Why Antonio Got Hired and Dan Didnt

Why Antonio Got Hired and Dan DidntWhy Antonio Got Hired and Dan DidntWhy Antonio Got Hired and Dan DidntUnless youre an HGTV geek like I am, you dont know that Antonio and Dan were the finalists on HGTVs entwurf Star competition last weekend. Antonio won, which means hell be the host of his own design show next season. And Dan, who was arguably the better designer, got the hook. It was yet another reminder that getting hired is not always a matter of having the best qualifications, especially when the judges (hiring managers) have several great candidates to choose from.Most hiring managers would probably agree that making a good hire requires finding the right mix of experience, education, skills, and personality. And its often the personal qualities that turn out to be the most important.Heres how the Design Star finalists stacked upAntonio is heavily tattooed, wears horn-rim glasses, and is not classically handsome (though hes got a little supm, supm going on, if you know what I mean). Hes rough, gruff, bearded, and a little grungy, and has no formal design education. Hes also 40 years old and still wears hightop sneakers. He is not cut from the typical HGTV designer cloth.Dan, 27, is physically perfect. Perfect hair, body, clothes, teeth. Hes super sweet, with an open, enthusiastic, and friendly personality. At 27, with an architecture degree, hes much more what youd expect in a design show host, and initially seemed like a shoo-in.In most jobs, being similar to the existing team is a good thing. Yet Antonio is not like any of the other designers on HGTV. The lesson? Every job opportunity comes with its own set of circumstances and its own definition of the ideal candidate. The very things that get you rejected for one opportunity may get you hired in the next. Lets face it You wont be invited for an interview unless theyre fairly certain from your resume and titelblatt letter that you could do the job adequately. Therefore, your interviewers will be focus ingmore on your personality, work style, work ethic, and attitude than on your past experience or education.So learn the rules of a successful job search, but apply them in a way that feels comfortable for you. Trust your gut. Stay true to your ideals. Be yourself (within professional boundaries), and know that eventually youll be the right candidate in the right place at the right time. How about you? Have you ever been hired for a job that you seemed all wrong for? If not, feel free to dish about Dan or Antonio