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How your candidates can use poker moves to ace their interview

April 7, 2016  /   No Comments

Playing poker can be stressful. With tensions running high, a simple glance in the wrong direction can potentially give away the whole game, so poker pros have to stay cool, calm, and collected in even the most nerve-racking situations. 

Attending an interview can feel very similar for even the best of candidates, and will require them to hold their nerve and stay composed. So what can your prized candidates learn from the poker pros that could help them secure that role?

The best way to learn anything is to practise it. When someone first plays poker they need to learn the rules, understand the mechanics of the game, and work out the best way to get a winning hand.

The same applies to a job interview – attending interviews can help candidates feel more comfortable in this stressful situation. The more they rehearse their interview skills, the more confident they will feel when it comes to actually meeting the interviewer.

While understanding and knowing the game is one thing, actually playing poker is another. It might be worth going through any potential ‘hands’ with your candidate before the interview itself – how might they react to certain questions or situations?

Top poker players will memorise the cards they have in their hand, so they don’t need to keep going back to them. With everyone’s eyes on you in a tense situation, you don’t want to disrupt the flow of the game. At the start of each game, a poker pro will take one long, hard look at their hand and that will be it until the game is over.

In an interview, it may not be appropriate to refer to notes, so getting candidates to remember the main points they want to cover will be helpful. Encourage them to think of some key situations that show off their skills and capabilities, and revise them until they feel confident talking through them without any reminders.

 A poker pro is aware of their strengths and will make the most of them to help win a game. If you know what works for you then stick to it – by trying something new you leave yourself in a vulnerable position and better players may take advantage of this.

The same applies in a job interview – candidates should show off their skills and make a good impression, but focus on what makes them stand out and show true passion and enthusiasm in the areas they excel in.  

Being able to read the opponent is a crucial skill for any poker pro. As is knowing who they are going to be playing against, as every one will have a different style. Interviewers have different styles too, so as a recruiter it could help to do some research on the hiring manager beforehand, and find out about their style of communication.

Finally, it’s important to maintain focus during a game of poker, just as it’s important to focus during an interview. Remind your candidate to stay on the game, stay calm and keep their cool. That way they have every chance of having the winning hand.

Dan Yeo works in PR and content marketing on behalf of Ladbrokes. For more tips on using poker to ace a job interview, please visit here

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  • Published: 8 years ago on April 7, 2016
  • Last Modified: April 15, 2016 @ 7:20 am
  • Filed Under: Industry Insider

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