Billie Sucher has an unwavering passion for her life-work as a career transition consultant, outplacement specialist, resume writer, speaker, trainer and poet. Since 1985, she has provided career services to individuals, executive-level to entry-level, coast-to-coast. Billie holds a Master's Degree in Counseling, industry certifications, and her resume / cover letter work is featured in numerous resume and cover letter publications. The author of Between Jobs: Recover, Rethink, Rebuild and Baseball for Life, she invites you to visit her website at www·billiesucher·com or e-mail: billie@billiesucher·com
When you hear the word interview, often times it conjures up fear, trepidation, and worry over what will go wrong instead of how it can be the most rewarding experience ever – one that lands you right where you want to be. The next time you have the opportunity to conduct a business conversation with a purpose (AKA interview), educate the employer about the very best of brand you -- your features, benefits, and value. Think effective. Think relevant. Think credible. With solid preparation, excellence and professionalism, you will find that interviewing can yield a highly favorable return on investment (ROI) for you. And isn't that what you want…to optimize results for self? In short, make it easy for the employer to select you. Listed below, in alphabetical order, are some of my favorite tips, tricks and tactics for interview success.
| Anticipate | Anticipate questions you did not practice. Don't be thrown off. Take a moment to formulate a solid answer, then respond. |
| Attire | Wear professional, appropriate attire. Your wardrobe selection for the interview is totally within your control. From head to toe, make it your best. |
| Attitude | Know that the best credentials in the world won't outshine a bad attitude. |
| Body | Convey a message of confidence – one that shows you're happy |
| language | to be there. |
| Brand | Know your brand before you go to the interview. What five words best describe your brand? What one word best captures your brand? |
| Cards | Ask the hiring manager for a business card. That way, you'll have the information you need to write a thank-you note within 24 hours. Also, share your own professional business card with relevant contact information on it. (Do not use your current employer's business card.) |
| Carriage | Walk into the interview with head high, back straight and chin up. |
| Concerns | Listen for the "concern" word as the interview conversation progresses. Prior to the meeting, identify potential areas of concern regarding your candidacy and develop strategies to keep yourself in a competitive position. |
| Confidence | Confidence is your ally; cockiness is your enemy. Confirm Confirm date, time, location and details prior to attending the interview. |
| Desire | How badly do you want it, whatever it is? |
| Distractions | Do not let little things become distractions, i.e. chewing gum, biting nails, fiddling with hair, answering cell phone, interrupting, fidgeting or squirming, to mention a few. |
| Educate | Educate the hiring team about you, your features, value, and benefit as you align your credentials with their needs. |
| Employer | Share information that offers ideas, insights, strategies, and solutions regarding your ability to help the employer achieve their goals. |
| Equality | View yourself as a partner, an equal, in the business conversation. |
| Excellence | Everything you say and do is a reflection of you. Make it superb. |
| Eye contact | Look directly at the hiring manager without staring or making them feel uncomfortable. |
| First impressions | This is your one chance to wow ‘em! Will you? |
| Fit | On paper, and in person, you may have the most talent; in reality, the employer strives to hire the best fit. |
| Focus | You are there for one purpose: to determine if this blind date will warrant a second meeting. Maybe it will; possibly it won't. You won't know until you go out together! |
| When the hiring manager performs a Google search of your name, what, if anything, will they find that diminishes your candidacy for the position? Discover any digital dirt demons prior to your interview, not during or after! | |
| Handshake | Practice your handshake. What message does it send? Helpfulness Are you making it easy, or difficult, for the hiring manager to choose you over your competition? |
| Honesty | Heed the advice of Mark Twain, ''Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said.'' |
| Integrity | Don't tell decision-makers that you have integrity; show them by offering specific, concrete examples of your personal and/or business integrity. |
| Intellect | Share what you know, not what you don't. Don't belittle or demean yourself. Forget about perfect answers or right answers. Simply respond to the question asked in a positive, constructive manner. |
| Interested | If you want the job, let the hiring manager know it's exactly what you're looking for, and how thrilled you are about the possibility. |
| Intuition | Pay attention to what isn't being said and what isn't happening and what isn't apparent. Hint: red flags. |
| Joblessness | Explain in a straightforward, sincere manner your reason for being jobless. You need not provide a long, detailed explanation; keep it short and to the point. "My company downsized and 34 of us lost our jobs." Offer your "reason" for being unemployed (between jobs) at the beginning of the interview, not at the end. |
| Listening | Listen carefully. Don't let your mind wander when the hiring manager speaks. You may be tested to see if you're paying attention…"Now where were we?" |
| Manners | Mind your manners. People notice. |
| Memorable message | Make your meeting memorable and your message credible. |
| Mission | Know the mission statement of your existing (most recent) employer, as well as the mission statement of the prospective employer. You may be asked. |
| Name dropping | While it is who you know that helps, dropping a person's name doesn't always work to your advantage. |
| Name Pronunciation | Learn how to correctly pronounce the name of the person who will be interviewing you. Some people are super-sensitive about this matter. |
| Needs | Identify the employer's needs (and expectations); then, sell your knowledge, skills, and abilities to align with their needs. |
| Next Step | Discover the next step in the interviewing process prior to interview exit. |
| Opportunity | View your interview (business meeting) as a chance to explore in greater detail a potential opportunity. |
| Organization | Do your part to keep the conversation organized and on-track versus random and discombobulated. |
| Passion | Let the hiring team see your passion. You either have it, or you don't. |
| Performance | Perform your part with excellence, just as you would a part in a play. Act the part, speak the part and deliver a stellar performance. It could win you the job. |
| Practice | Rehearse your presentation several times; it will boost your confidence and enhance your overall performance. |
| Prepare | Preparation is often the fine line between winning and losing. It takes energy, commitment, and discipline to achieve desired results. |
| Professional | Present yourself as a true professional through your words, actions, and deeds. |
| Questions | Ask questions – more than one, fewer than 10. |
| References | Know what your professional references will say about you. What will they say you need to work on? |
| Relax | Let the hiring manager see you as a competent professional who is calm, focused, and a pleasure to be around. |
| Research | Thoroughly research the organization's people, products, services, trends, changes, innovations, and competition prior to your interview. |
| Salary | Research salary and compensation factors before the interview. Online salary calculators, recruiters, and professional organizations are helpful resources. |
| Smile | Your smile can distinguish you from your competition. "I remember him; he was the only candidate who smiled." |
| Stand-out | Among five top-notch candidates, what makes you the one? Figure out at least three distinctive traits that distinguish you from the competition. |
| Talking | Excessive talking will not give you an edge; it will give the |
| too much | hiring manager a reason to end the interview. |
| Thank you | Remember to express your thanks and appreciation – on the telephone, at the interview, in e-mails, and future follow-up. |
| Think | Think about what you want to say before you say it. |
| Time | Arrive at the interview a few minutes early instead of a few minutes late. |
| Title | Discover the hiring manager's exact title; you may be asked about it. |
| Unexpected | Expect the unexpected. For example, perhaps you didn't expect the interview to take place at the hotel's swimming pool? Or maybe you didn't expect such an inappropriate question? Or what about that illegal one? How will you respond? |
| Uniqueness | Know what distinguishes you, your brand, from 25 other equally-qualified candidates. |
| Value | Articulate with confidence your value and worth to the organization. |
| Voice of others | Identify people in your network who are willing to attest to your professional competencies, talents, gifts, and abilities. |
| Words | Be mindful of your word choice – one wee wrong word can cost you the opportunity. |
| You | Let the employer see, hear, experience and get to know the very best of you! |