Interview Tips, Branding Versus the "Best" Candidate
Some candidates understand this early, while a few just get lucky. Too often, we'll see a very weak singer retained while a much stronger performer gets cut. Some may call this an injustice, but it's not so. What's happened is that the "total package effect" came into play. One singer won more votes, not for singing ability, but for that fact that his or her "brand" differentiated them from the pack.
No one else is like those people by a long shot and that brand triggers visibility, notoriety and votes.American Idol sometimes seems like some weird group interview where each candidate makes his or her case to three fickle interviewers and is either advanced or sent packing. Aside from the constant reminder that this is a singing competition, we all know it's more than that. It's about that elusive quality called a "total package." Ditto the job interview. Here's the reason why all job interviewees should take heed of what happens on Idol: "differentiation."
The moral of the story: You don't have to be the best singer, just the most memorable decent singer. Same for the job interview. You don't have to be the best candidate with the top skills. You do have to find a way to be the most memorable, hirable candidate.
