To coincide with the online publication of “Succeeding at Interviews” – a book about how to market small business – HowTo.co.uk takes a look at what you can do to get you back into work.
What does a word really mean? It is easier to understand a word when used in context, for the context of a word is a sentence and the context of a sentence is a paragraph. In some ways, a word in a sentence is similar to the brush stroke of a painting, or a note in a phrase of music. And yet there is a paradox at work with words that both defines them and separates them from the more abstract natures of art and music.
To fully understand the nature of a word and how words work in our language, it is first necessary to take a word and analyse it. Through this, it is possible to not only understand how words work (and how we use them), but also to understand a little bit more about ourselves – much like a biologist can understand the workings of an organic body through the analysis of a cell under microscope.
The Etymological Biopsy
For this purpose, the word “interview” is particularly appealing. In our culture, an interview is one of the main points in our lives where our words, and our particular choice of words, are seemingly under the most scrutiny. And yet, things are not quite what they seem.
The dictionary definition of an interview revolves around two essential meanings. First, it is a formal meeting between an employer and a candidate. Secondly, it can also be seen as a meeting between a journalist and a person of note – think Jonathan Ross.
However, the dictionary definition of any word is far from liberating and, in many cases, protects the reader from more diffuse meaning. For the Chambers English Dictionary goes on to state that the primary goal of an interview is: “to ascertain by questioning and discussion the [interviewee’s] suitability for a post”. Now, take these words out of context for a moment and consider how else they can be applied.
If we supplant “post” for “friendship”, “partner” or “purchase”, then perhaps we get a more profound sense of what an interview is.
The Eternal Interview
In this way, it would seem that we spend most of our waking lives in eternal interviews. We play many roles and interact in a vast plethora of ways, always aware of the fact that what we say and how we present ourselves has an impact on our suitability as a colleague, a friend, or a lover. Of course, it is far too daunting to consider social interaction in these terms. And so for comfort, we pigeon hole and relax in the received definition provided to us by the etymological authorities.
And, of course, our subconscious realisation of this fact, means that when we need to suspend the constant interview angst that precedes and supercedes our every move, we find succour in art or music. For these forms have their own rules, their own contexts and their own defined rituals, rituals that serve to take us out of the everyday pigeon holes that characterise our every interaction, our every interview, our every word.
So, the next time we find ourselves negotiating an interview (whether formal or informal), it is perhaps worth bearing in mind the words Miles Davis.
“It’s not what you play [say], it’s what don’t play [say] that counts.”
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