Ingratiation has gotten a bad reputation. People typically think of ingratiation as sucking up, faking or even conning. Webster defines ingratiation as “gaining favor by deliberate effort.” Ingratiation is simply presenting yourself in a positive light by emphasizing your positives and avoiding your negatives. It is your public face it is spinning.
Here are four strategies for ingratiating yourself in an interview:
Enthusiasm
1- Be enthusiastic about them. Your focus and enthusiasm should be on what you can contribute to the company. “What are your goals?” “You goals are to apply your skills to the success of the company”. “Why do you want to work here?” “I have passion for the work that I can do here and I think my work can make a difference.”
Pride
2- Acknowledge their accomplishments. Companies, regardless of size, are proud of their culture, history, and accomplishments. Demonstrate a respect for their pride. Understand and acknowledge what makes them proud. Do this by asking the question, “What are you most proud of?”
Supervision
3-Let them know you are willing to take supervision and learn their ways. Coupled to their pride is a belief they have developed some pretty good ways of doing things. You may have lots of ideas of how to do things better. Hold those ideas until you know the company better. In the interview if you are asked for suggestions about how to improve things, give the suggestions but begin by acknowledging that they are probably doing pretty well as is. Also make it clear that you will learn and work within their systems.
Dedication
4. Let them know you will put the company first. Make sure they know that you will always put what’s right for the company ahead of your own needs. Companies talk about work/life balance and they may actually support it. However, in the interview part of ingratiating yourself is to communicate your total dedication to work and the company. If you are asked about hobbies in the interview downplay them. Too many or too much dedication to a hobby may get in the way of working.
Having a winning personality is nice, but there’s more to ingratiation than a winning smile. Present yourself as a highly skilled, flexible, totally dedicated, hard working, person that knows they are a good company and see how you gain their favor…and a job.
Use an interview presentation to ingratiate yourself and interview your best
