Don’t Interview! . . . There’s A Much Better Way!
by Paul Megan
Ok. Let’s say you get to first base. You’re invited in for an interview. Now what?
Well, the worst thing you can do is handle it like a traditional interview.
Your biggest mistake is to allow the interview to turn into a Q & A session . . .
you sit there passively and answer all the questions as diligently as possible.
You get one shot at the person who may be your next boss. You gotta make it work for you.
So here are some practical tips for turning a routine interview into an exciting and
resourceful presentation:
1. Do NOT launch into a recital of your work history. Let your resume do that.
Your face-to-face time is too valuable to bore this decision-maker with information
that’s only marginally of interest.
2. DO establish a dialogue in which you engage in a serious discussion of the decision-makers
goals and needs. You do that by demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to learn something
about the organization and its’ direction. And can ask intelligent questions of make informative
comments about what you’ve learned.
3. Remember that employers are only interested in learning two things from you . . . what you can
do to make a difference to the bottom line . . . and what you can do to make his/her job easier.
Only to the extent that you’re prepared in advance to answer those questions are you guaranteed
to grab his/her attention to your benefit.
4. Demonstrate that you know how to solve the kind of problems the employer is facing. Here’s where
your past work history can illustrate what you can do going forward. But, frankly, no one is
interested in what you used to do for someone else unless you can make the connection to your
prospective boss‘ needs.
5. Be prepared to show how you work by presenting a portfolio of successful projects you’ve worked on.
This portfolio could include samples of your work, letters of recommendation or commentaries from bosses,
and co-workers, and letters from customers or happy clients, etc. Be sure to quantify what you’ve done.
Employers are impressed when you can show percentage increases, savings, dollars gained, productivity
upgraded, etc.
Look. When you’re carefully prepared, you look and sound like a pro. And this will put you light years
ahead of the competition!
Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and
non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT:
“How To Lock Up A High-Paying Job In 14 Days (Or Less)!” Click on RSS. http://www.fastest-job-search.com