The truth is, most interviewers judge you based on what you say and how you behave (body language) before they evaluate the details of your resume.

Ninety percent of hiring decisions are made on an emotional, gut level. (Click here to tweet this statistic.) Candidates are hired based on the right turn of phrase, strong handshake or eye contact — and the rest is emotional justification. Psychologists call this “motivated reasoning.” Most business decisions are made in this way, with little logic.

The two questions you need to ask

While most job seekers focus on coming across as competent in the interviewing process, the successful ones focus on being likable and memorable. The use of key words and phrases play an important role in this.

For example, try to end your first interview by asking the interviewer two questions:

• “How do I stack up with the other candidates you have interviewed?”

• “What do I need to do to get the job?”

These questions can make an enormous difference between getting a second interview (or hired) or waiting by the phone for weeks. Not long ago, one of my hiring clients interviewed seven candidates for a mid-level purchasing managerial position.

The candidate we referred for the position, Mary, used these questions to close her initial interview. The interviewer took notice and told us Mary was the only one who asked how she compared to the others. When he kicked her resume up to the next group of interviewers, he told them, “I interviewed several candidates initially and she was the only one who asked for the job. I really like her.”

Mary spent a mere two and a half hours interviewing with this company — one hour at the initial interview and an hour and a half with the next group. She became the “best” candidate because of the powerful phrases she used in the interviewing process.

In fact, the vice president of procurement told her that while she wasn’t the most qualified applicant, she had come across much better than the others during the interviews. Mary was hired and she’s convinced that these two simple questions helped her nail the interviews and land the job.

Foot in the door, not in the mouth

Most job seekers are surprised to learn that during an average hiring cycle, you need to spend four hours in face-to-face interviews. The interviewers listen intently to what you have to say, so you don’t have a lot of wriggle room for making mistakes, flubbing or forgetting. Most mistakes candidates make center around saying the wrong thing or saying something that is interpreted the wrong way.

To overcome missteps during an interview you have to be prepared — and to be prepared you must practice, practice, practice. Even if you’re good at talking about yourself and fast on your feet, interviews have their own particular language. Learn it backward and forward – or you risk saying the wrong thing.

Here are some strong words you can use to describe yourself: passionate, practical, quick study and good communicator.

Keep in mind that throughout the job-hunting process you must be courageous in your quest for a job, putting yourself out there despite knowing you’ll be greeted with rejection.

Analyze interviews that don’t bear fruit, learn from them and move onto the next. Maybe you ended on a weak note, saying something like “Well, where do we go from here?” Or “I might be interested.”

Instead, asking the interviewer how you stack up to the competition, and what you can do to get the job, indicates courage. You’re telling them, “I’m a serious candidate. Hire me.”

Tony Beshara is the owner and president of Babich & Associates, established in 1952 and is the oldest placement and recruitment service in Texas. He has been a professional recruiter since 1973 and has personally found more than 8500 individuals jobs. www.thejobsearchsolution.com

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The thank you letter is an overlooked part of the interview process, likely because it comes after what people think is the most important part of the job search: the application and the interview.

But underestimating the value of a well-written thank you letter could jeopardize all the hard work you put into the resume, application and interview. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

Don’t make the mistake of sabotaging your interview by not following up with a polite thank you note. Follow these tips to get it right.

DO take 10 minutes to sit down and write a brief thank you to your interviewer

It’s best to do this the next day, as the longer you wait, the less of an the impact of the letter or email will have. This can be especially important if you attended a career fair, and the interviewer met dozens of other applicants.

DON’T be careless in your composition

Addressing the recipient as a generic “Dear Sir or Madam” shows you didn’t bother to remember his or her name. “Thank you for your time” doesn’t help the interviewer to remember you or leave a positive impression.

DO address the person who interviewed you by name and bring up a high point from your interview

Remind him or her of your skills and strengths in your thank you letter to keep them thinking about why you’d be the right hire.

DON’T ramble on

Your letter will probably receive more time than your resume did, but only because the hiring manager has already invested time and energy into screening and interviewing you. Don’t abuse their patience by writing more than one page.

DO keep it brief

Optimally, you want three or four short paragraphs saying thank you, reviewing the key points and asking to follow up. Thank you letters should always be one page, never longer.

DON’T conclude your thank you letter by simply saying “Thank you”

Sure, saying thank you will definitely be appreciated, but being passive and waiting for the interviewer to contact you again to follow up is not optimal.

DO end your thank you letter with a call to action

This is a sentence or two that pushes (politely) for the reader to take action. In this case, the action should be to get in contact and follow up with your interview/application.

DON’T send one thank you letter

Most people make the mistake of only sending one thank you letter to the interview that they felt went the best, but this might limit your opportunities with other potential employers.

DO send a thank you letter to everyone you interviewed with, even if they decided not to hire you

This will leave a positive impression should they look to hire more people in the future, or if the first choice doesn’t work out. Hiring managers usually have a first, second and third choice for any given vacancy, so following up may bump you up to second or third choice.

DON’T drop the ball when checking for spelling errors, incorrect grammar or poor formatting

Ugly mistakes could actually be detrimental to your application, so take the time to thoroughly go through your thank you letter. Check for any errors and make sure it’s formatted properly to match both your resume and your interview in terms of professionalism.

Remember, in an ever-competitive job market, it’s vital to take advantage of any opportunity to stand out as a job seeker. Following up with a well-written thank you letter could just be the boost your interview needed to leave a lasting impression with your interviewer.

Erik Bowitz is a professional resume consultant for the web’s leading online resume building company, Resume Genius and is also a freeform career enthusiast. He eats, sleeps and breathes resumes and particularly enjoys looking at the world of employment from unique and unexplored perspectives.

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In one episode, the broker was entrusted to sell a spacious apartment in a great neighborhood with beautiful finishes. An absolutely stunning apartment, but with one problem: Part of its main view faced a brick wall. Not so appealing.

How would the realtor sell this apartment at top dollar?

His solution was creative. He invited other brokers representing potential buyers to a nighttime rave party with drinks and neon lights — and kept the living room lights off. He wanted his guests to feel the apartment’s large space, to see some of the finishes, but to avoid the eyesore immediately outside the main window.

When the guests arrived, he accentuated the apartment’s many positive features to get the brokers excited, knowing that he had to make them as passionate about the listing as he was. He could deal with the eyesore later; his first job was to get them to love the apartment.

What does Million Dollar Listing have to do with a job interview? (Click here to tweet this question.)

If you’re the college student equivalent of a Manhattan penthouse — ranked near the top of your class at a target school with several gold-standard internships — you can stop reading right now; you have zero to worry about. Employers will find you.

But if you’re that apartment that’s mostly great, but with a quickly identifiable weakness, you need to read on.

With a resume alone, recruiters will see your “brick walls,” but miss many of your best features. Below are three interview tips that will move your interview past the brick wall:

1. Know your brick wall

The three most common factors recruiters look for in college graduates are their schools, GPA and internships. If you attended a good school, but not a great school, be ready to explain why. If you were a late bloomer, focus on how you’ve excelled at your school and maximized every moment. If you had to stay close to home, explain why.

If your GPA doesn’t place you near the top of your class, talk about your priorities. Was it because you focused on the hardest classes? Did you immerse yourself in extracurricular activities? Were you a varsity athlete committing a huge amount of time to compete at the highest level? Did a dramatic life event affect your performance?

And last, if you didn’t have a top-tier internship, you better have a good reason why: Did you volunteer that summer? Travel the world? Care for a family member?

2. Know your story

Your resume reveals a list of key decisions, accomplishments and opportunities earned, but rarely does it convey the passion you live your life by or evoke the emotion needed to make the interviewer your advocate. The one-on-one meeting is your one chance to convey your achievements and explain your core values.

If you know your story and, more importantly, can tell it with passion, without regret and with confidence, it’ll be easy for the interviewer to project your path to success in their organization.

3. Lead the interviewer

Remember our real estate agent who wanted to postpone the brick wall discussion? He prepared himself to lead the buyers’ agents to the strengths of the condo first. You’ll have to do something similar in interviews.

Most of them begin with brief small talk and a leading statement by the interviewer: “So, tell me about yourself.”This is your opportunity to direct traffic and lead the interviewer to your strengths.

Make your first statement count. This doesn’t mean you should make it long, but make sure it leads to your strengths. I wish I knew this when I was interviewing at age 21. Looking back, here’s how I would’ve answered that question:

“I am a first-generation college student, and I was fortunate to have a family that instilled in me the value of education, the pride in hard work and the virtue of loyalty. I measure my success not by where I stand, but by where I am going and by how far I’ve come. I am really excited about being here because my core values would make me a great fit for a position in your company.”

With that one succinct statement, I would’ve given the interviewer a blueprint of where this interview would go on my terms. At each turn, I could’ve reverted to my core values and carefully woven my answers back to my initial statement.

My brick walls, which were a good-not-great GPA and a lack of a strong internship, wouldn’t have been so daunting because they were only part of my complete story of determination, passion and potential.

Your job interviews will be games of chess, not checkers. The interviewers start off in control because they ask the questions, but you must regain control by addressing your brick walls, by telling your story with passion and by leading the discussion back to where you want to go.

Your resume is just a lifeless piece of paper until you make it come alive. Tell your story, show your passion and be confident in yourself.

Felix Frey is the head options trader at a billion-dollar hedge fund and the creator of the Wall St Combine, a competition for students that uses non-traditional methods to find, prepare and mentor great talent.

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Why Wouldn’t I Want to Work Here?

“I think this question frames transparency on both the potential new hire and her future boss. It forces both people to have an honest look at the challenges that accompany the job, rather than just the benefits of it. And for the hiring manager, it shows that the interviewee is willing to make an honest assessment of her abilities and desires to complete the prospective work.”

- Michael Costigan, Youth Leadership Specialist

Who Doesn’t Buy From You, and Why?

“This question exemplifies the candidate’s desire to understand the product/service, an awareness of varying target markets, a rational approach to sales, an understanding of the necessity of sales and a willingness to ask bold questions. It can positively impact her strategic approach.”

- Emily Eldridge Holdman, PeopleKit

What’s One Thing I Would Learn?

“We want people who not only want to work here, but want to learn! Having someone come in, do his job, not challenge anything and essentially be a well-written robot is just average. We want employees who are constantly trying to learn, push the envelope and come up with compelling new ideas. Anyone can do a job, but can you do your job and push your team at the same time?”

- Kim Kaupe, ZinePak

What’s Your Business Model?

“It always worries me when a candidate isn’t interested in how we’re going to be able to pay them. I typically assume it’s because they either don’t feel comfortable asking (which implies they’ll hold back with their opinions in the future) or they haven’t thought about it (which suggests they’re not really thinking this thing through).”

- Derek Flanzraich, Greatist

How Can I Add Value?

“Employees who take the focus off convincing me to like them and transition to how they can meet the needs of my business are the winners in my eyes. Ultimately, you receive a job because you will add value. “

- Elizabeth Saunders, Real Life E®

Do You See Any Gaps in My Qualifications?

“By asking about areas to improve upon, a potential hire shows a level of self-assessment that’s a great indicator of motivation for a future employee. We like employees who are self-sufficient and can improve themselves with guidance from our team.”

- Jared Christopherson, Yellowhammer

What’s Your Long-Term Vision?

“By asking what our long-term vision is, it shows that an employee is interested in the long haul and the mission/vision of the company.”

- Kit Hickey, Ministry of Supply

What Do You Believe in as a Company?

“What do you believe in as a company? Our values drive everything and are the foundation of all we do. They’re so important to us that we want to find people who share the same values, first and foremost.”

- Chuck Longanecker, digital-telepathy

What Are the Opportunities for Growth?

“I always wonder, when I enter a role, what the opportunities for growth on a personal (training, learning) and professional (promotion, career trajectory) level are. If a potential employee doesn’t ask me this, it seems like he’s rushing into the role and doesn’t have an adequate long-term vision.”

Christopher Pruijsen, Sterio.me

What Have Employees in Similar Roles Done to Succeed?

“What have employees in similar roles done to hit the ground running, and what traits and capabilities have helped them succeed? There is a misconception, especially with less-experienced people, that new hires bring instant value. Even if he/she has the skills, learning how things work, what questions to ask and what to focus on learning in the early days is critical. “

- Steph Beer, nsight2day

What Motivates You in Life?

“This is a question I ask them, but they never ask me. They all want to know how to get a higher salary or more responsibilities, but I can actually sense if they really want to work with passionate people by whether or not they ask me how I am motivated. If they feel I’m aligned with the culture or environment they want to be around, then they feel comfortable making the choice to work with us.”

- Derek Capo, Next Step China

What Is a Typical vs. Atypical Day in the Office?

“What is a typical day like, and what would a non-typical day be like? This is a great question that could weed out many applicants from the get-go. The first half of the question clears up the number of hours, work environment and responsibilities. The second half lets me discuss situations where they may have to perform above and beyond the usual tasks. This is an indicator for productivity.”

- Jay Wu, A Forever Recovery

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But fear rarely makes a strong impression. Instead of quaking and counting the seconds until your interview is over, take control of the process from the start by keeping these considerations in mind.

1. Grow up

Job interviews have a tendency to transport us back to childhood, a time when we strove to please our elders and stay out of trouble. But resist this tendency. You and your interviewer are two adults who’ve earned a place in the world and a seat at the table.

You’re going to have a simple conversation. You’re not here to be judged, scolded, punished, tested or cross examined. And if you’re treated this way, you don’t want that job.

2. Clarify, don’t guess

If you don’t understand your interviewer’s question, that’s his fault, not yours. Don’t fumble or mumble your way toward whatever you think he meant. Simply say, “I don’t understand the question. Can you rephrase?”

3. Honesty wins — always

If you have to choose between telling your story in your own words or telling your interviewer what you think she wants to hear, choose the first. At some point, you may be asked to describe your feelings, your plans or the lessons you learned from the past. Think about the question for a few seconds before you speak. Then speak from the heart.

4. You’re a specialist, not a jack-of-all trades

Young candidates often assume that the more they can do, the more they’ll impress their interviewers. They claim to be all-around superstars (hard workers, tech pros, brilliant writers, mathematicians and natural leaders) who turn everything they touch into gold.

Instead, focus on what you really do — the skills you have to offer that others don’t. Let the other things go.

5. You’re not a “social media expert” (unless you are)

You may have a Facebook account, and you may be a Millennial, but these alone don’t make you a social media expert or a social media marketing pro. These are real terms, and if you use them to describe yourself, you’ll need to back up that claim.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to do this. Especially if this isn’t a social media marketing job. Focus on your degree in chemistry, your background in art history or your child development experience, and don’t let your interviewer put you on the defensive because you haven’t updated your Twitter feed in a while.

6. Manage your appearance and non-verbal cues

Whatever you decide to wear to your interview, look clean, neat, pressed and sharp. Your clothes should look new, especially your shoes. Your posture should be confident and relaxed. Keep the conversation flowing in two directions. Judge as much as you’re judged, and ask some questions instead of answering each one and passively waiting for the next.

Jenny Treanor is a career advisor and job search expert who provides consultation for staffing firms, hiring managers and job seekers across every industry. Her blogs and articles appear regularly on LiveCareer, home of America’s #1 Resume Builder.

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Nothing could be further from the reality of today’s competitive MBA application process. No matter how decorated a student and professional you are, the applicant pool is full of equally qualified and remarkably diverse individuals. What does it take to impress and stand out from the crowd? (Click here to tweet this question.)

Tailor your resume

Everybody looks great in clothes tailored to them, since no two bodies are identical. Your resume works the same way. If you send the exact same resume to every MBA program, don’t expect enthusiastic responses. Showcase yourself in a light that appeals to individual schools.

For each school, shape the resume based on what you know about their unique elements, from teaching styles to location. With that in mind, maybe a skill featured first on your resume for one school is further down the list for another, or one particular aspect of a past job is explained in detail for one program but omitted for the rest.

Ask what this school emphasizes: case study, internships, group projects? Use your resume to show real-world experience matching the program’s specific brand.

Write panoramic essays

The biggest mistake MBA applicants make when writing essays is not looking at the group as a whole. Each essay should complement — not overlap — others, like pieces of a puzzle coming together to create a picture.

Do two of your essays focus on leadership? Change one to talk more about your cooperative abilities. Does every essay end in triumph? Share an unfortunate error or failed endeavor and what it taught you. MBA admissions officers want to read about a well-rounded skill set in diverse situations.

Overall, your essays should paint a picture of your most important personal and professional traits without getting too focused on a couple particular themes. In addition, make sure your essays don’t repeat information found elsewhere in the application, particularly your resume.

Nailing the interview

The interview is probably the most nerve-racking aspect of the MBA application process. With preparation, though, you’ll come in confident and ready to impress.

1. Reach out to your network

You probably selected each target school based at least partially on knowing an alumnus or having met one or two during an information session or visit. Get in touch and ask what they remember about their interviews.

How many people were present? Was it formal or conversational? Did interviewers ask new questions or request elaboration on topics from your essays?

Of course, no two interviews are identical. But you can build a basic idea of the atmosphere, expectations and common questions from those who have been there before.

2. Prepare potential content in advance

Yes, this can seem daunting, but the payoff is substantial. Time spent pondering interviewers’ questions is time lost. Plus, sitting in silence can come across as awkward or unprofessional to MBA selection committees.

Create a base of useable responses that come quickly to mind and cover many topics, from employment and education to visions and values. Make sure they don’t sound overly rehearsed, though. You shouldn’t memorize word-for-word, but rather build confidence with talking points so they flow naturally in the right situation, even under pressure.

While preparing, also think about how you might be able to impress the interviewer with unconventional — but appropriate — responses. A great option is featuring relevant anecdotes from volunteer service, travels or daily life in addition to those from work and school. You don’t want to sound like someone focused on nothing but your job and studies.

3. Record a sample interview or two (or 17)

Thanks to today’s technology, there’s no excuse for not knowing what you look and sound like in an interview setting. Use a computer or phone to record mock interviews and watch them. You’ll be stunned how often you say “um,” “like,” or other verbal tics, which should be minimized.

Also, pay attention to your body language. Does your attempt at eye contact make you look borderline psychotic? Are you too stiff? Do you fidget? Recognizing those behaviors is the first step to correcting them and adopting a professional yet comfortable interview demeanor.

Though nothing in admissions is ever guaranteed, a well-tailored resume, diverse set of compelling essays and preparation for anything an interviewer can throw your way will make you a triple threat coveted by any MBA program. Good luck!

Ryan Hickey is the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. He’s worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.

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Remember that when you’re invited to interview for a position, the hiring manager already feels you’re qualified for the position. But truly connecting with your interviewer can be tough, and conversations don’t always go as planned.

Here are a few signs the hiring manager may be losing interest in you — and how to turn the interview around:

1. They only ask questions from their prepared list

A hiring manager always prepares for an interview by developing a list of questions. They’ll usually begin to digress from their list by asking follow-up questions to your answers to build a clear picture of your potential for the job.

If they begin to lose interest, however, they may begin to “stick to the script” and run through their list of questions without asking for much elaboration.

How to turn it around: Change tactics — answer their questions, but also ask some of your own. Ensure the interview is a two-way conversation. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Engage the hiring manager. Lead the conversation in a direction that allows you to demonstrate your knowledge of the industry, company and your skills.

2. They become easily distracted

If your hiring manager becomes distracted during the interview, it’s a surefire sign they’re losing interest. Do they glance at their computer when new emails come in? Does the amount of eye contact they make with you dwindle? Perhaps you catch them glancing at the clock or other work on their desk. You need to bring the focus back to your conversation immediately.

How to turn it around: You should’ve researched the company and industry when preparing for this interview, and now’s the perfect time to leverage this information to sell yourself.

Comment on a piece of pertinent industry news and ask how it affects the company. Draw connections between market trends and how they might affect the company’s services or product line. These topics make an impact on the interviewer’s job, so it’s a good tactic to grab their attention.

3. They stop taking notes

When a hiring manager stops taking notes during an interview, this indicates your responses are leading them to believe you’re not the right candidate for the job. They’ll be recounting the details of the interview to company management, so detailed notes on their top candidates help them make a case for hiring you.

How to turn it around: When a hiring manager stops taking notes, don’t panic. Keep an eye on what interests them throughout the interview. What responses do they take notes on and when do they stop?

Highlight the skills and experience they find most intriguing, even if you feel those topics aren’t your strongest attributes. Guide the conversation back to those points and expand on them as much as you can without pushing it too far.

4. They don’t ask how you would use your experience for the benefit of their company

At the end of the day, a hiring manager’s job is to find potential employees who can make a contribution to the company. If they aren’t sure you’re the right person for the job, they may not initiate a conversation about your experience and skills in relation to the job.

How to turn it around: You should be proud of all your professional accomplishments, but emphasize the ones this company needs. Did the job description mention they need someone who can make killer presentations? Guide the conversation in that direction. Are they looking for someone with the ability to work well in groups? Give examples of how well you’ve done in the past.

Always bring the conversation back to how you can be an asset, as all companies are looking for someone who can provide them with solutions to their problems. If they don’t bring up your potential, you need to make it part of the conversation.

5. They don’t mention a second interview or future communication

The end of the interview is usually when the hiring manager will discuss the next steps in the interview process. This includes when you can expect to hear from them, whether there will be a second interview, and any further information they might need. If they don’t offer opportunities for further communication, it might be a sign they’re on the fence about you.

How to turn it around: Let the interviewer know how interested you are in the job and the company. Ask when you can expect to hear from them or inquire about the next steps. Be polite and confident in your inquiry and it’ll impress upon the hiring manager that you’re serious about the job.

Within 24 hours of the interview, you should also send a formal email to thank them for the opportunity to interview. Not only is it courteous, but it also keeps your conversation fresh in their minds.

Not every interview is a smooth conversation. If you find you aren’t connecting with your interviewer, it doesn’t mean you won’t get the job. It just means you may have to work a bit harder to impress them. Steer the conversation in a way that casts you in the best possible light.

What do you think? How do you try to turn tough interviews into outstanding job opportunities?

Robyn Melhuish is the Communications Manager at MedReps.com, a job board that gives members access to the most sought-after medical sales jobs and pharmaceutical sales jobs on the Web. Connect with Robyn and MedReps.com on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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You walk into your favorite shoe store, and a friendly assistant approaches you. “Hello!” she exclaims, while beaming her most customer-friendly smile. “How can I help you today?”

“Well, I’m looking for winter boots,” you reply, and go on to describe the boots: “I’d like them in black, calf-high, with a fur trim. I don’t like heels, but I do need the sole to have a decent grip.”

The assistant appears to be taking mental notes as she nods her head enthusiastically. You notice this spirited zest and cautiously add, “Oh, just so you know, they’re for my next vacation. I’m heading out to Antarctica.” You leave out the part about being on the final leg of your 20-must-see-places-before-you-die trip. She has enough details.

The assistant leaves with the instructions and, moments later, returns with an armful of boxes. Slowly, she opens the lids and starts to reveal the treasures.

“I think you’ll love these,” she claims, handing you a pair of red ankle boots.

Seeing the disappointment on your face, she grabs another pair. “Oh these. These are simply perfection.”

The camel-colored concoctions most certainly are not.

Twenty minutes later, you find yourself on the bad side of frustrated and wonder if anything you’d requested resonated at all.

This story has a point: When the shopper is your potential new employer, and the friendly assistant is you, the last thing you want to do is hand over red boots when black ones were requested.

In other words, know what your interviewer wants before you begin handing them solutions. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Get inside their head and figure out what their most pressing needs are. And proceed to show them how you’ll fix them — in your resume, your cover letter and your interview.

Here’s how:

Do your homework

As an interviewee, your job isn’t to show up at the interview prepared to answer questions. Your job is to have answers prepared in anticipation of questions.

If the very thought of this makes you shudder with fear, fret not. It’ll take some work, but it’s easier than you think.

Whether the interview is a done deal or you’re trying to break into a new business, knowing what issues your hiring manager is facing is the key to getting noticed.

• Interview people. Reach out to people in the business. Use your network to create warm introductions. When speaking to the employees, ask them about challenges they face in the business and their team. Get as much detail as you can.
• Go online. Many businesses participate in industry forums and communities. LinkedIn is the biggest place. Seek out where your target employer is and read the latest updates. A wealth of information awaits you.
• Speak to competitors. Businesses in the same industry face similar issues. Again, ask your network to make warm introductions and speak to employees of competing businesses. As well as understanding what challenges they face, this will help in researching the competition of your interviewer. Everyone likes inside information.

Bulletproof your resume

Armed with your background information, your next step is to show ‘em what you’re made of.

Given the challenges and issues you’ve noted, what can you do to solve them? What have you done in the past that displays your skills and abilities in fixing the issues? What expertise can you provide that the employer doesn’t already have?

This is difficult to do. It’s up to you to think creatively and dig deep. Once you know what the answers are, write your resume to include them for every relevant job you’ve done. Use different formatting techniques (bold, italic, changing text size) to draw the eye to those specific areas.

And while you’re perfecting your resume, know this: 80 percent of your competition won’t think of doing this. They’ll turn up at the interview ready to answer questions using knowledge of their experience alone. And you? You’ll turn up with the answers the employer previously only wished had existed.

Interview day

D-day arrives. Are you prepared? You will be, right? Because in addition to research on competitors and the killer resume you created, you also prepared examples of how you can be of value to the interviewer, didn’t you?

No? Let’s fix that.

When you note the key issues facing the interviewer and find solutions, your focus will be on how you can lead those solutions. Write these down in detail, create a case study and make your solution visible. Why?

The power of paper: When you’re in the interview room and you’re ready to talk about your solutions, don’t just discuss them. Pull out the paper that has the magic case study or detailed description on it and hand it over to the employer. “Let me show you something I’ve created,” you’ll exclaim, handing them your paper.

What impact does this have? It gives them a solution to their problem. It shows them you have initiative. And it makes their decision to hire you easy.

Much like if the assistant had brought those black, fur-trimmed boots with a good grip.

Taking these steps will put you in the front line of 80 percent of those competing for the same job. You’ll have done your homework. You’ll have networked with your future colleagues already.

And the interview? It’ll be a mere formality.

Razwana Wahid writes at Your Work Is Your Life, a service dedicated to making your writing  work  – to sell, to convert, to connect. Read more at http://www.yourworkisyourlife.com or follow her on Twitter.

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If you haven’t found that job yet, you’re probably faced with the question: Is it more important to find a good position at a company that’s wrong for you, or a position that isn’t right at the perfect company?

If it’s a company that appreciates your hard work, reflects your values and rewards success, take the latter option. In the long run, you’ll have more opportunities to develop your career.

For GenY, picking the right workplace is often more important than the position itself. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Picking the wrong company can breed dissatisfaction and restlessness, even if you like your job title. As a Millennial, you might take a more holistic look at your work environment and how it fits into your life.

But finding the right company is harder than you think and can require asking gutsy interview questions. Here are five questions you should be asking companies to help you figure out if they’re a good fit for you:

1. What do you think of my generation?

If your boss believes the bad press about GenY (they’re lazy, self-centered and narcissistic), there’s a good chance they won’t see you as an important asset. Find a workplace that sees GenY as an integral part of their growth strategy.

There are employers who realize GenY has had the valuable experience of navigating technological paradigm shifts — from the emergence of the Internet and social media to the transition to mobile platforms and the explosion of connected devices.

Your experiences have made you especially adept at thriving in the digital economy, and you deserve an employer who realizes that.

2. How do you approach work and community involvement?

Punching in and punching out isn’t enough for someone who’s community-minded and world-conscious. While making money keeps the doors open, it’s important for employers to realize they need to do more.

What’s your prospective employer doing to make the community and world a better place? Look for a company that doesn’t just pay lip service to giving back. How well is it engaged in charities and community organizations? What volunteer opportunities does it encourage?

3. Do you have a Millennial in your upper-management team?

If the only Millennials you see when you interview at a company are getting coffee or gophering for sandwiches, this is a bad sign. Look for a company with a young vibrant workforce and management that gives GenY big challenges and titles like VP, COO or CEO, not Assistant to the Assistant to the Assistant Regional Manager.

A company that believes in the potential of your generation will have your generation leading their teams and divisions.

4. Is there an office community, and how do you support it?

Your job will be a big part of your life. You want to excel and work hard to make yourself indispensable to the team. But you don’t want to be in this alone, and a vibrant work community is important to liking your job, feeling part of a driven group and being happy.

What is the company doing to make work a community? What events, potlucks, field trips, ugly sweater days and coaching or mentoring programs do they have?

5. Will I have the opportunity to advance and make money?

As much as we may not like to admit it, making money plays a big role in our decision about where to work. And even if you don’t care about it now, someday you may have a mortgage, medical bills or a family that’ll require money. Make sure there’s a path for you to advance and make enough money to have what you want.  

Many prospective employers want to hear this — they need to keep the revenue coming in to keep the doors open, and your desire to make money shows your drive to succeed.

It’s always hard to get everything you want from a job, but hopefully these pointers help you find the best job and fit for you. Remember to stay humble, but also realize that you’re a valuable commodity and you should be working for employers who recognize it.

Bobby Campbell is a successful entrepreneur with a deep understanding of how to leverage disruptive technology to drive business growth. He’s the founder of several leading digital media companies, including AdKarma and Division D. Connect with him on LinkedIn here.

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You’ve got a big interview coming up. How do you prepare? If you’re a regular Brazen reader, you know the answer: research the company, polish answers to common questions and hone in on the ways your skills and experience will help you achieve results in that particular job.

But you can do all that and still flounder in the interview. Many candidates stumble at the first hurdle because it doesn’t seem like it requires a lot of effort to clear. What is it? The typical opener that invites you to tell the interviewer a little more about yourself.

This hardly seems like the toughest question you’re likely to encounter. You know your own biography, after all. But according to career coaches, this prompt is a common stumbling block for inexperienced candidates who go wrong by taking the question at face value.

Many candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal matters. — Nancy Fox, Fox Coaching Associates.

Fellow career coach Jane Cranston agrees:

The biggest mistake people being interviewed make is thinking the interviewer really wants to know about them as a person.

I was born in Tallahassee…

If your answer starts anything like that, you’re probably spoiling your chances of getting the job. No matter how natural it may seem, fight the impulse to start at the beginning and go in chronological order.

Instead, take the advice of Melanie Szlucha. Think of your response as a movie preview, she advises (click here to Tweet this thought):

The movie preview always relates to the movie you’re about to see. You never see a movie preview for an animated flick when you’re there to see a slasher movie. So the “tell me about yourself” answer needs to directly fit the concerns of your prospective employer.

It should also be as short and engaging as a great trailer.

If you’re looking for the exact words to accomplish this, Brazen has examples of pithy self-descriptions for interviews, and Lifehacker also has 20 ways to complete the sentence “I am someone who….”

The time travel approach

Short summations may work in some interviews, but what if you get the impression the person sitting across from you wants to go into more depth, or they push you to include biographical information or meaty details about your professional background?

Venture capitalist Brad Feld may have the solution for you. It’s one he developed over a long career of both interviewing others and telling his own story. His suggestion is to do the opposite of what comes naturally and go backwards in time:

I don’t care where you went to school (I never have). I don’t care what your first job was. I don’t care what happened 15 years ago. I care what you did yesterday, and last month, and last quarter, and last year. That’s probably as deep as I want to go in the first five minutes of our interview. I’m no longer interested in telling my own story. Each time I do it, I realize I am wasting another 15 minutes of my life.

Feld adds that hearing a chronological retelling of your story is not only boring for the listener, it’s also pointless for the speaker. Instead, he’s decided to take a new approach, one he also recommends for job interviews:

By starting with the now, and not worrying about going backward, I can get to the meat of whatever I’m communicating, or want to communicate. I’ll more quickly engage whomever I’m talking to — making the conversation immediately active instead of passive. When I need to reach into the past for a story to support an example, I will. I’ve decided that going forward, I’m telling my history in reverse chronological order whenever asked.

Do you have a set answer for the “So tell me a little about yourself” interview question?

Jessica Stillman is a freelance writer based in London. She writes a daily column for Inc.com, contributes regularly to Forbes and Women 2.0 and has blogged for CBS MoneyWatch and GigaOM, among others.

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So, yes, you should be nervous. But now you’ve got to get smart about how to prepare for interviews and have a strategy for getting through the unexpected. (Click here to Tweet this idea.)

Study up and try to expect the unexpected

My new book, The Essential Job Interview Handbook, starts with these preparation tips:

• Research the organization or company carefully and go beyond what you find on their website.
• Create a chart or map where you list the job requirements on one side, and put key words to remind yourself of how you match them on the other side.
• Add your list of questions for the interviewer at the bottom of your map. You never want to miss an opportunity to ask questions; it’s a key tactic to prove you’re interested in a company. (And bring this map with you to the interview — it’s fine to have a “cheat sheet.”)

So, that’s good, but you’re still a wreck. You’re afraid your nerves will undermine your chances of getting the job. What can you do to make sure you don’t bomb the interview?

Focus on being your real self

Try to think of your nervousness as energy. Learn how to use it up or burn through it so it won’t hurt you. Get off to a strong start by dressing appropriately. Make sure your grooming is perfect, and greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake.

Sit on the front two-thirds of your chair with good posture: shoulders back, your hands on the desk or table in front of you (if there is one) or resting on your thighs. Put energy into your voice; this will make you interesting to listen to since you won’t be mumbling. Good volume and inflection will make your ideas come alive.

Lastly, learn how to gesture to emphasize key points. Let’s say you helped with a large project as an intern; show “large” by moving your hands away from each other. If you reduced expenses, lower your hands. We do this naturally, but under the intense pressure of an interview, we tend to forget.

These tips will help you show the interviewer who you are. Be yourself — your best self — and if that’s not who they want, that’s OK. None of us is right for every job.

If you’re a go-getter, let them see that. If you’re quiet, make sure you share how you’ve been effective — quiet people are often excellent listeners. If you’re good at motivating others, show them through your facial expressions, voice and gestures just how you do that.

Interviewing is the gateway to getting a job. Learn how to do it well so they can see who you are and why you’d be a great addition to their team.

Jean Baur is the author of The Essential Job Interview Handbook.

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Oddly enough, what’s offered to most recruiters is simply a template with a bunch of “behavioral questions.” To conduct an effective behavioral interview, what you do with the answers is far more important than the questions you ask. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

Here are three easy tips to get the most out of behavioral interviews:

1. If at first their answer doesn’t succeed, ask, ask again

Behavioral interviewing is based on the belief that past behavior is a predictor of future performance. The key words here are “past behavior.” Too often, candidates have a tendency to respond to questions hypothetically. But that only tells you what the candidate thinks they would do (or thinks you would want them to do) in any given situation, not what they’ve actually done in a similar situation in the past.

If a candidate can’t think of a real example, broaden the parameters of the question. Suggest they give an example from their personal life instead of a professional example. You could also try rewording or paraphrasing the question to help a candidate who’s stumped come up with an acceptable response.

2. Know your ideal answer before you ask the question

Interpreting responses to behavioral questions can be tricky. These questions are typically multidimensional, so the answers can be complex and misleading. Some candidates are also adept at this sort of interviewing and have practiced the art of sounding eloquent while avoiding giving a real answer.

Each specific behavioral question is typically meant to assess a particular skill. Having a good idea of what you’d like to hear (similar to creating an ideal performance profile) will help you hone in on the competency or skills you’re assessing.

For example, consider the question, “Tell me about a time when you’ve failed at work.” Answers may range from “I’ve never failed” to some version of, “I’m human and I’ve made many mistakes.” The candidate may describe a mistake with negligible impact or give an example of a huge blunder.

Ultimately, the actual mistake they made doesn’t matter. The ideal response includes three components: details of the mistake, remedial action taken to correct it and any steps taken to prevent the same mistake from happening in the future — which is the most important part. Very few candidates get to the second or third parts of the answer without prompting.

3. Dig deep to make this interview really count

You’ve probably sifted through volumes of resumes and profiles to find a few candidates worth getting to know. You might have also invested time in intermediary steps such as phone screens to create a short list of candidates you want to bring in for a behavioral interview. So make it count. Ask follow-up questions to probe deeper. Ask clarifying questions to understand the context of examples the candidate gives.

Be curious, but don’t interrogate. Make it a conversation. Assure them there are no right or wrong answers. Some answers may not impact a hiring decision, but may simply indicate areas where training or coaching are required.

Above all, aim to disarm the candidate. After all, you’re trying to get a glimpse of how they behave outside the interview setting. If it’s worth going through this process, it’s worth doing it right.

Deepa Barve is Sr. Recruitment Leader at SSOE Group, an architectural and engineering consulting firm. Deepa has more than seven years of recruiting experience in engineering, healthcare and hospitality and has authored career advice articles on www.examiner.com.

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Computer whizzes and tech nerds are no longer the only geeks in the game. The title “geek” now applies to anyone with a huge passion or interest of any sort, especially for comics, movies or video games.

This means most companies may already have several diehard geek employees on staff. And, since people enjoy working with colleagues who share similar interests, that also means companies are looking to hire ever more geeks.

If don’t consider yourself a geek, it might be time to jump on the bandwagon and start nerding out over what you’re truly passionate about. It could make or break your job hunt.

But simply announcing “Hey! I’m a geek!” won’t land you the job. You need to translate your geekiness into skills employers understand. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

During your interview, fly your geek flag high and focus on these aspects of your personality. You’ll be well on your way to showing your interviewer you’re one of the best employees the company could possibly hire.

1. Your geekiness makes you an obsessive problem-solver

There’s not a single company that doesn’t have problems to solve, whether it’s their own or their customers’ or both.

This is where geeks come in handy. They enjoy challenges and finding answers to problems. (More so with technical geeks, but also with the pop-culture-type ones.)

For this reason, your geeky self tends to give your all at work, which may not be as common in some of your non-geek coworkers. What company wouldn’t want to hire you for that?

2. You taught yourself more than you ever learned in school

No matter what your passion or hobby, geeks tend to be creative and experimental. Since you don’t learn via traditional methods or work via traditional processes, you tend to find ways to teach yourself.

Employers love creative self-starters, especially when you use that skill to solve their problems. For example, you might take a smartphone picture of your signed contract and send it via email instead of hunting down an envelope, stamp and mailing address. (It really does get there faster…)

If you’re looking to exercise your creativity, look for companies that are flexible and innovative. A more traditional setting might stifle this aspect of your geekiness.

3. You mastered work-life balance before it was even a “thing”

As a geek, you tend to want to make a make a life instead of a career. This means you’re less likely to be a workaholic who runs yourself down and reduces your quality of work.

But be careful of becoming too dedicated to your “life” instead of your job; realistic, optimistic geeks understand that to live a good life, a job is a necessary and welcome component.

4. You’re flexible to changes, diversity and new ways of learning

This mindset is tied closely to the geek desire to be creative. If an old model doesn’t work for you or the problem at hand, you’re willing to toss it out the door and try something new. You’d rather learn from what Joss Whedon can teach you about business than what the latest Wall Street guru has to say.

If a company’s looking for workers with a little bit of daring and open-mindedness, you’re their ideal candidate. A geek is more willing to help a company grow, adapt and develop through alternative methods than some of their older or non-geek counterparts.

5. You’ve got the drive to make a difference

It’s not all about just you and your life. You want to contribute something greater to the world and make it a better place, whether that be through the products you support or the way you live your life. (“Yep, this Superman shirt is 100 percent organic cotton!”)

It’s likely that if you’re a geek working for a company in the business of changing lives, you’ll feel passionate about that company’s goals, services and products.

Of course, not all geeks are created equal. And not all companies can handle having you work for them (and vice versa). As mentioned above, geeks work best in innovative companies.

But you’re also a huge force to be reckoned with in the workplace.

So when you’re applying for jobs, fly that geek flag high and make sure you apply to companies that not only provide professional growth, but also gladly accept your geeky character into their culture.

Bree Brouwer is a freelance blogger and content strategist who writes for FortressGeek.com, a Canadian-based online retailer full of nerdy goods. Bree and the staff at FG love helping geeks get paid to do what they’re passionate about.

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How do you stand out among the crowd to be the one hired? Find a way to add a dash of humor. Easier said than done, right? Try these off-the-wall tips to get noticed and get your foot in the door:

Step one: Work the networking room stage

Networking is a vital step in the job search. It’s how you make a human connection with people who have hiring power or can recommend you to people who might hire you. Here’s how to use humor to be remembered long after the event.

1. Present a unique business card

Include your picture or an inspirational quote. Or try to find a creative way to match your business card design with the industry in which you’re seeking a job. Check out these unique business cards for inspiration.

2. Create an interesting job title

There are millions of accountants out there. But you can be remembered as the only Numbers Ninja in the room. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) Let your personality prevail and try a witty job title.

3. Ask thought-provoking questions

After the obligatory “What do you do?” and “What do you like about your job?”, turn to more memorable questions that will keep the conversation interesting for both of you. My favorite: “What’s something you’ve done that you think no one else in this room has done?”

4. Give yourself a personal challenge

There’s no doubt that networking can be scary. So challenge yourself to accomplish something before you allow yourself to leave. Don’t leave a networking event before reaching a goal you’ve set for yourself, like talking to five new people or collecting a certain number of business cards.

5. Play an improv game

Bored by the conversations at the event? Play an improv game like First Letter Last Letter to force yourself to concentrate on the other person more. The first letter of the first word you say has to start with the last letter of the last word they just said.

Step two: Make your 30 seconds of resume air time count

Your resume is your sales letter to get that interview, yet it will only be looked at for 30 seconds — or less. Here’s how to use humor to make sure those 30 seconds help you stand out.

1. Start with epic inspiration

Before you polish your resume, get inspired. Listen to music to motivate you to create the most epic resume possible.

2. Add special skills

Your past skills and education are important pieces of your resume, but you can also shake things up a bit by adding social skills as well. Find a way to work your sense of humor into your special skills section.

3. Design the resume

Incorporate aesthetically pleasing design elements like icons or the use of color to highlight (but not overshadow) your skills and expertise. Or, you could create an infographic resume.

4. Embed a message

To really demonstrate your creativity, use the first letter of each section to hide a message such as “HIRE ME.”

5. Add personal experience

Include a personal accomplishment at the bottom of your resume. Have you run a marathon? Successfully raised kids? Drank three milkshakes in the same day?

Step three: Crack up the tough interview crowd

One of the final steps to landing a job is the interview. It’s your time to show the hiring manager (or HR person) why you’re the person — and personality — for the job. Here’s how to use humor to show you’re someone they want to work with.

1. Talk to your hype man / woman

Before your interview, spend time with a friend or family member who hypes you up about how awesome you are. They’ll amp you up and give you the momentum you need to be your best self during the interview.

2. Be a superhero

Your body language can work wonders for how people view you — and for how you view yourself. Hold a power pose before interviewing to boost your confidence.

3. Respond from personal experience

In addition to giving examples from your work life, sprinkle in stories of overcoming challenges or facing adversity from your personal life.

4. Ask culture questions

Determine if the company is a place where you actually want to work. Ask when the last time was that your interviewer laughed at work to gauge how much fun they have around the office.

5. Follow up with humor

When following up post-interview, include a link to something funny that reminds you of the person or the company. Just make sure it’s positive humor and not too edgy, which could be taken the wrong way.

Stand out among the crowd, have some fun in your search and use humor to land a job you love.

Andrew Tarvin is a humor engineer teaching individuals and organizations how to be more effective using humor in the workplace. He is also the author of the bestselling book Humor That Works: 501 Ways to Use Humor to Beat Stress, Increase Productivity, and Have Fun at Work.

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Forget resorting to asking those age-old, boring interview questions and start digging into exactly who people are and what they can deliver with these three free interviewing tools:

1. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey is a relatively new tool interviewers use to assess candidates with material relevant to the interview. With SurveyMonkey, you can test your candidates on pertinent subjects, or you can provide the entire interview process via survey.

SurveyMonkey comes packed with features to help you comb through candidates, including charts and graphs for easy analysis (complete with file export options), 15 different question types, easy response collection and more.

The free version of SurveyMonkey promises a free 10-question survey with 100 allowed responses per survey. This is perfect for an employer that wants to assess candidates on specific subjects. Paid subscriptions allow unlimited questions with unlimited responses, among other features.

2. Google+ Hangouts

No interviewer should conduct an interview without considering Google+ Hangouts for the job. Google+ Hangouts is free and is also viable for professional employment interviews. Google+ Hangouts makes it easy to connect to your candidate, no matter where they are, and assess them as you would in person.

The group conversations feature allows you to interview several candidates at once. It’s similar to a real-life group interview and eliminates the need for multiple video conversations with each of the candidates.

You can even address your interview candidates at set times using On Air for live streaming. If candidates happened to miss your announcement, you can save the recording and share it with the absent users.

Google+ Hangouts is available for most smartphones and devices, so you can log on from practically anywhere to connect with your prospective employees. If your candidate lives far away, Google+ Hangouts is also perfect for getting an idea of how professional they are in person.

3. TypingTest.com

Lastly, you should use TypingTest.com, especially if you’re planning on hiring for an IT or customer service job. TypingTest.com is a basic tool that offers options for testing candidates’ typing abilities. The free version has a quick download with a typing test and a printable diploma. After a candidate has used the software, instruct them to scan their diploma and email it as an attachment.

A paid version comes with more options for employers. You can design your own typing test candidates can take via a Web browser.

At any time, you can log in to your account and grab detailed reports and results about applicants. Subscription times are limited, meaning you won’t get charged for more time than you really need. If you want to extend your subscription, you can edit your account details and specify that you’d like an extension.

You should never go without tools that can make your interviewing job easier. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) Whether you use one of these tools or combine all three, you’ll find that your stress load will decrease, and you’ll have an easier time finding the best fit for your position.

Annabelle Smyth is from BambooHR, a Web-based, easy-to-use HR system for small to large companies. Track applicants, record PTO usage and store employee data with one simple system and zero spreadsheets. Take their HR software tour today to see how it works.

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It’s one of the questions most of us dread during an interview: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

After all, when you’re in your 20s, you often don’t know which city you’ll be living in nine months from now, or heck, what you’re doing this weekend. With the career-scape changing so quickly, how could you possibly know where you’ll be FIVE years down the road?

So we’re happy to see that Dice TV has made answering this question just a little bit easier. In this video, Cat Miller explains what the interviewer is looking for in your answer and offers several ideas for how to put your best foot forward.

What do you think? Do you have other ideas for how to best answer this doozy of a question?

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Here’s how:

Know your interviewers

Before you come in for the interview, ask the recruiter, HR manager or your contact for the interview for the names of your interviewers and how their roles relate to the position you’re interviewing for. Why is this important? It’s difficult to put together the message you want to convey if you don’t know who your audience is.

Once you find out the names of your interviewers, do a bit of research on them by looking up their profiles on LinkedIn. You can get an idea of how long they’ve been with the company, other positions they’ve held and other companies they’ve worked for. If you’re able to speak to other employees at the company, you might be able to gain some additional insights.

Define your agenda for each interview

Once you’ve figured out who your audience is, work on the goals and purpose of each interview from your perspective. While your overall goal is to get to the next round of interviews and land a job offer, think about the building blocks to getting there.

For each interview, determine what the interviewer is looking for and what you want to convey about your own skill set, experience and personality. Each interviewer plays a different role in the hiring process and looks for specific things. Think about your overall story and emphasize your selling points to each interviewer.

Find out your interviewer’s agenda and adjust

Some interviewers will share their agenda at the start of the interview, but they might be very general statements such as, “I’d like to learn more about your experience in accounting.”

Find out what your interviewer thinks a new hire needs to succeed in the position and what he or she thinks you can offer. Then it’s your job to fill in the gaps and find ways to stand out during the interview.

Remember the interviewer directs the meeting

From your interviewer’s perspective, they invited you to the interview, and they lead it. It’s your role to follow their direction and figure out how to carry out your own agenda without pushing it onto your interviewer.

Cues for getting back on track

We’ve all been in meetings that go off track, and by the end, you’re not even sure what you got out of them. You certainly don’t want to come out of an interview feeling that way, but you also have to be prepared for offbeat questions, tangents and distractions.

Armed with the key selling points about your story, you should make mental notes throughout the interview to see if you’ve addressed all of them and how you can weave in the ones you haven’t.

Wrapping up and next steps

In any productive meeting, you’ll walk out with a summary of what was discussed and a list of follow-up items. You’ll want your interviewer to feel the same by asking them if you’ve answered all of their questions and addressed any concerns.

It’s then up to you to make your final selling pitch by summarizing what the position is and what you bring to the table. Don’t forget to find out the next steps for the interviewing process. The follow-up item you want to leave on your interviewer’s mind is, “This is the right candidate. I’m ready to make an offer.”

Lam Nguyen is a co-founder of Prept, the first community of expert interviewers to provide online video conference mock interviews to help seekers land their dream jobs. If you’d like more interviewing tips, check out Prept’s blog. You can also connect with Lam on Twitter.

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And what’s true of medical symptoms and romantic quandaries is also true of your job search. Typing “after an interview” into Google Trends reveals our escalating post-interview anxieties and lays bare all our worries about how and when to follow up.

Unfortunately, though Google is great at surfacing our concerns, it’s not always excellent at providing answers. Google search results often offer exceptional advice mixed with utter nonsense.

So, what questions are people secretly nervous about after their job interviews, and what are the best available answers to their concerns?

1. Should you mail a thank you note, email or call?

Even the greenest internship candidate hoping to schlep coffee to her first-ever office knows you’re supposed to thank your interviewer afterwards. But the popularity of search terms such as “interview thank you,” “thank you letter,” “thank you email” and “thank you note” suggests many of us are confused about what form this contact should take.

Be memorable with an actual paper note? Opt for convenience (and avoid the appearance of desperation) with an email?

Unless the interviewer showed up in a bowtie and monocle and called you sir or madam (or gave other obvious signs of being extremely old-fashioned), almost all experts agree that the speed of an email trumps the personal touch of a paper letter.

“I’ve gotten scores of emails asking the same question: Should I send a handwritten or electronic thank you note?” says Jessica Liebman, who handles all of Business Insider’s editorial hiring as Managing Editor. “While it varies depending on the industry, I’d strongly suggest going with the email.”

“For most employers, an email is an acceptable form of thanks because email is a part of everyday business life and arrives quickly,” concurs CareerBuilder Editor Anthony Balderrama.

2. What should your thank you note say?

Keep it short and sweet (and just a little salesy). Here’s what Liebman says you should mention:

• Thank you for meeting (or talking) with me.
• I really want this job.
• Quick plug about why you’re perfect for it.

And what should you leave out? Kevin W. Grossman, an executive at BraveNewTalent and author of the book Tech Job Hunt Handbook, recommends you leave out anything regarding salary or benefits.

“Seriously, that’s left to when you’re made an actual offer,” he says. “And unless it was already discussed during the interview process, refrain from editorializing too much about personal or other professional issues that could affect your job performance in any direction.”

3. What’s the best time frame to follow up?

Speed counts. No matter how memorable you were, the interviewer is no doubt incredibly busy. Her good impression of you starts eroding under the onslaught of day-to-day tasks as soon as you leave the room.

Some advice encourages job seekers to send thank you notes immediately after the interview. “Same day. From your laptop in the parking lot, if you really want to wow them,” suggests Forbes.

“You can send it the day of your interview to show just how eager you are,” agrees Liebman.

But after that speedy initial contact, it’s probably a good idea to sit on your hands. Again, this depends on the specific situation. If a hiring manager gave you his card and specifically said “call if you have questions,” he may be testing your gumption to pick up the phone — but generally, calls are annoying.

“The phone call is one of the easiest ways to sabotage your image,” says Balderrama. “Phone calls are a nuisance in a way that letters and emails aren’t.”

Still, to phone or not to phone is one of the toughest decisions. The best bet for next time may to be to shortcut the conflict by getting specific follow-up steps outlined at the interview. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

“There’s no cut-and-dried script for inquiring about next steps,” says Glassdoor career expert Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter. “But the point is, if the interviewer doesn’t tie up loose ends neatly at the wrap of the interview, take the reins to inquire respectfully about next steps. With this information in hand, it will help you gauge how to handle your follow-up communications.”

Jessica Stillman is a freelance writer based in London. She writes a daily column for Inc.com, writes for Women 2.0 and has blogged for CBS MoneyWatch and GigaOM, among others.

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The post How to Follow Up After an Interview: 3 Questions You Were Afraid to Ask appeared first on Brazen Life.

If this is you, you’re probably wondering “why?” yet have no answers in sight. The question then becomes: should you ask for feedback?

While it depends on your relationship with the company, getting feedback on why you didn’t get the job will be incredibly helpful as you continue on in your search.

When you should ask for feedback

The more a company has gotten to know you, the more helpful the feedback will be. If a company turns you down after a phone interview or initial screen, they’ve only spent a limited amount of time getting to know you. Chances are there was something on the surface that made you not the right match for that job — whether it be your skill set, a culture fit or many other reasons. No harm in asking, but don’t be surprised if the answer isn’t very insightful and seems pretty basic.

I’d say the most meaningful feedback you’re going to get is when you’ve gotten to a second or third round of interviews and then get rejected.

If you’ve gotten past the first round, it means your skills and work experience are viable for the job — so the reason for not getting the job could be a little more interesting. (Maybe you talked too much, maybe you came off as disinterested in the company, maybe you didn’t know Photoshop as well as the candidate they hired.) Knowing that reason (after a second or third round) is a lot more likely to help you the next time you’re interviewing for a similar role.

Who should you ask for feedback?

This always depends on the situation and who you’ve interviewed with, but the best person to ask in general would be the recruiter. Not only can they give you feedback from their own interview with you, but they also probably were the one to gather feedback from others.

If you interviewed with one person and it wasn’t the recruiter, just ask the person you did interview with.

Keep in mind that you won’t always get feedback after an interview. There are various reasons for this, but more often than not, the recruiter or interviewer won’t give you anything too meaningful because there are risks in doing so. However, in my experience, I’ve been the most likely to give feedback to someone I have built trust and a relationship with — so those are always the best people to ask.

At what point should you ask for feedback?

Generally the best time to ask is after you’ve been turned down for the job. It’s usually best to ask for feedback over email versus phone or in-person because people don’t love being put on the spot in this scenario.

Keep in mind, it’s always a good idea to respond to a job rejection to keep the relationship in good standing for the future.

How you should ask for feedback?

You’re asking someone to:

1. Potentially have an uncomfortable conversation.
2. Take a risk (legally).
3. Take the time in general to have a conversation with someone they’re not hiring.

This means you’ll want to approach the conversation in a way that is gracious, open and not entitled.

First, thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. Then give them the option of providing feedback (without demanding it). Something along the lines of, “If you do have any feedback for me, I’d love to use it to make myself a stronger candidate for the future” is a good way to approach it. If you don’t tread lightly, you could come off as sounding defensive or basically arguing, “Why didn’t you hire me for this job?”

In real life…

Getting feedback and hearing the truth can be really tough. Your natural reaction will probably be to get defensive and think, “I didn’t sound like that,” “I didn’t say that” or “I totally covered that,” but resist that urge.

I’ve seen clients get feedback that hit them like a ton of bricks (eventually in a good way). They went on to take that feedback to heart and become much stronger candidates. So have the courage to ask, and then really use it to your advantage the next time around.

Have you ever asked for feedback after an interview?

Jaime Petkanics is the Founder of The Prepary, an online resource providing honest and accessible job search advice based on her past experience in the recruiting world. She also works with job seekers one-on-one to help them land their dream job or internship. Prior to starting The Prepary, Jaime worked as a recruiter in both the fashion and finance industries and got her BA in Psychology from NYU.

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The post Tips From a Recruiter: How to Ask for Feedback After a Job Rejection appeared first on Brazen Life.

But a hiring manager holds a lot more besides an offer of employment. It’s all a matter of knowing what to ask and where to look.

Here are a few ways to get the absolute most you can out of a job interview:

1. Bring out your inner private eye

The first trick comes before you even reach out to a company. Keep your ear to the ground. Yes, of course you should do the cursory research for that awesome startup gig. But this is about taking what you normally do just a step further.

Don’t just glaze over the company’s website or press releases. Google the bigwigs by name. See where they’ve been and what they’ve written or created, if applicable. Read the local news where the company is based. You may find out about their expansion way before those job postings go up—and then, you’ll be first in line.

Also, this gives you an idea of the job landscape in the surrounding area. Imagine Company A is looking for a product designer. If they’re in a market epicenter, chances are higher that Companies B and C have product design needs as well.

2. Search for job postings before they even exist

When hunting for jobs, candidates usually look for openings on career pages and open positions on job boards. But instead of searching for titles and positions that companies already have, search for what they don’t have. Try to fill in the gaps.

Maybe an organization is starting a new mobile campaign or is putting together a nonprofit project for the next year. (Now you see why the first step was important!) Even if they haven’t posted open positions yet, you know exactly what they’ll need: community managers, developers, event coordinators and more.

3. Find out what’s in it for you

So you’ve snagged an interview, and your prospects look good. Great! You already know to dress professionally, arrive on time, check your breath and be prepared for those sticky questions about your weaknesses. You’ve got this. You know you should ask questions, but what questions? And when?

Aim for interview questions about the company culture, but focus more on the educational side than the dress code. Ask what kinds of internal training and enrichment programs they provide.

If the interviewer is at a loss (they don’t get this question very often, unfortunately), be helpful and give them examples such as software training or mentorship programs. This tells you what track the company is following. If they’re aggressive about in-house training, you know they take employee retention seriously.

If you think a skill set you want to acquire is in line with the company’s specific industry, be more concrete and tell them, “I want to learn __________ within five years.” (Yes, include a timeline.) In turn, express how you would be proactive within the office environment and share your talents with the team.

Besides the great impression this leaves with an employer, it puts you in a good position to make a personal connection with the interviewer. Y’know, just in case this particular opportunity doesn’t pan out.

4. Reach out and connect with someone

At the end of the interview, ask if it’s alright to connect with the interviewer on social media, as well as anyone else you may have spoken with during your time there. The idea behind this is to cement the employer’s image of you so you won’t blend into the pack of hundreds of other prospective hires.

Also, if you don’t get hired, don’t be sad; after the interview process has run its course, you can reach out to these people knowing they have a solid idea of what you’re looking for and can kindly direct you to another opportunity. Be careful not to bug them about their connections at other companies, and only approach them if you know you’re no longer being considered at their organization.

Remember, be tactful. And if they decline, don’t push the issue. The person on the other side of that table is not just an HR manager. They are also human. Treat them as such, and you’ll see results.

Well, now the interview is over. But instead of coming out on the other side simply sending thank you notes and waiting for the phone to ring, you have a better idea of the market than you did at the outset of your search. You have a more fleshed-out idea of what you want in an employer. And you have valuable connections that will follow you wherever your search takes you. Not bad for just one interview!

How else can job hunters make the interview process more rewarding?

Kim Gillus is a New York-based creative whose only true area of expertise is her rural Virginia hometown. She splits her time between social good PR projects and working on her first book. Find her at her tumblr and @kimgillus.

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According to the series of diet books Eat This, Not That, the decision could make a big impact on your waistline. If you go easy on the milk and sugar, that simple coffee will be less than 25 calories. But if you opt for the Jamba Juice “Power Peanut Butter Moo’d,” you’ll be consuming a whopping 1,170 calories.

Making important decisions based on the nitty gritty numbers can hold true for your job search as well. Let’s explore:

1. Looking for a job

Do this: Network

Not that: Search online job boards

The data: While the numbers vary from study to study, one report from ABC News found that up to 80 percent of jobs are found through networking.

Despite these overwhelming odds, you may still spend your time doing exactly the opposite during your job search. Are you scouring the job boards day after day, competing with hundreds of other candidates, sending out resumes shotgun style and hoping a random company with an opening finds your resume interesting?

Instead, you should conduct targeted searches of companies you’d like to work for. While online job boards are a good source of research to learn about companies that are hiring, the numbers say it’s more effective to double down on networking—take an old coworker to lunch, reach out to contacts in your social network, join a local Meetup group, attend events in your industry, etc.

2. Acing the interview

Do this: Cultivate your online presence

Not that: Leave the fate of your career up to Google

The data: Reports show that 75 percent of recruiters are required to do online research on candidates, and 70 percent report they’ve passed on candidates because of information they found. The New York Times claims that your social media history has become the new job hurdle, while Mashable reports as many as 90 percent of recruiters look at the social networks of candidates.

It might be as soon as when you submit your resume or as late as the offer stage, but one thing is near certain: you will be Googled. The question you need to ask is, “What comes up when someone searches my name?”

Common results include:

• Facebook: If your privacy settings are open and HR sees photos of you acting unprofessionally, it could cost you the job.
• LinkedIn: This isn’t a bad thing, as long as your profile tells a good story.
• You have a common name, so it’s hard to filter through the results. Once again, while not a bad thing, it’s not a positive, either.
• Something inappropriate comes up. This will not help your job search.

Know what a winning response would be? “Well, I know that just about every recruiter will Google me, so I built a quick personal website to highlight my skills and enforce my brand.”

It’s fast, easy and inexpensive to create your own Web presence and boost your rankings. Seriously, it takes about 15 minutes and costs a whopping $1 per month for a hosted site with your own URL. Or you can get up a free account for a simple one-page website on a site such as About.me.

The Guardian makes an argument for why everyone should register a domain name, so don’t wait another minute.

3. Negotiating your salary

Do this: Negotiate your salary

Not that: Leave thousands of dollars on the table

The data: In a salary negotiation study of MBAs at Carnegie Mellon quoted by Sheryl Sandberg in her TED talk, just seven percent of women negotiated their starting salary, while 57 percent of men negotiated theirs.

The fact is, far too many job seekers—both men and women—fail to negotiate their salaries when they receive a job offer. It’s not because they don’t want more money. They’re probably just nervous. LinkedIn reports that 39 percent of US job seekers are anxious when it comes to negotiation.

The good news is negotiation skills can be learned. The first thing you can do is adapt a salary negotiation mindset. Knowing your worth and making a counter-offer is not only accepted; it’s expected.

4. Asking for a raise

Do this: Show them what you’ve accomplished

Not that: Tell them what you’ve accomplished

The data: A picture is worth 1,000 words, and in October 2012, Apple announced it had sold 100 million iPads. How does this help you get a raise?

The average person does little preparation when deciding to ask for more money. They sit in their manager’s office and list off two or three things they’ve done in the past year. Often they frame their request in terms of their own needs, asking for a raise because their rent went up or they can’t pay their bills.

Don’t be average. Be a memorable rock star employee.

Pay attention to things like preparation, presentation and design. One tip is to create a digital portfolio of your work on the iPad or another tablet. Once the realm of only designers and photographers, now that most of our lives have gone digital (photos, videos, music, movies), why not stand out and create an engaging presentation that uses words, photos, videos, images, charts and statistics to illustrate why you deserve a raise and how you contribute to the bottom line?

Harvard education specialist Tony Wagner says you should start even younger, saying, “All students should have digital portfolios to show evidence of mastery of skills like critical thinking and communication.”

Securing the career you want at the pay you deserve is already a difficult task. By incorporating some data hacks into your job search, you can “tip the scales” in your favor.

Jim Hopkinson is the author of the book Salary Tutor and helps professionals negotiate their salary (his record is a $43,000 increase). His entertaining and informative online course, How to Negotiate a Raise or Promotion, teaches specific steps to get a raise, including templates for presenting salary research and creating a digital portfolio. (Use coupon code Brazen60 for 60 percent off.)

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What now? Wing it and hope for the best? Google for interview tips—and end up with the same template as everyone else?

No, you’re smarter than that. You want to stand out from the crowd. Here are 13 tips on how you can do that:

1. Acknowledge your weaknesses

“What are your weaknesses?” is one of the most common interview questions, yet few people answer it honestly. They try to sidestep it or frame it as a positive thing—which is what most career counselors advise.

But we all recognize what this tactic really is: a facade. A better way to approach this question would be to acknowledge weaknesses that have nothing to do with the job you’re applying for. And tell the hiring manager what you’re doing to improve on them.

For example, it doesn’t matter if you’re not great with numbers if you’re applying to be a graphic designer. Or that you need to work on your presentation skills if you’re applying for a role that doesn’t require it, like a copywriter, consumer support, over-the-phone sales, etc.

2. Smile

Smiling is so simple, yet few people actually do it. For good reason: you’re usually nervous in an interview, or you’re intentionally trying to keep it professional.

What most people don’t know is that a smile can break the tension in the room and set you apart from the rest of the brooding crowd. It shows you’re friendly and fun—the exact kind of person people want to work with.

3. Prepare for questions others don’t

Once in awhile, you get asked really weird questions during an interview. This is especially true if you want to land a high-level job with cutting-edge companies. There’s a reason why they ask these questions: to test your thought process and your ability to think on your feet.

So be prepared for questions like “How would you estimate the number of golf balls in Australia?” (actual question in one of my interviews) or “Have you ever had a boss from hell?”

4. Keep your cool when things go south

Sometimes, no matter how much you’ve prepared, things go wrong. In fact, I know of some interviewers who intentionally disrupt the interview to see how candidates react.

So keep your cool when things go south. Remember that one stumble likely won’t cost you a potential job if you get the rest of right.

5. Get to know your interviewer before the interview

Who is this guy who’ll be asking you questions?

Knowing his background can help a lot. In my last interview, the hiring manager used to work with an ex-colleague. We bonded over that, and he didn’t even need a reference from me because he knew his friend’s standards.

Every person and every interview is unique, but you might share a common hobby or the same alma mater. At one time, I even did research on the interviewer’s university because I knew he was an active alumni.

6. Emphasize your cultural fit

Qualifications matter—no doubt about that. But qualification is a binary factor: either you’re qualified, or you’re not. Being more qualified doesn’t work in your advantage. In fact, hiring managers call that “overqualified.”

The more important thing, once you fulfill the job requirements, is your cultural fit. That is, do your beliefs and values align with the company? We all know how important teamwork is these days, so a prick can really cost the company.

7. Use enthusiastic vocabulary

The vocabulary you use says a lot about the kind of person you are. For example, consider “It’s my job” compared to “It’s my career” or “It’s my mission.” All these words have the same meaning, but show different levels of enthusiasm.

Or how about this: “Being a nurse is what I do” versus “Being a nurse is who I am.” Do you see issues as a “problem” or a “challenge”? Hiring managers pick up on these unconscious triggers.

Post-interview

8. Finish strong

Studies have shown that if you’re given a string of random numbers to memorize, you’ll most likely remember the first few and the last few. The former is called the Law of Primacy (why the first impression is so important) and the latter is called the Law of Recency.

This is why it’s crucial for you to finish strong. You can tell an interview is about to end when the interviewer asks you if you have any other questions, at which time you need to give your best shot. Stories are your best bet here. Reserve a question that you can use to lead into your story until the hiring manager asks if you have a last question.

For example, if the company is pro-flexible working arrangements:

“What do you think about employees working from home?”… “It’s just that a couple of months ago, my son fell sick and he needed someone there just in case something happened. I didn’t want to miss work for it because it was peak season. The company policy in my previous role didn’t allow for that and I had to take a leave, which I hated because my colleagues John and Paul were struggling to meet the orders coming in to the point that they had to work overtime. And there I was, not allowed to log into the system.”

9. Thank the interviewer and show your enthusiasm

You’d think that thanking the interviewer and showing your desire to work in the company you just interviewed for is common sense… but it’s not.

When you thank the interviewer, don’t just say the words. Instead, finish the thought: Thank you for…

• Taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I know you’re busy with ______.
• Not laughing about the ridiculous career goals I told you about.
• Being the nicest interviewer I’ve ever had. (If it’s true.)

You get the point. Giving a reason why you say something makes it more credible.

10. Follow up

After you leave the interview, email a thank you note within an hour. Then follow up in three days, then a week, and consistently do it until you get a solid yes or no.

Absolutely don’t give up! There are many reasons why an interviewer may not call you back other than the fact that you blew the interview. It might be a perseverance test, she might just be plain busy, or—and this is more common than you think—she’s procrastinating.

If you don’t follow up, and her boss finally asks her to make up her mind and make a hire (or the work piled up to a tipping point), your email would already have been buried and the Law of Recency kicks in—the last few candidates who applied after you will be the ones being considered.

11. Keep in touch and add more value

Of course, there’s no need to be rude when you follow up. Every communication between you and the hiring manager needs to add value.

One of the most effective ways to do that is by linking to interesting articles around the Web that are relevant to them. Do you know how much busy people appreciate it when you take the time to curate the Web for them? They want to keep up with the latest happenings; they just don’t have the time.

12. Learn to negotiate

There’s one thing all high performers do: they negotiate when they get an offer. Why not, when you always have alternatives, right?

But even if this offer is your only one, negotiate it! Doing so is an indication that you, too, are a high performer. There’s no need to lie about having options. The very fact that you want to negotiate triggers a subconscious assumption that you’re in demand.

And remember, negotiating need not be adversarial.

13. Close the loop

Last but not least, thank the people who got you introduced. Thank the interviewer and thank everyone in between, even if you end up taking another offer. Take them out to coffee if you can afford to. A simple expression of gratitude can double the amount of people willing to help you in the future. It shows your appreciation and encourages them to help you out in the future.

Remember: build your network before you need them. Build it today.

Andrianes Pinantoan is part of Open Colleges’ HR management faculty and the editor of the Open Colleges Blog, where he and his team write about career advancement and personal development. Connect with him on Google+.

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The post 13 Interview Tips That Will Help You Land the Job You Want appeared first on Brazen Life.

Use these online resources to prepare for your interviews and blow away your competition:

1. AnnualReports.com

For companies that have publicly traded stock, AnnualReports.com is a free repository of thousands of annual reports (both the boring Form 10K version in HTML and the prettier PDF version which is distributed to stockholders and potential investors). Search by company name to find the annual report for your target employer.

These reports are gold mines of information, but keep in mind they’re from the company’s perspective. In addition to any essential financial information, you’ll typically find a letter to investors from the CEO, descriptions of products and services, major announcements, sometimes descriptions of the organizational structure (divisions or subsidiaries) and even plans for the future.

2. Hoovers.com

If your target employer is not a publicly traded company (in other words, it’s private), finding good information like detailed financial reports and lists of corporate officers can be challenging. And many large employers like Bechtel, Chrysler, Publix Super Markets and PricewaterhouseCoopers are private.

While Hoovers offers minimal information—like headquarters location, subsidiaries and competitors—for free, it also sells more detailed company and industry reports for $69-$300.

3. Wikipedia.com

Wikipedia can be an excellent source of information on a wide variety of employers from public to private. Since content is compiled and edited by volunteers, the information validity can sometimes be a bit suspect, but in general, Wikipedia can be a helpful source.

You might also check citations in the footnotes to find sources that are typically reliable, leading to additional information.

4. Yelp.com

Surprisingly, Yelp can be a good source of information for many employers, not just restaurants, and particularly for smaller employers.

Yelp is a customer review site that allows businesses being reviewed to present their own information if they choose. You won’t find many financial details, but you might discover insightful information in the customer reviews that you won’t find elsewhere (like problems you might very carefully mention in an interview that you could help the company solve).

5. Consulting firms

Major research and consulting firms like McKinsey, Deloitte, Forrester, Gartner, BC and Accenture sometimes make reports available on their websites with executive summaries that could offer free snippets of insight. If you have deep pockets and great ambitions, purchasing an industry or sector report that covers several potential employers could be worth the price and save you the hassle of doing the research yourself.

For example, if you’re looking for work in the pharmaceutical industry, McKinsey offers a free 10-page report on the future of pharmaceutical R&D, which includes insight on the top players in that arena.

6. Glassdoor.com

Both Glassdoor and the next site on our list, CareerBliss, depend on current and former employees accurately reporting their experiences and salaries with the promise of anonymity. So it’s best to take it all with a grain of salt and be cautious, particularly when it comes to the salary data. Still, these sites can provide useful insight into the process and culture of a given employer.

Since salaries in most companies are based on a mix of experience, education and/or certifications, location and other factors, the salary data you view may not really be a match for you. Some “salary” data will also include commissions, bonuses, profit sharing and other forms of compensation that are not specifically mentioned. So don’t be surprised if the salary you’re offered differs substantially from what these sites report.

If your target employer is included on Glassdoor (and more than 250,000 companies are), you can easily find employee reviews and salaries by job title. You can also check out information about job interviews reported by individuals, including their experiences with the application process, number of interviews and interviewers and an example interview question.

As a bonus, if you sign in with your Facebook account, Glassdoor will show you which of your friends work at your target companies, which could be the warm connection you need to land an interview.

7. CareerBliss.com

CareerBliss offers information via both company reviews and average salary information by company. It’s similar to Glassdoor, but without the requirement to register before you access the information.

The Bottom Line

As you research on these sites, write down any questions that occur to you. Then, before the interview, choose the best questions to ask during the interviews, those that demonstrate you’ve done your research and will also draw out responses important to your decision.

Your research online will not only demonstrate your genuine interest to interviewers; it will also help you decide whether you really want to work for that employer.

Susan P. Joyce, a two-time layoff “graduate,” has been studying and writing about online job searching since 1994. She has been the editor of Job-Hunt.org since 1998 and WorkCoachCafe.com since 2011 after several years working in HR and high tech.

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You need to do something to stand out. You need to have something unique, something that makes you what Seth Godin calls “The Purple Cow.”

Here are seven of the easiest and most effective strategies to do that.

Before you start, note that not one of these, in isolation, will do the trick. The secret is to implement as many of them as possible, because not only are they synergistic, but the more of these steps you take, the less likely other candidates will be to have done the same.

1. Get introduced

This is absolutely the best way to stand out in a sea of strangers. Being introduced to a hiring manager by a friend of his is like a having a red carpet rolled out for you.

How can you get introduced? Reverse engineer the hiring manager’s connections on LinkedIn to see how the two of you are connected, and then network your way into his circles. You’ll be surprised how closely related the two of you are, especially if you’ve been in the industry for a couple of years.

2. Conduct deep research

Yes, you always need to prepare before an interview. But you also need to go a step further than other candidates would.

You can do this by asking a few people from the company out to coffee for an informational interview. Tell them you’re interested in working for the company and would like to know more about its culture (or anything else). Most will be happy to do it, at which time you can talk about where the company is going, what are its most pressing problems, etc.

Pro tip: Name-drop the person you talked to in your actual interview to gain extra points.

3. Invest in awesome resume design

After you get your “in,” remember to make your resume look professional. You need to go further than the Word document most people use.

If you have no design experience, hire a professional to do it for you. A decent one will cost you just $50. In my experience, there’s a diminishing return in resume design: a $500 top-of-the-line designer will only get you marginally better results than his competent competitor who charges $50.

Some people create infographics for their resume, though that might not be the right option for everyone.

4. Keep your resume concise

Less is more in your resume. If you’re applying to be a teacher, don’t include your experience waiting tables. And there’s no need to mention the spelling bee award you won, either.

Read every word, and ask yourself: can I still sell myself if I leave this out? The goal is to have a resume no longer than one page. You have no idea how appreciative hiring managers are when applicants get to the point.

5. Create a website where hiring managers can find out more

If a hiring manager is interested, she’ll call you, right? Well… yes and no.

If she thinks you’re an extremely good fit, then yes, she’ll call you in for an interview. But what if you just made the “maybe” or “come back to this” pile? Will she take the trouble to pick up the phone when she has a whole pile of resumes to go through? Don’t take that chance.

Instead, create a website with more information about your career. Your resume is your hook, and your website is where you have the opportunity to really sell yourself. There’s a lot less friction to click on a link or type in a URL than to call someone or go through the trouble of scheduling an interview.

Pro tip: Install analytics to track how many people visit your website, and watch for direct traffic (meaning someone went directly to your website by typing in the URL rather than clicking a link that led them there). This will tell you whether or not your resume is doing its job. It’s not a perfect measure, but it’s a great estimate, especially if you just launched your site.

6. Create a video resume for your personality to shine

If you really want to take it to another level, create a video resume. A video shows off some things that written resumes can’t—like your personality, which is arguably more important than your qualifications in certain circumstances. If a hiring manager has two candidates who are equally matched on paper, but one has a great personality and the other has no personality to speak of, who do you think will get the job?

Plus, watching a video is more compelling than reading a boring old resume!

7. Write a case study

What if, during your deep research, you found out your prospective employer faces a huge problem similar to one you solved in a previous job? A plain old resume won’t do the trick. Talking about it in an interview might, but that is if you get an interview.

Instead, write a case study about your experience. Include numbers, your approaches and what was the exact outcome.

Andrianes Pinantoan is part of Open Colleges’ HR courses and the editor of the Open Colleges Blog, where he and his team write about career advancement and personal development. Connect with him on Google+.

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The post 7 Stand-Out Tricks That Will Help You Land an Interview appeared first on Brazen Life.

So whether you receive an offer or not, treat every interview as a learning experience. Although they can be stressful, try to keep your eyes and ears open so you can build on your interviews to make each one better than the last.

In my quest to land a full-time job, I’ve learned the following nine dos and don’ts that could be helpful for your job search:

1. Don’t get bogged down by qualifications

“Qualifications” are sometimes impractical. For example, “10+ years of proven success using social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote business” is ridiculous. Facebook first debuted (for college kids only, may I add) in 2005. The rest came along well after that, and it’s only 2013. You do the math.

2. Don’t accept timelines as fact

The hiring process is rarely fast. Interviewers and recruiters may give you an estimate of when you’ll hear back, but be patient. One week might turn into three weeks. Three weeks may turn into six weeks. And “end of the month” means you probably didn’t get it.

3. Don’t brush aside an internship

An internship can turn into a full-time job, especially if you make yourself irreplaceable. If you’re a bad intern, they’ll probably still recommend you to a different organization (unless you really stink). A lot of entry-level positions ask for at least one year of experience.

4. Still be nice to your parents

Without a job, moving out of their house is difficult. Pretend to like watching NCIS and teach them about “the Twitter,” and they probably won’t kick you out anytime soon.

5. Name drop (but don’t expect it to land you the job)

Name dropping is fabulous and should be done as often as possible. If you can say, “I heard about this position from my friend John Smith, VP of Marketing” in your cover letter, you’ll be a step ahead of the applicant who applied through the company’s online system.

It may help you land an interview, but once you’re in the door, it’s up to you to sell yourself for the position.

6. Realize that interviewers are nervous, too

I’ve met stutterers, fidgeters and even one guy who broke out in hives (which made me more nervous). These situations can be challenging, but your chances of getting the job drop drastically if you’re obvious about it.

7. Bring deodorant

Interviews make people nervous. Nervous people sweat. Sweaty people smell. Smelly people don’t get a lot of job offers.

Arrive a few minutes early, find the restroom and apply a fresh coat of deodorant for your big interview.

8. Don’t spring for just “any job”

Just because you get the offer doesn’t mean you should take the job. Everyone’s situation is different, but if you can hold off on accepting a job outside of your field of study, you should. It’s harder than you think to move from retail to writing or IT to marketing.

9. Include your salary expectations if you’re asked

Not doing so will only backfire. What if you spend hours preparing, drive two hours for the interview and complete a project just to wow your interviewers, only to find out the pay is $10,000 less than your current position? If the salary is a deal breaker, then find out how much the position pays early in the process.

Alyson Komyanek earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations from Kutztown University and currently works as a freelance writer in the Philadelphia region. She’s interested in landing full-time employment, so connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter at @alyalyson25.

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So how should you talk about your this experience during the interview?

The truth is that people freelance for many different reasons. Some freelance as a full-time occupation. Others use freelance work to support themselves during their job search. And still others freelance part-time for income while they’re working on side projects like startups, artistic ventures or public interest opportunities (or vice versa).

Whatever your reasons for freelancing, several valuable skills come with the territory. So examine your experience and take control of the narrative of your career. Identify the skills you’ve developed that are desirable to potential employers and plan how to communicate those main points during your interview.

To help you get started, here’s a list of transferable skills that many people develop through freelancing:

You know how to drum up business

If you’ve freelanced, you’ve probably put yourself out there to find and secure clients. Through your experience in drumming up business, you have learned how to size up a potential client, figure out what they’re looking for and explain to them how you will deliver exactly what they want. You know how to market. You know how to sell.

Furthermore, you know how to handle rejection and have developed resilience to it. One little rejection doesn’t derail you, because you know not to take it personally, and you know from experience that the more people you ask, the more likely you are to hear “yes.” You roll with the punches, get back up and keep selling until you’re booked.

You understand the importance of maintaining strong customer relationships

Freelancers learn through firsthand experience that keeping a regular client is much more cost-effective than securing a new one. They know how important it is to keep clients and customers happy. They know that the number one rule is to listen.

To potential employers, the fact that you truly understand that maintaining strong customer relationships is key to keeping good business, and have experience doing so, makes you a real keeper.

You’re an independent self-starter

Potential employers can count on you to be an independent self-starter because you’re used to motivating yourself without anyone having to keep an eye on you. Freelancers live the motto “You eat what you kill.” Simply put, if freelancers don’t find and satisfy their own clients, they don’t get paid. If they sit on their laurels, they’re toast.

As a freelancer, you’re also likely to generate ideas independently. This is because you have probably executed on some of your own ideas to get your freelance business going. Think about the ideas that were game changers in your freelance career, and be ready to talk about how you put them in motion.

You have a suite of extra skills

Freelancing often means that you are a one-person business. Distinguish yourself from other candidates by talking about the additional skills you gained by running a business.

Strategy? Check. Marketing? Check. Production? Check. Customer service? Check. R&D? Check. Financials? Check.

Find ways to add these specific skills to your resume and relate how they can be useful to potential employers.

You’re resourceful

Freelancers have business vision and are able to look at situations and make them profitable. Think about it: when you became a freelancer, you looked at your unique situation, saw what you had to offer and monetized it. You probably worked with a limited budget and had to get creative. When it comes to creating value through use of limited resources, you’re an expert.

What this means for potential employers is that you think, strategize, create and come out with more than you started with. You have the ability to make the most of what is there, whether it’s for yourself or for an employer.

By now, you’ve probably thought of some transferable skills and selling points for your interview that you had sitting in your back pocket all along. Write them down, keep adding to the list and be ready to communicate them during your interview.

Remember, going through an interview is similar to speaking with potential clients. It’s about figuring out what they’re looking for and explaining how you will give it to them. So think about what you really have to offer. Chances are your freelance experience has made it possible for you to give more than you realized.

Christine Arce-Yee is a freelance marketer and writer. Check out her tweets at @christine_ay and her blog posts at www.christinearceyee.com.

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And even if you’re not applying for a sales position, you should learn the basics of sales so you can learn to sell yourself—for a new job, for a freelance gig or for whatever else you’re working toward.

So, how do you sell yourself to land a professional opportunity? Here are a few ways to do it:

Don’t sell features; sell benefits

This is the golden rule in sales, and it’s the same concept when it comes to interviewing. Yes, you can tell the employer about your impressive GPA, Ivy League education and vast experience in the field.

But expand on that. Expand on how your education and experience will benefit the employer if they hire you. What can you do that would make the company better? What can you do to make the company more money?

Be the solution

Companies have job openings because they have a hole in their business. Your job (if you are hired) is to fill that hole.

For example, if the job opening is for a network administrator, tell them why you are the perfect solution to their network woes. Or, if during the interview they tell you they’ve been experiencing DDOS attacks on their servers, you can cite past experience working with hacked servers or even tell them you’ve been on the other end of DDOS attacks. Remember, sell benefits. Use specific examples from your past to illustrate how you will solve inherent problems in their database infrastructure and network security.

A job listing will usually indicate what the job responsibilities are and what you will be tasked with. Use this as an opportunity to brainstorm solutions to some of the problems they list on the job announcement.

Communicate nonverbally

Nonverbal communication is extremely important during interviews. How you communicate via body language is just as important as what you say—at times even more so. You need to portray yourself as a competent and confident employee who knows what you’re doing. That means no profuse sweating, slurring of the words or looking away.

Instead, sit straight up, maintain eye contact and smile often. Don’t underestimate a smile. A sincere smile shows that you’re comfortable. But, more importantly, it shows that you’re friendly. Friendly people are typically easier to work with and have better people skills, which translates very well in the workplace.

Talk about specifics in your resume

Everything you put on your resume should be a talking point that enables you to extrapolate a story you can tell. The more interesting and specific the story, the more you will be able sell yourself.

Going back to the network administrator example, instead of putting something like “managed day-to-day network operations at X company” on your resume, you can spice it up a little bit by writing something along the lines of “averted numerous cyber attacks by employing state-of-the-art cyber security at X company.” Your potential employer will be a lot more interested in how you prevented cyber attacks than the fact that you managed day-to-day network operations.

Show some passion

You need to have passion in your work. After all, you spend approximately a quarter of your life working. If you show passion in what you do, it will give you a big advantage over others.

Employers like those with passion because they know you are working for more than just a paycheck and are willing to put in the time and effort to provide quality. If you do not have any passion in what you do, at least learn how to fake it.

It might be called an interview, but it’s really a sales presentation. You’re selling yourself and why you would be a good match for the company. So remember the above points next time you go into an interview. If you do these things well, there’s little reason why you won’t get the job. Good luck!

Felix Tarcomnicu has been blogging about business and career topics for the last five years. He is a contributor on ResumeOK, where he writes resume samples and job tips.

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Moreover, when describing ourselves, we should approach our answers in an honest, candid manner. Even though some answers are laid out below, always ensure that you phrase these in our own words; authenticity is important.

To better give you some guidance, here are 15 ways to describe yourself for your next interview:

“I would say I’m…”

1. “Someone who has high expectations for my results. I am confident in my ability to produce, and while I prepare for the worst, I do the work necessary to tilt the odds so that the best will happen.”

2. “Someone who wants to be judged by individual performance and rewarded for my efforts based on my ability to execute.”

3. “Someone who wants to work for a successful company with strong leadership and vision, one that recognizes and rewards performers.”

4. “Someone who is consistently growing and takes the time to continue learning even though it’s not a direct requirement of the job. I find that many times, my professional growth is based on what I study, both directly and indirectly related to work.”

5. “Someone who is modest, hard-working and consistently sets firm goals for myself. Then, once I’ve defined my benchmarks, I take the necessary steps to achieve those milestones.”

6. “Someone who aims to keep lines of communication open and is concerned with clients’ needs—consistently asking questions to uncover the what the client truly wants and then making sure I’m able to meet those requirements.”

7. “Someone who thinks positively and can execute difficult tasks. I’m not an individual who needs to be micromanaged. Rather, when given a specific task, I can figure out the best ways to solve the problem in an autonomous manner.”

8. “Someone who is able to control a situation rather than allow a situation to control me.”

9. “Someone who has an unwavering resolve. I am determined to do well in my job and have a successful career, as well as to make the company I work for more competitive.”

10. “Someone with a need to produce results. I am the type of person who meets challenges head-on rather than sweeping them under the rug and hoping they go away. While I’m an optimistic person, I am also realistic about the current situation and how satisfactory or unsatisfactory it is.”

11. “Someone who has been able to not only meet my employers’ expectations, but has consistently exceeded those markers.”

12. “Someone who takes responsibility for their actions when things go wrong. I don’t look for outside forces to blame; rather, I’m someone who looks at what I can improve upon the next time around. Pointing fingers solves nothing.”

13. “Someone who demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever must be done to produce the best long-term results, no matter how difficult.”

14. “Someone who is committed to building something larger and puts aside personal gain for the well-being of the group.”

15. “Someone who is mature, candid and believes in integrity. Every day I work to improve myself and my skills—that’s part of becoming better at what I do.”

How would you describe yourself in an interview?

Ken Sundheim is the CEO of KAS Placement Recruitment, an executive search firm specializing in sales and marketing staffing throughout the U.S.

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You’ve buffed up on 10 Powerful Ways to Stand Out as a Job Seeker. You’ve had the date on your calendar for weeks. You dry-cleaned your suit, pressed your shirt and polished your shoes (which you haven’t done since the age of 10, if ever).

You’ve sat in a waiting room, possibly with several other applicants, and willed the day to be over. You’ve talked about your strengths, your weaknesses, how much you’ve always had a passion for (insert job type here) and attempted a joke about the interviewer’s lack of sleep. (There’s a photo of a baby on her desk.)

The Job Interview Is Over. Now What?

If you think the hardest part is over, think again, my friend. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE’s) 2012 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey, employers hiring new college graduates take an average of 24 business days after an interview to extend an offer. This, says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, is “a relatively narrow time frame.”

We beg to differ. Taking this long to offer a job certainly is not one of our 6 Key Characteristics of a Kick-A** Recruiter.

What this “narrow time frame” actually equates to is anything up to five weeks—because those are business days—and perhaps longer (remember, 24 is the average) to discover whether or not you got the job. Bearing in mind that in these challenging economic times, the perfect job is hard to come by, having to wait several weeks to receive an offer may seem like adding insult to injury.

So Why Does Interview-to-Offer Take So Long?

Let’s look at this from the employer’s perspective. While it may seem they have a far easier task, they’re under pressure, too. If anything, the harder the economic downturn bites, the more they are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out the crème de la crème of graduate talent.

The decision may involve multiple parties (at least one of whom is guaranteed to be on vacation), they may want to chase references and they probably don’t want to leave any stone unturned in the recruitment process. Add to that the admin tasks, the loss of work hours spent interviewing and the need to please a swathe of fellow employees, and suddenly 24 days doesn’t seem so long after all.

The interview-to-offer cycle also differs significantly across industries. If you’re applying to a computer and electronics manufacturer, for example, you’re looking at around 16 days for an offer to come your way. Accounting job offers come in marginally later, with an average of 17 days, and other business services positions take 18. At the other end of the spectrum, the recreation and hospitality industries can really make you wait, taking a lengthy 39.5 days to get in touch, while government agencies just squeeze in under that with a 38-day average. Engineering services and construction have similar time frames, both at about 30 days.

How to Make the Waiting Work for You

But wait! Don’t despair! Let’s say you’ve applied for a handful of jobs, all of which will take at least three weeks to extend an offer to you. This is actually valuable reflection time for you to see how right you really are for the position. This is where you can take some time to think back to your experience of the interview (and the application process as a whole) and decide whether this one really has your name on it.

How did you feel when you entered the venue? Were you nervous because of your own nerves, or did your interviewer(s) perhaps contribute to your sense of unease? What kind of people did you meet when you were there? Can you see yourself working there and enjoying the experience?

Because when the offer is extended to you—and one will be extended to you; just keep plugging away—you can take your time to respond! While you can’t be quite as leisurely with your answer as, say, a government official or an events executive, once you’ve received an offer, NACE tells us that employers then give the candidate an average of about 14 business days to make a decision. That’s two whole weeks to decide whether they’re for you!

Just remember the Guinness ad line: good things come to those who wait. If the job’s right for you, the wait will be more than worth it, and if your name’s not on this one, it’s because there’s something better on the horizon. Just keep going. No experience is a wasted experience.

Amy Noble is a freelance writer, copy editor, proofreader and general grammar-obsessive living in London, England.

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The post Why It Feels Like You Wait Forever for a Job Offer After the Interview appeared first on Brazen Life.

Except that while salary ranges, benefits and schedule flexibility are important details you deserve answers to, hiring managers don’t appreciate questions like these until at least your second interview (or maybe even after they’ve made you an offer).

During your first interview, the “impress me dance” is still in full swing. When a potential employer asks if you have any questions, they don’t want inquiries about parking validation; they want to see if you’re prepared, educated and inquisitive.  

Here are six questions to ask at the end of your interview that will help you master the twisted tango of getting hired:

1. If I were to start tomorrow, what would be the top priority on my to-do list?

The answer to this question will give you more insight into the current state of the position, while the question shows that you’re invested and interested in learning how you can start things off with a bang. The added bonus lies in the Jedi mind trick: now you’ve already got your interviewer picturing you as the position holder.

2. What would you say are the top two personality traits someone needs to do this job well?

The answer to this will be very telling. “Creative” and “intuitive” can be translated to mean you will be on your own, while “patient” and “collaborative” could mean the opposite. Not only will this question allow you to feel out whether you’re going to be a good fit; it will also get your interviewer to look past the paper resume and see you as an individual.

3. What improvements or changes do you hope the new candidate will bring to this position?

This answer can shed light on what might have made the last person lose (or leave) the job, and it also tips you off on the path to success. Asking this shows an employer you are eager to be the best candidate to ever fill this position.

4. I know this company prides itself on X and Y, so what would you say is the most important aspect of your culture?

This type of question is sure to impress, as it shows that you’ve done your research on the company and gives you a chance to gain insight into what values are held to the highest ideal.

5. Do you like working here?

This question might take interviewers back a bit, but their answer will be telling. A good sign is a confident smile and an enthusiastic “yes” paired with an explanation as to why. If they shift in their seat, look away, cough and start with “Well…”, consider it a red flag.

Regardless of their answer, employers appreciate getting a chance to reflect on their own opinions, and this turns the interview process into more of a conversation.

6. Is there anything that stands out to you that makes you think I might not be the right fit for this job?

Yes, asking this question can be scary, but it can also be beneficial. Not only does it give you a chance to redeem any hesitations the employer might have about you; it also demonstrates that you can take constructive criticism and are eager to improve—valuable qualities in any candidate.

What other questions would you ask to wow an interviewer?

Kelly Gregorio writes about workplace trends and motivation while working at Advantage Capital Funds, a small business loan provider. You can read her daily blog at http://www.advantagecapitalfunds.com/blog.

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The post 6 Questions to Ask During Your Interview That Will Make an Employer Want to Hire You appeared first on Brazen Life.

The interview is fraught with stress; you have to be on your best behavior, you only have one chance to get it right and you know you’re putting yourself up to being judged by complete strangers.

But there’s one silver lining: most interviews, no matter where you are, follow a rough standard in terms of what’s asked and what’s expected from your answers. This means that you can use our study guide to prepare to answer these questions to the best of your ability—with less stress and more confidence. And hopefully you’ll land that job!

The Introduction

When you walk in, shake the hand of the person in charge of the fate of your employment. Then sit down and get ready for the first batch of questions. The introductory phase is broken down like so:

Tell me a little about yourself. Your chance to talk a little about your education, experience and what you enjoy doing that’s relevant to the job.

Why are you looking for a new job, and why did you leave your last job? Tell your interviewer why you’re looking for a new job—and keep it positive. Even if you were fired from your last job, put a positive spin on it.

What do you know about this company, and why do you want to work here? You’d better do your research on the company before you go for the interview! Make sure you can discuss highlights of the company, things you like about it and then tie it to why you want to work there. For example, if you work in medicine and the hospital has made great strides in improving technology and practices in your field, mention that and then tie it to how you want to be a part of those efforts.

What experience do you have? Talk about the relevant experience you’ve had in other jobs, volunteer work and life in general—and how it could help you in this job.

What would previous coworkers say about you? A trick question! Don’t fully disclose everything, but stay positive and cite carefully chosen examples of what others have said about you.

Have you done anything to increase your breadth of knowledge? Education, hobbies, sports…anything you do outside of work that in some way could be relevant to your being a good employee should be mentioned here.

Where else have you applied? Don’t go wild, but mention a few other places you have had interviews. The interviewer wants to know you are seriously looking for work and are keeping your options open.

About You

The next portion of the interview will get into the meat of you: how you would fit in, what kind of worker you are and why you are worth hiring. This part is important because it helps the interviewer understand why you’d be a good fit for the company—so do your best to put a positive spin on everything.

How do you work under pressure? You should always answer this in the positive. You can say you work well under pressure, you thrive under pressure, you LOVE it! Don’t say you fall apart, even if that’s the truth. Learn to love pressure, just in case.

What is your motivation to do a good job? No, it’s not money. You want recognition. You want to do better, you want to help others, you want to lead. (And you want money, but shhhh, don’t say that!)

What is your greatest strength? Again, be positive and talk about a strength that is work-related. Are you highly organized? Are you a hard driver? Do you inspire others?

What is your biggest weakness? A bit of a nasty trick question. You don’t want to be 100 percent honest here or you could kick your own butt to the curb, but if you try to say “nothing,” you look like an arrogant idiot. Give a small, work-related flaw that you’re trying to improve, such as learning to focus on the big picture or working to update your tech experience. In short, show a weakness, but also how you are compensating for it.

What kind of salary do you expect to make? Another nasty one! Make sure to do your research into what kind of money you should be making at a job like this with your experience. Go for that range or even pick a higher number and see what can be haggled out. It’s a delicate balance between what you want and what the employer is willing to pay. This is an art in itself, so make sure you’re prepared.

Can you work as part of a team? Yes, you can. You’ll learn to work in a team. Always say yes.

Tell me about a suggestion you have made that was implemented. This question is asked so the interviewer can see how you actually made a difference in your job. Discuss an example in which you actually made a difference in a previous job and how it improved the workplace.

Has anything ever irritated you about your coworkers? Sure, but you don’t talk about it. Say that you’ve always gotten along just fine in spite of differences.

Is there anyone you simply could not work with? No, you can work with anyone. Right?

Have you had any issues with previous bosses? No. You’ve never had any issues. EVER.

Do you prefer money or job satisfaction? This is a nasty question because we all need and like to have money, but your employer wants you to consider the job itself to be most important. Job satisfaction should win out here (and really, for many people, it does, because enjoying the job makes life a lot easier).

Would you rather be liked or feared? What a silly question! But it’ll come up in one form or another. The answer is “neither”; what you want is to be respected. Being respected means you motivate the team, you can hit deadlines and you get everyone working together. That’s what a company wants.

Would you put the interests of your company ahead of your own? Oh, so mean! You don’t want to say “yes” because it makes you look like a jerk, but the company won’t want you to say “no” because it means you might just ditch them. Answer in the affirmative, but make sure it’s clear that’s because you want to help the business along, not because you’re a doormat.

Conclusion

The last couple of questions will tie things off and bring the interview to an end. This is your chance to make a strong lasting impression.

Why should I hire you? It’s time to sum yourself up. Tell your interviewer the talents you have that match the job description and why you’ll be a good fit. Don’t talk about anyone else; just focus on yourself.

Do you have any questions to ask me? You probably should. Although you should have already done some research into the actual company, you may want to ask about things like benefits, how soon you would start, what you’ll be working on and how what you’ll do affects the company. Ask questions because a blank stare never works.

No matter where you interview, most interviewers will follow this format. So know the answers to these questions, and you’ll be well on your way to a new job!

Lena Paul is a medical school graduate who is an enthusiastic blogger and holds an editorial position at Prepgenie, a test prep provider that offers exam preparation courses for UKCAT, GAMSAT, PCAT, UMAT, LNAT and HPAT.

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And yes, I’m speaking from experience. I thought I was a sure thing for a position, but when it came time to interview, I bombed the most basic questions of all.

Here are my worst offenses. Learn from my mistakes and follow these tips so you’ll have a success story to tell.

Mistake No 1: I couldn’t describe myself

You’d think I’d know myself, since I am myself. Yet for some reason, when that question emerged in the interview, I froze and struggled to think of any identifying features that might set me apart.

Avoid this mistake by drafting an elevator pitch that sums up who you are as a professional and as a human being. Here are a few good examples to start with. Just add your own details and a life experience or two:

“For the past 15 years, I was a supervisor at ABC Manufacturing. You might wonder why I want to move into sales at this stage in my career, but much of my time has been spent negotiating with vendors and meeting with CEOs. Although the industries might be different, the skills are the same.”

“I just received my B.A. in marketing with a 3.9 GPA. My courses in account management give me a strong foundation to begin my career with XYZ company, and I’m excited to learn from the industry leaders here.” (Examples from CNN.)

Don’t talk about your current job or your husband (that was my mistake). Instead, tell a clear, compelling story that highlights significant experiences in your life that led you to the moment when you’re sitting in front of the interviewer answering this question. If you can creatively incorporate some personal history and humor, all the better.

Mistake No. 2: I did the hard prep, but not the easy prep

When I sat down to interview for this social media position at a large radio company, I had statistics, figures and ideas for growth for the social media of the company I was interviewing with—and I was excited to share my ideas. But during our small chit chat and socializing, it became clear that I hadn’t actually listened to the radio station.

When it comes to interview preparation, start small and build up. Play around on the company website. Test out their products (if applicable) and talk about the pros and cons of the company with a close friend. Prepare a small summary about what the company does and who their primary market is—and then get some experience with that primary market by role-playing as a customer.

Mistake No. 3: I wasn’t a smooth player

Hopefully you’ve gotten beyond feeling super-nervous midway through the interview. But even if you are comfortable, there’s still an ultimate interviewee level known as the “smooth player.”

No, this is not someone who brings baked goods to the interview. Smooth players are confident and put-together interview candidates who ask game-changing questions like, “If you were forced to say yes or no to hiring me right now, what would be your biggest hesitation in offering me this position?” and “Can you offer me a tour of the office?”

Smooth players do not awkwardly shake hands and thank the interviewer for their time.

When the end of the interview approaches, assess how you think you did. If you feel strongly that you’re still the prime candidate, ask any one of the following analytical questions (or more, if appropriate) to be seen as a slick character:

• “May I have a tour of the office?”
• “If you were forced to say yes or no to hiring me right now, what would be your biggest hesitation in offering me this position?”
• “May I ask why you are interested in me for this position?”
• “What are the most important characteristics you are looking for in the person you plan to hire for this position?”

And if you need more ideas about questions to ask, don’t forget the basics like “What would a typical work day look like for someone in this position?”

What’s the worst thing you’ve done during an interview? Did it cost you the job?

Sarah Greesonbach is a Content Management Specialist with a lot on the back burner (if you count LOLcats and Words with Friends). She curates and writes the lifestyle and personal finance blog Life [Comma] Etc and is studying to be an Accredited Personal Financial Counselor.

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The post How I Bombed a Sure-Thing Interview appeared first on Brazen Life.

You’ve gotten the Brazen Careerist list for focusing your job-search down pat. You’ve got 17 copies of your resume and reference letters and 5 copies of your pre-appointment correspondence. You have every org chart you could lay your hands on through Google and the company’s web site. You’ve used LinkedIn and other assorted stalking sources to check out the career history of your interviewer. Your references are all primed to expect a phone call, but…

Did you overlook anything?

How about preparing for that polite little “Do you have any questions?” at the end of the interview?

Here’s one question you should ask your potential employer but might not have considered: what about their job history? They asked you for your history, but what about theirs?

Specifically, what’s their track record when it comes to layoffs?

I know what you’re thinking: layoffs?! I haven’t even started the job!

Should you even care? Isn’t recession a thing of the past?

Why You Should Care About a Company’s Layoff History

There’s another recession in your future. Before you go, “Oh, #$%^, not another crackpot prophet of doom,” check it out for yourself. Here’s the chart:

Look at those dates in red. They show the bottom of every recession.

How long between recessions? About 7-10 years. Yep, that’s all! Cycle after cycle.

Now do the math—when was the last bottom? When do you think the next one’s coming?

The important take-away from the chart: You have a recession in your future. And probably sooner than you thought.

So What Does This Mean for You?

Back to that job interview. How well did your prospective employer do in the last recession? There are online resources such as The Layoff List that keep track of which organizations did what and when.

So, at the end of the interview, when they ask the usual question about whether YOU have any more questions, you can (sweetly, of course) ask how they handled the last recession. How did they decide which jobs/people to cut?

There’s More

Now that you know there’s a recession in your not-too-distant future, what can you do beyond the job interview to improve your chances of survival?

1. Think Defensively

Layoffs are going to happen. All employers have two lists: the Launch Pad and the Keepers List. You already know that.

Find out what it takes to get on the Keepers List. Despite office chatter, it’s not necessarily having the brownest nose. Bosses need performers so they can keep THEIR jobs.

2.  Look for Training Opportunities

The most valuable employees always end up on the Keepers List. And training is a big part of what makes you valuable.

During the good times, companies always have money for training. Put in for as much as you can. Yes, it’s inconvenient, but not as inconvenient as unemployment or finding a job in the next recession.

3.  Do the Dirty Work

Every department has assignments that fall outside of everyone’s job description. Take as many as you can. Not for the brown nose you might get, but for the knowledge and contacts.

You’ll be known by more people. And if you’re as good as you say you are, the more people see you and your work, the less one single person’s opinion can hurt you. You’ll also have more knowledge and skills, which further increases your value.

4.  Stay In Touch With the Economic Cycle

Recession is the biggest single threat to your job security.

Don’t get blindsided by the next one. It’s in your own best interest to track where the economy is. If you prefer geek speak, there are lots of good websites that track the economy. Bloomberg is one, as well as Calculated Risk, whose charts appear all over the internet. If plain English is more up your alley, our website offers an easy way to stay on top of things.

When you see the economy peaking, that’s the time the most job openings are available. That’s also the worst time to make a job change, because a peaking economy is the clearest sign that the next recession is around the door. And when the recession comes, you know the drill: last in, first out.

Another thing: the economy bottoms out and starts climbing before “everyone” sees it. Did you “feel” the economy beginning to improve in 2011? Yet it did. If you are planning a job change, that’s usually the best time to start looking, because if you make a change early in the growth cycle, it gives you the longest possible tenure before the next recession.

Things are not the same all the time with your employer. The economy impacts them, and in turn that impacts you. Understanding those changes allows you to manage your career path ahead of all the others.

5.  Build Up an Emergency Fund

Stuff happens, despite our best plans. Now is the time to prepare; “then” is too late.

Spend less than you earn, and put some rainy day money away in an emergency fund.

Also, get rid of as much debt as you can. You can cut back expenses, but you can’t cut back debt payments.

When the next recession comes and you’ve done your preparation, you’ll have to do nothing. It’s like muscle memory for athletes. It’s too late then to do anything, anyway.

How you get through the next recession depends on what you do NOW.

William Cowie learned the hard way that recessions hurt, and the time to prepare is when it doesn’t seem necessary. He helps others manage their careers and finances on http://www.dropdeadmoney.com by exploiting the opportunities presented by the economy in both good and bad times.

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The post Why You Should Ask About Layoffs in Your Next Job Interview appeared first on Brazen Life.

So you’ve landed what you thought was going to be a great job. But you find yourself working fast and furious without any real clarity about what’s expected of you, what your priorities are or how well you’re doing. You’d like to broaden your skills with maybe a course or an industry conference… but good luck getting support for that. You’re a high performer, so you’d hoped to use this gig as a stepping stone to bigger things, but your manager is clearly not interested in your career advancement.

You start to look for a new job, something that will be a better fit, something with a future. But how do you know the new scene will be any better?

Here’s a one word answer for you: ask. That’s right — ask about career development during the interview.

The interview process isn’t only for potential employers to learn about you. It’s also a great opportunity for you to dig a bit on topics like:

• Does the company have any kind of process for giving employees feedback? How often does that happen? Is it formal or formal? How does it work?
• Do employees have goals? How are they assigned? Are employees’ goals linked to their managers’ goals or to the organizations’ goals? Are there other ways your boss can communicate performance expectations?
• Will your bosses support employee development? How? Is there funding for you to attend conferences, trainings or other development opportunities?
• How does compensation work? Is your pay tied to performance? Does the company use formal salary scales or make it up along the way?
• Does the company support and encourage internal promotions or lateral moves for career development? Do they have a formal succession planning program or a program aimed at grooming people for career progression?

The answers to these questions will give you several important clues about what it might be like to work at the company. What you’ll learn:

Is this a good employer?

Companies who value their employees, who want to attract and hire great people, and who want to excel in their sector know it’s smart to invest in their teams. And really — size has nothing to do with it; it’s more a matter of whether they see their people as a valuable asset or a necessary expense.

A ton of research shows companies with mature talent management programs outperform their peers in the industry. If the company is enlightened enough to invest in programs, tools and resources to properly manage and develop their staff, they’re likely a good bet to be your next employer.

It’s up to you now. Figure out which of these elements are really important to you in your career right now, then ask how they handle them. Look for things like regular feedback opportunities, goals and clarity, funding and support for development, compensation and rewards that are tied to performance and whatever else matters to you.

Oh — and guess what? A progressive company is going to think you’re a candidate that’s invested in growing and getting results when you ask these types of questions.

Now gauge the responses. If the company doesn’t seem to have any formal talent management programs, chances are you won’t get the career development and growth opportunities you’re looking for. So you might want to sit tight.

Is this a good manager?

Let’s face the harsh reality folks. Even in companies with great programs that support employee performance and development, there are lousy managers. And on the flip side, even if the company doesn’t have formal programs, really good managers make sure their employees have goals, get feedback, are developed, get rewarded and progress.

So find out what the hiring manager thinks about things like performance reviews, giving feedback, coaching their employees. Ask them how they view their role as a manager.

You’ll get a sense of whether they’ll be committed to your success or not. Remember, a lot of people get promoted to a management role because they were good at their previous role, not because they have good people management skills. And many managers never get any training or support in how to be good people managers.

Where would you rather work?

Given a choice, would you rather work for a company that values its people and invests in them so that employees AND the company can grow… or one that thinks employees should just figure it out for themselves?

Obviously you won’t always have the luxury of choosing to work for a great employer; sometimes you just take what you can get. But if you have the opportunity and option, wouldn’t it be sweet to work for a company that will support your career progression? And if they won’t, wouldn’t you want to know that at the outset?

Sean Conrad blogs about talent management trends and best practices for Halogen Software.

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The post One Vital Interview Question You Don’t Want to Forget to Ask appeared first on Brazen Life.

Skype’s effect on the interview has been discussed in depth in the Chronicle, partly because applicants to academic positions often aren’t local, so the free video-calling tool comes in handy for selection committees. Colleges can save thousands of dollars by conducting virtual interviews — and Skype’s utility also extends around campus, dampening costs for admission interviews and guest speakers.

Video conferencing may be the employer’s interview tool of the future, but are job seekers comfortable with the change? Don’t lose sleep pondering the best camera angle, just follow these simple tips to avoid calamity. And here’s a perk: If you do follow the steps below, it really doesn’t matter whether you wear pants.

Tend to the Big Picture

First impressions matter. But without the opportunity to give a firm handshake, you’ll have to rely on other means to prove yourself. Your true first impression is your username. So, if it includes the words “baby,” “cute,” “hot” or any shutter-worthy abbreviation, do yourself a favor and make a new account.

Even online, body language is important, so sit up straight. Webcams aren’t all that flattering, but there are ways to avoid looking like a washed out ghost. Wear something dark, preferably black, and avoid patterns and light colors.

If you’re worried about how formal to dress, basic science research fellow Holly Babcock suggests waiting to activate your camera until you can see your interviewer. Seeking a transition to clinical and community-based research, Babcock recently interviewed on Skype for a job and picked up this secret trick. “I did it to gauge whether I should put on my suit jacket. It’s slightly calming and increased my confidence by giving me a few extra seconds to collect myself,” she adds.

Once the interview begins, look into the webcam, not at your screen, former TV news anchor Bill McGowan tells TIME. You can even tape a photo of a friend near the camera to help you focus – although think carefully about who you choose. Babcock says you should still look at the interviewers occasionally so you can see facial expressions and gestures.

Remember that whoever is on the other side of the screen can see what’s behind you. Clean up clutter — whether it’s a messy stack of papers or an Animal House poster. A plain background is always best, Babcock says.

Silence is Golden

Keep the room quiet by quitting e-mail, instant messengers and other potential noisemakers. This means you can still keep a word document open — a resume or cover letter — as a reference. Put your cell phone on silent, or better yet, turn it off completely.

The same goes for human- and animal-made sounds. Is your dog playing with a chew toy? Is your boyfriend watching TV? Is FedEx about to ring the door bell?

Think ahead and try to ensure the house is empty, even if it means bribing a friend to pet sit. And if you’re really worried about knocking or ringing, you can always put a sign on the door asking guests to come back later and deliveries to be left outside.

Expect Technology Hiccups

The lingering terror of the Skype interview is relying on a perhaps flakey internet connection. To ease your mind, ditch the WiFi and plug into an ethernet cable.

Skype is constantly updating its software, so even if you think you’ve mastered its ins and outs, do a test run, suggests Lynn O’Shaughnessy of CBS Money Watch. Before your interview, you should be familiar with how to share links, files and photos, as well as Skype’s instant messaging function, she adds.

Prepare a Plan B in case something does go wrong. Can you borrow your roommate’s computer out of desperation? Do you have the employer’s phone number written down in case you need to reach him or her?

Finally, if your dog does start barking between answers, don’t freak out. The best approach is to maintain a sense of humor — smile, apologize and do your best to fix the problem. A potential boss will be impressed if you can keep calm under pressure. Just don’t get up to quiet down the pup if you are, in fact, sans pants.

Alyssa Martino is a writer and editor who loves digging for stories that connect people, place and possibility. Click your way over to her website to learn more.

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But what if there was a way you could hold the reins and let the employer do the thinking? In honor of the final season of Entourage, is that something you might be interested in?

Here’s how: Learn to ask solid questions. Not just biographical stuff, like how long your interviewer has been at the company and where she went to school. Ask questions that take your interest to the next level, ones that show you’re not only serious about the position, but also knowledgeable about the company and its particular industry.

Let’s say you want a job in PR.  You might say to your interviewer, “So many companies today already know how to reach customers through Facebook and Twitter. What do you think is the next online frontier? Are your clients looking for something more?”

Or say you want a job as a chef. Try: “I read an article recently that said customers are really into bold flavors right now. Are you interested in creating menu items with that in mind?”

This technique will help you regardless of the job you’re applying for, regardless of the industry. Everything you need to craft great questions is waiting for you on the web.

So before the interview, do your research. Read trade articles. Browse the company’s website – more than once. Skim bios of employees listed on the site and get a sense of where they’re coming from. And don’t forget to check out the competition and what they’re up to.

As you read, think broadly about the company, its challenges and the underlying trends in the industry. Show the employer you have given the interview – and the company – considerable time and attention.

Here are a few more examples.  Say you want to sell cars:

“I read that Facebook is good for generating fans for the dealership but not great at helping to sell cars.  Do you think social media is a good strategy for car dealers?” (I found this article in three seconds by Googling “car dealerships” and searching under “news.” This type of research doesn’t have to take all day.)

Finally, a job at an environmental non-profit:

“I’m curious how the economy has affected this organization. There’s such a push for conservation, but we’re still climbing out of a recession. What are some of the biggest challenges your team faces in terms of financial support?”

These next-level questions aren’t meant to prove you’re smarter than the boss. On the flipside, they show you’re generally interested in what the company does and already thinking about ways you could help. To employers, that shows initiative, maturity and a bit of moxie.

Holding the reins in a job interview. It’s a beautiful thing.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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The post Hold the Reins in Your Next Job Interview appeared first on Brazen Life.

By the end of her meal, she offered me a job as her research assistant making twice my salary serving pizza. It was puzzling to have an impromptu interview. But being prepared for the unexpected puts you in a position to capitalize on exciting opportunities at the drop of a hat. And who doesn’t want to take advantage of a nice stroke of luck?

Here are a few things you can do right now to make sure you’re ready the next time you bump in to an unexpected future boss:

Prepare an elevator pitch. While you can’t anticipate all the questions a potential boss may ask you on the spot, one thing you can be sure of is that they will ask you what you’re doing now and what you want to be doing. It is especially important to have an answer that is  positive, confident, and tells a story. Rehearse your pitch verbally, and try recording it with a video camera or audio device so you can get a sense of how a potential boss will interpret your story. Revise your delivery accordingly until you’re satisfied you have an honest, confident and up-beat way to present yourself.

Dress for success. Even on weekends. We’d all like to think the weekends are our own, but the fact is you can run into a future boss anywhere. There’s no need to wear a suit on the weekends, but think twice before leaving the house in something you’d be embarrassed to see a future colleague in.

I had an anxious day when I got a call mid-day from a potential employer inviting me for an interview just three hours later. Unfortunately, I had not exactly worn an interview-quality outfit to my job at the time and did not have enough time to go home and change. That mistake cost me the expense of a new suit while en route to the interview. The moral of my story: always leave the house in interview-ready clothes — even if your current office attire doesn’t really require it.

Never leave the house without the essentials. Your bag should always contain the networking essentials: your business card, a notebook and pen. If you bump into a potential professional contact, don’t let the opportunity pass without giving away your contact details and agreeing on follow-up steps.

Prepare a portfolio. It may be more obvious for job seekers in the creative industry, but many other types of job candidates can benefit from having a professional portfolio. What should you include? It depends on the type of work you are seeking, but it might include articles you’ve written and published; advertising campaigns you’ve designed, supervised or otherwise participated in; screenshots of websites you managed, designed or coded; if you’re an architect it might be blueprints or photographs of spaces you’ve designed; if you’re a chef it could be menus you’ve prepared and served. A variety of job industries have tangible documents you can use to prepare a portfolio, so think about what makes sense for your line of work. Can you carry it with you everywhere? Probably not. But early in my career, I kept one at my office and one at home. If an interview or other opportunity came up. I had something tangible to put in front of a prospective boss or client. Today, an online portfolio is also handy, and if you have one, it’s great to put a link on your business card.

Finally, if you find yourself in the midst of an impromptu interview, don’t forget to smile, be confident and end by asking how and when you should follow-up on your conversation.

Whitney Parker is vice president of user experience for Brazen Careerist, director of social media for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, and media coordinator for the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism. You can follow her on twitter @whitneymparker.

You can hear more advice on acing unexpected interviews at the NYC Creative Interns panel discussion in New York City on Tuesday, August 9.

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But what about the step before the job offer? Specifically, what about a second interview?

According to this guide for second interviews from Florida State University, if you are called back for a second interview you likely have a 50 percent chance of receiving an offer. However, there are several instances where it might be in your best interest not to go through with the second interview.

For example, here are some reasons you might want to decline a second interview:

• You don’t think you would be a good fit for the position. Either because you’re not qualified or are over qualified and would be bored.
• You don’t like the culture. The company might be too formal or too relaxed for you. If you know what kind of atmosphere you thrive best in, don’t try to force yourself into something different.
• You have a bad feeling about your boss. As the U.S. News article points out, people leave bosses not jobs and if the manager is not someone you think you can work with, don’t fool yourself into thinking you could.
• You research the cost of living n the area and aren’t willing to relocate.

But you should certainly consider going to the second interview if:

You glossed over or did not discuss salary in earlier interviews. Unless you’ve spoken about the specifics in the first interview the salary range might be more than you originally thought.
• You didn’t spend time hearing about the benefits, especially because they’re not always set in stone. Often things like title, training, conference attendance, work environment (example: ability to telecommute), paid time off, sign on bonus are more negotiable than salary. “Employers who want you might offer a ‘sign-on’ bonus that you can apply toward COBRA payments, college application fees or a nanny’s salary. Some bosses agree to waive the 90-day waiting period to put your name on the current health plan’s rolls,” Robert Kneip, president and CEO of employer staffing company The Oasis Group, told Bankrate.com.
You have another offer pending. What if the offer doesn’t come through? The old adage, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” applies.

Only you can decide if declining a second interview is in your best interest. But if you’re sitting on the fence, it is probably in your best interest to go ahead and go through the second interview. You never know what might happen.

As career blogger / former recruiter Carl Mueller writes on his blog: “If there is even a remote chance that the company and job might interest you, it can be in your best interest to attend the interview anyways. I’ve seen cases where a person goes to interview for one job and then ends up getting hired for a different position. So if you don’t think you are really interested in the job after the first interview, you could attend the second one to see what transpires and to see if there are other options not yet presented to you.”

Aurora Meyer is a member of the Brazen Life Contributor Network.

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Contrary to popular belief, a suit is not always the best wardrobe choice for an interview. If you work, or want to work, in a creative field (fashion, public relations or graphic design are good examples), your choice of outfit can play a key role in getting you the job (or not!).

Imagine you are sitting in the office of the hiring manager trying to sell them on your creative abilities, your experience and your strengths. If you are wearing a buttoned-up, conservative suit, your image will not correspond to your words. You want to sell them on YOU—the full package, including your style, personality, business savvy and skills.

The key to mastering an outfit appropriate for a creative job is to ensure it conveys your personal style while also remaining polished. Keep either your top or bottom classic and add personality through color and accessories. The outfits below are a good place to start:

1. Printed wrap dress, heels and a great bag.

2. Wide leg trousers and a silk blouse.

3. Pencil skirt, crisp white shirt and a bold necklace.

Before heading to any interview, check with the human resources department directly on what would be appropriate. It is in their best interests to help you succeed in the interview. Even better, connect with an employee who can give you insider tips on dress code and style within the company. Finally, whatever you choose to wear, make sure you feel both fabulous and comfortable in it so that your personality and skills shine brighter than your outfit!

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by TalentEgg Incubator

Does anyone remember the AT&T commercial where a man insults his Chinese business associate when he mispronounces the associate’s name?

The commercial highlights the importance of clarity and precision in communication, and it also underscores the cultural nuances that we encounter at our increasingly global workplaces. These situations may seem funny in retrospect, but if they’re not handled properly, they may have serious consequences—not only for the employee, but for the company as well.

And these cultural distinctions extend far beyond the spoken language. I’ve had work experience in several culturally distinct countries, and I can safely say that the attitudes employers expect to see in a candidate also vary greatly from one country to another.

In Malaysia—a country heavily influenced by its Eastern morals and values—modesty, respect and courtesy are some of the characteristics candidates are expected to possess and display. This is not to say that employers in Western countries do not appreciate such values; quite the contrary.

However, in Malaysian culture, reverence and respect for elders—an,d by extension, those higher up in the social hierarchy—are expected virtues in any individual. These qualities are therefore crucial in dealing with clients and associates.

As a result, candidates are expected to demonstrate these values during the interview process at great lengths and then some.

Along the same vein, candidates are also expected to acknowledge an organization’s inherent hierarchy, be it a formal or informal one. Of course, it goes without saying that falling in line is expected in any company anywhere on the globe. As the saying goes, “You have to go along in order to get along.”

However, in Malaysia, it’s crucial that a candidate displays a certain readiness, or even an eagerness, to fit into the existing pecking order. It might seem superficial or perhaps somewhat trivial, but it’s crucial nonetheless as it is seen as a manifestation of the candidate’s respect towards his or her superiors.

From the job interviews I’ve had in Australia and Canada—not all of them successful, naturally—I’ve found that ambition, confidence and being proactive are highly regarded by employers. These qualities are often the determining factors for whether an interview is successful or not.

Here in Canada, candidates are expected to possess high self-esteem and feel confident about “selling” themselves to employers. This is perhaps the greatest distinction between the work cultures in Canada and Malaysia.

Here, a candidate should be able to clearly articulate his or her winning qualities as they are relevant to the position. They should be able to draw on past achievements to demonstrate those qualities, and they should also feel confident in expressing how those qualities make them the best candidate for the position.

In Malaysia, however, “selling” oneself is akin to boasting—the opposite of modesty—and therefore seen as almost a taboo. Since modesty is an expected virtue, self-promotion (and I mean that in the best possible way) is done in a more subtle and indirect manner, chiefly through the resumé.

Numerous other facets of a culture come into play in determining on whether or not a candidate has had a successful interview, and it is impossible to list them all. Suffice it to say that it is good to develop a feel for the subtleties that exist within any given culture in order to gauge what an employer might expect to see in a candidate.

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by Erik Folgate

A few weeks back, I was meeting in a meeting with a customer, and I found myself giving off bad body language. Granted, the atmosphere was casual. We were outside in his patio, sitting on patio furniture. But for some reason, I decided to slouch in my chair and rest my foot on the leg of the table. When I realized that I was giving off unprofessional body language, I slowly corrected myself, sat up straight and leaned forward. Slightly leaning forward in a conversation is a great way to show someone that you’re listening and interested in what they have to say.

It made me think about all of the other times that I am in a work setting and how my body language gives off the wrong signals and/or impression. Your first impression with a company is the interview. Your body language WILL speak louder than the garbage coming out of your mouth. A good interviewer or panel of interviewers will read into how you react to a question rather than what you actually say. So, based on my past failings and total stupidity of how to act in a professional manner, here are five body language signs to avoid giving off when you go out for an interview:

1. Slouching in your chair. It tells someone that you not interested in the conversation or even in being there.
2. Wringing your hands. I do this all the time. Imagine you have a car wash sponge in your hand and you’re wringing it out. If you do the same thing with your hands, it’s a tell-tale sign that you’re nervous.
3. Never making eye contact. You don’t want to stare at someone like you’re a psycho, but you also don’t want to stare at the ground the whole time. Appropriate eye contact shows confidence in what you are saying and who you are.
4. Crossing your arms. I always tells girls that if they want to attract men, they should stop crossing their arms! It’s a huge turn-off when a girl has her arms crossed the whole time. It makes people think you’re either not interested or you’re not comfortable being around them. If you can’t figure out what to do with your hands or arms in an interview, just fold your hands and put them in your lap.
5. Interrupting the interviewer. If you do this, you’ll come across as arrogant and over-confident.

These are only five signs to avoid, but there are many others. If you have one to add, please post in a comment below. It’s important to be aware of your body language in an interview, but you also don’t want to be TOO aware of it. Then, you’ll come across as not being yourself, and you won’t look natural. I know; it’s complicated. But in the end, taking a deep breath and being yourself is the best remedy for making an interview go well.

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