith, Part III: Smith vs. Jones vs. Greene / Remove Thy Foot from Thy Mouth / Body Language 101 / Interviewing Disasters / Hire Your Boss / Keeping Your Cool Under Pressure / Returning the Question / The Dinner Interview / What You Want? Baby, You Know I Got It! / Know Your Industry / You Don’t Need to be a Psychic / Training / The Hippo Technique / Dropping Names / Marking Your Territory / The Walk-On Role / Body Language: The 15 Signals Hiring Managers Send and How to Read Them / You Have GOT to be KIDDING Me! / Taking a Drop: Re-Interviewing After the Fact / Proposing Your Own Job / Answering Self-Employment Questions: The Self-Employment Paradox