To Win the Job Have a Superior Interview and Follow Up

Most individuals come to an interview unprepared in a variety of ways.

An interview gives the candidate one shot to be successful...that's it. Further, you are competing with many other candidates so making a special and unique appearance and persentation could move you to the front of the line.

That is why preparation and delivery is so critical

That said, I offer the following steps to assure the greatest opportunity for your success:

1. Research the company as best you can using the internet and if necessary your local library. Be sure to be knowledgable about its products and services, its history, its status in its industry, the industry in general and how the company is performing in terms of market share, revenues and earnings and number of employees paying particular attention to trends (up, down or sideways).
2. Learn how employees dress at the company and for the interview dress one level up for that type of job.
3. Be well groomed and minimize the visibility of tatoos, nose rings, etc. If you are a more senior person, be aware of what about you speaks to your age and seek to eliminate that issue since so many companies are infatuated with youth. On your list could be the coloring of your hair and your choice of dress. Also to mitigate age issues, be particuarly energetic and engaging so that the interviewer will see you as more youthful. Also, be prepared to talk about your knowledge of computers and software to demonstrate that you are keeping up with the times.
4. Bring an immediate and broad smile, eye contact (but don't stare) and a firm handshake.
5. Be prepared with a list or relevant questions that you can ask.
6. Be prepared to answer questions asked of you. Practice as much as is necessary so that you will be able to answer questions easily and without delay.
7. Be aware that a good interview is about 50% interviewer speaking and 50% you speaking. In order for that to happen you will need to ask questions.
8. Bring materials to prove what you have done....reports, performance reveiws, references, and particularly store all that in a nice binder holding these materials. You may also want to create a career notebook that includes all prior jobs with appropriate dividers that you can share during the interview. This demontrates your willingness and desire to prepare and to pay attention to detail.
9. Be very careful with using humor either in the reception area or at the actual interview. It is very difficult to access the attitudes of others as regards humor and one bad joke or comment can do you in (take my word for that since I did it and suffered the consequences).
10. At the end of the interview indicate why you enjoyed the experience and express your positive interest in the position whether you feel that way or not...(always keep the doors of opportunity open).

Once you leave the facility, spend a few minutes taking notes related to the interview including:

1. What you learned about the company's and departments current and long term challenges
2. What you observed and heard abou the interviewer him or herself.
3. What you learned about the position requirements and challenges.

Then, within 24 hours, draft a thank you letter. Remember that ths letter is way more than just a thank you. It's additional most important purpose is to state how your skill sets, experience and education match the department needs and challenges as laid out by the interviewer. Also, remember to use correct business form for your letter.

One week after mailing your thank you letter be sure to call the interviewer under the guise of "did you receive my letter?" and take the opportunity to restate your interest in the position and then ask if he or she had any additional questions. This step is rarely taken and therefore represents a powerful opportunity to segregate yourself from the other candidates. It also demonstrates some special charactar traits such as persistence and follow up both of which are highly valued in the work place. The call also sends a strong message that you are very interested in the position.

The call should be followed by a thank you note a day or so later and on and on...phone call, thank you note, phone call, thank you note. Do not stop this process untl you receive an offer or a no. To that end, be sure that your phone has an answering  devise on it and that the message is business-like (not funny) during your job search.

Finally, never give up on a job you really want...never!