Category:

How You Lie In Interviews And Don't Even Know It

3/7/2013

The first rule of doing anything during a job application process is “Don’t lie!” And I think we’d all agree. We all know how to lie on applications, our resumes and in interviews, and we choose not to do it because we’re not stupid. We know better than that. That being said, there are ways to lie… and you don’t realize you’re lying.

The Sweaty Dude Example
Let me demonstrate. As I was sitting at work yesterday, a guy comes in for an interview. So there he is standing in the room, in baggy jeans and an untugged short-sleeved plaid shirt. At least it was a button down. And while I wouldn’t ever recommend dressing like this for ANY interview, I suppose he was forgiven as he applied to a creative agency. So here he is, hunching his back (dude, stand up straight!) and has this goofy smile on his face. So there he is, this guy I was already pitying, completely nervous and probably sweating. And I was quietly thinking: “He’ll never get the job. I hope he doesn’t get the job because I cannot see myself working with this dude.” (Yes, maybe I am currently being a bit TOO honest!! How ironic!)

So my boss gets up and they go to the conference room to have their interview. As I keep working, I try to listen, but I couldn’t hear. Well, I didn’t have to try for long because just about ten minutes later, they emerge again. Sweaty dude first (Fauxpas). My boss right behind him. As he is walking in front of her, she glances over at me with disaster written all over her face. Thank goodness, I thought, I will not have to work with him. So the dude walks out and my boss comes back to sit at the desk.

What Got Him Fired Before He Was Hired
She immediately proceeds to tell me what was wrong with him. To my surprise, it wasn’t his perceived stupidity. Even though, admittedly, he didn’t seem to know very much about the job he applied for. But that’s not what didn’t get him the job! What didn’t get him the job, what was the breaking point for my boss, was that he lied about knowing more than he actually did. He pretended to have a professional background in the field, when he just kept talking about doing it very low budget for his friends. So he basically took his bit of experience to make himself look like he knew it all. And then my boss tells me that had he said he was really interested in the field and would love to learn more, she would have considered him. But he chose to lie about his background.

Something to ponder about:
He may have been hired for the job – even not knowing much about the field – had he only shown passion. But he lost his chance because he lied.

To HIM, it was probably not lying. He never thought of what he was saying as lying. In his mind, it was probably more like trying to look good or justifying or inflating at the most. But he was perceived as lying. And then I was thinking: Well, don’t we all do that? How often have we walked out of an interview and it went great. We gave all these great examples of our work, and we pointed out all these great numbers and achievements… and we never heard from the interviewer again.

What's One Man's Treasure Is Another Man's Trash
Here is what we can’t forget: As much as we make up numbers/inflate numbers (no one is ever really going to check), we tend to forget one thing: We are entry level or close to entry level workers interviewing with a seasoned professional. They know that we do not have all the experience in the world. They don’t expect us to. That’s why they’re hiring us into an entry level job. If we had more experience, we’d be interviewing to be managers. They just want to hear that we have a basic understanding and passion. If you tell them you’re an expert or you have this huge portfolio to showcase, they know you’re not being honest.

Now, you may honestly have experience working on projects. Within internships or project work, or even from another entry level job. And you may honestly know how to do your job perfectly and in the most professional way. But compared to THEM, or compared to what you will be doing there, it’s small fry. So don’t inflate your numbers. Don’t inflate your experience. You mean well, but you’re perceived as a liar. And no one is going to hire a liar.

This principle particularly applies to new and young professionals. That’s the reason why you’re not getting a call back. But even if you’re not entry level, you can still apply to concept. You are interviewing for a higher-up position with someone probably much more higher up than you. What you have to tell them may be great – but remember who you’re talking to. Much more important than numbers are commitment and passion. And honesty.

This guy didn’t mean to lie, he only meant to use his experience to make himself look good; but he made himself look like a fool – and worse, a liar. A liar in baggy pants and an untugged shirt.

So next time you wonder why you didn’t get the job, ask yourself if you did anything like sweaty guy. Were you confident but humble and honestly excited, or was your agenda to show off? Leave your comments about your experiences and share your wisdom!

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How To REALLY Dress For An Interview... it's not what you think.

9/19/2012

6 Comments

This blog attempts to teach you how to apply the new rules of PR and marketing to your job search to successfully land the job you really want. Sometimes, it’s the subtleties about PR that make the difference – and they’re so subtle you barely recognize them as PR when reading these posts. Well, let me shout this one from the rooftops: This post is as PR as it gets!

Recently, I’ve seen tons of discussions about how to dress for an interview and how to make the best first impression with what you’re wearing. And unfortunately, I am seeing many really bad posts out there that give blanket advice to an entire country and all industries combined; often written by people who call themselves specialists. I should start by saying that you should never follow blanket advice, particularly not when it comes to dressing for interviews.

Let’s review the norm of how to dress for interviews that hopefully everyone has learned: Black, navy or charcoal suit, button-down white shirt, black, close-toed shoes, natural make-up, no perfume, hair styled conservatively, possibly tied back. And generally, if all else fails, these ARE the rules you want to follow. But because we are applying smart PR to our career search, we are smarter than just following blanket advice. We are learning how to customize!

So let’s take a closer look at dress code.

Fit In... not just your clothes.
The way you dress for an interview depends entirely on the industry you work in. If you are applying for a job in banking or pharma – yes, please follow the standards above. These industries are the most formal. If you are applying for a job in a conservative area and you can assume the people working at the company are rather conservative – yes, please follow the rules above more or less.

As a general rule, though, you should follow the industry-standard of how to dress ON the job. If the industry as a whole, or the company you’re applying for, dresses casual or very business-casual (as in “jeans”), step it up a notch. I would avoid going to an interview in jeans at pretty much all costs. But follow the rules of the industry, because….

PR RULE NUMBER ONE: ASSIMILATE!

Study your audience and do what it takes to appeal to that audience. The basis of every PR campaign is lots of research. You learn what your audience members are like, what they like, and what moves them – particularly what moves them to a change in attitude. The attitude change YOU are trying to accomplish is for the interviewer to go to loving you from simply being cognizant of you. So what do you do? YOU FIT IN! We’ve talked about this before: The interview is mainly there to establish if you fit in. You’re already qualified. So show them in every possible way that you know your industry (THEIR industry) and that you know how to fit in, down to dressing right for it. This rule pretty much rules out a black suit and a button-down shirt for A LOT of fields!

PR RULE NUMBER TWO: GO WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE!

As you are using your PR skills to get the job, they are using their PR skills to get the best hire. They probably don’t know that that’s a PR tactic, but they are doing it nonetheless. So how do you know you are getting the best candidate possible? How do you get the best possible guarantee of a candidate to truly be the best out of the whole pot? Simple: You are hiring someone who is currently employed. There’s a very simple mantra explaining that: If you are currently not employed, you can’t be THAT good, right? Someone would have already snatched you up. Well, we know that’s not necessarily true, but our psyche tells us otherwise. And you can like it or not, you will not change this way of thinking.

The Employed Get Hired.
As a matter of fact, I was talking to a hiring manager and she said she won’t even interview anyone who is not currently employed. Why? Because the unemployed are desperate to take ANY job and they will tell you anything to get it. She doesn’t trust them. I didn’t agree with her, but that doesn’t matter. So if you are currently unemployed, the trick is, once again: To cater to your audience.

If you are currently unemployed, do your best to look like you ARE employed. Don’t lie, but use your PR tactics to make yourself look like you are currently working. There are many facets to this concept; for this purpose we will focus on dress code, since that is the subject of this post. So let’s think for a second of how an employed person goes to an interview.

HOW AN EMPLOYED PERSON GOES TO AN INTERVIEW
When you are employed and you are starting to look for a different job, you will most likely not rub it into your current employers face. So your interviews are either after hours right after your work is over (and the other company is hopefully still open) or you take an extended lunch. (Or you lie and make up a reason for why you can’t come in.) The point is: You don’t have all day to go from looking like you do for work to looking like the perfect interviewee in black suit and perfect hair and makeup. You don’t have two hours in the AM to spend in front of the mirror; you have to get to work. So you will look the way you look to go to work. Well – guess what: That’s what people at that other company also look like! Of course that day, you put on slacks instead of jeans and a nicer shirt instead of your good old cotton. But the point is: You look like you are someone who is employed in the industry. Because you actually ARE! You fit in because you are ALREADY IN! Do these people get hired? YES! All the time! Because employers know they fit in.

What do we learn from this novel observation? If you want to make yourself look like you’re currently employed, you literally make yourself LOOK LIKE you’re employed! It’s THAT easy. Dress like you’re going to work. Nicely. You’re not going to be able to SAY that you’re currently employed, but you will LOOK like you are. And that brings you one step closer to fitting in – because you are subconsciously telling them you’re fitting in… without even using one word or your resume. Now, just doing that won’t get you the job… but at least you’re one step closer.

And now you always know how to dress without having a meltdown over your wardrobe. Don’t you love PR!?

6 Comments

How To Ace The "What Are Your Weaknesses" Trap

8/28/2012

1 Comment

Ok, I said I'd have a post about the top 10 interview busters next, but I'll have a little intermission in between busters - it IS, however, about at least ONE interview buster. It's about how to answer one of the more difficult questions well: What are your weaknesses?

It's a tough one to answer because it almost just asks for a lie. Why would you ever give away your TRUE weaknesses, right? They'll get you disqualified! So professors and coaches tell you to come up with weaknesses you can either turn into a strength, or weaknesses that have nothing to do with job performance. That’s one way, I suppose. That’s been my strategy so far. Well, here's a bit of a different take I have after talking to the marketing manager at King's Hawaiian, responsible for hiring there.

A Look At Interviewers
First of all, let’s just look at hiring managers for a minute. Who are they? Well, at the most basic level, they are people. Not machines. They are people with a personality, with strengths and weaknesses themselves. People who are able to see you, look at you, evaluate your personality, your reactions, your tone of voice. At a little bit more advanced level, they are people who are trained to look at you and evaluate you professionally, as it related to the job you’re applying for and the company. And most importantly, they are people who once were on the other side of the table themselves. They are people who know very well that you do have real weaknesses, no matter what answer you give them.

When they choose to ask the question “What are your weaknesses,” they ask it for a reason – whatever reason that may be. They know the ways answers can go – they are trained to read answers between the lines. They once thought about how to answer it themselves. So how do you answer this question then to satisfy them?

Most Important Is Cultural Fit, Weaknesses or Not
Let me interject another thought here that will make the evaluation of how to answer “What are your weaknesses” a bit more clear. As I was talking to the King’s Hawaiian lady, I asked her what the most important thing was that she looks for in a candidate. She didn’t say their references, their job history, or even their degree or achievements. She said, without having to think twice, “Cultural fit.” So personality is the most important thing you can show during an interview. She said that you can be as qualified as you want, with the most stellar references, work history and track record – if your personality doesn’t fit into the company, you will not be hired.

Hm, let’s think about this for a minute. I am writing this blog mostly for people in or right out of college – but it really applies to everyone across the board that currently has no job they want to keep for the rest of their lives, or that just have no job at all. We are so focused on just getting a job that we often overlook the most important thing: Do I actually fit within this company? Am I actually going to be happy going to work with these people every day? Am I going to dread getting up every morning to be at a place I hate for 8+ hours every day? I understand the need to have a job, and any job will do if you otherwise have to live on the street. Unfortunately, companies don’t look at it that way. Especially right now, they get to choose the perfect candidate, so you might as well go with it and FIND that company that’s a great fit for you.

And then that’s it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: They have seen your resume, they already think you’re qualified. The interview is mostly not to show them you’re qualified, but to show them that you would fit in. And that’s exactly what NAME was saying. So as long as you show your true personality, you will be happy at work if hired because you know they are going to be like-minded.

How I Got Fired Because My Strength Was Their Weakness
For example, I worked at a non-profit for 3 weeks before I was fired. Why was I fired? Because my personality was more bubbly than I admitted to in the interviews. My work style was much faster than they wanted. My get-it-done attitude was not appreciated. Are these good qualities? I think so! But they fired me! What did they tell me when they fired me? They said: “Your work is great, you have really good ideas… but you’re just not the right personality fit.” That was that, nothing I could do. So I moved on to an agency, where there’s a corporate, young and progressive-minded culture; it is a place where work is fast and projects get done yesterday. And I love it. Absolutely love it and fit in perfectly. My work experience was exactly the same for both jobs – but the culture was quite different. I liked going to work at the non-profit. I LOVE going to work at the agency. And another point you can take away from this: What you list as your strengths - might not be attractive to your interviewer. And what you view as your weakness might constitute the perfect fit! Just think about THAT!

This experience has shifted my thinking from “having to find ANY job” to “really wanting to find the RIGHT job.” Why? Because if you don’t find the RIGHT job, you’re not going to last. It’s that simple. (And if you somehow manage to last, you’ll hate it.) And then you’ll have to keep starting all over again and again. Until you learn that cultural fit truly is the most important thing in a hiring decision. These are the people you will spend more time with than you do with your family – it HAS to be a good fit.

So What's The Best Answer?
With this in mind, let’s get back to my original point. What does this little excursion here have to do with the question “What are your weaknesses?” Well, my point sort of is: It doesn’t really matter. My best guess is that they simply want to see if you’re honest. If your nature is genuine. How do you sound when confronted with an uncomfortable question or situation? Again: They KNOW you’re not perfect. They KNOW you have real weaknesses that put you at a disadvantage. Just like everyone else in the world does, too. The point is: Do you know what they actually are? Because if you know what they are, you can do something about them! THAT’s the positive spin! Don’t come up with a weakness that’s really a strength. “I work too hard. Haha, I guess that’s a good weakness to have!” Bullshit. You’re out! You apparently don’t even know what “weakness” means.

Here’s a weakness: “I know this isn’t good – but I tend to arrive late. It’s not that I don’t organize my time well, I do get everything done… I’ll just stay late. And I’m not hours late, but I somehow have a hard time getting out of the 15-minutes late thing. I AM working on it and I have gotten much better at being on time and I make it a point to pay attention to timing.”

THAT’s a real weakness. Did you just expose yourself? Absolutely. But if that really is your weakness, then you WILL be late for work. Here is what King’s Hawaiian marketing manager said: “If this truly is your weakness, I want you to tell me that. Because maybe the position has flex hours, and then it would be perfect for you. Now, it might disqualify you from a position where you just have to be on time precisely, but then they’d notice you being late soon enough, wouldn’t they?”

And that takes us back full circle to the fit. You want to get a job you will keep. So when they ask you about your weaknesses, they want to make sure they’re not in the way of you doing your job. Because they WILL fire you when it comes out and it’s a real barrier to you doing your job well. If your weakness doesn’t matter or can be worked in (such as you’ll be on flex hours anyway), it solidifies your fit. AND they know you’re honest and you know yourself.

So be truly honest with your weaknesses. If they can see you know yourself, it proves your sound character and your maturity. It also lets them evaluate if you’re a good fit. And if you are a good fit, you will get the job, despite of your weaknesses. Because everyone has weaknesses. EVERYONE does, you don’t have to hide them. You just need to be someone with the “right” weaknesses for the job.

If your weakness is that you can’t lift anything over 10 pounds but you will have to frequently move furniture – guess what. You’re not going to keep that job. So you might as well admit to it from the start. It can only make you stronger. And if it doesn’t make you stronger, you weren’t the right fit anyway.

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Learn Your Lesson - How To Know You're Doing It Right (Or Wrong)

8/4/2012

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I have to start this entry by saying how sad it is that so many people (in particular students) think they know what they're doing when it comes to interviewing and the job-finding process in general, but they really don't. And you might be reading this right now thinking: "Well, thank God that's not me!" - but the truth is that it might JUST be YOU... because... well, because you are one of those who think they know what they're doing... when you really don't.

And the critical question now is: How do I know which side I am on? Well, doing your research right, learning as much as you can before you send in that resume, before you go into that interview, before accepting that job, is critical. And that's why you're reading this - because you want to learn. Good!

A Real-Life Example to Make My Point
Let's look at some questions and right and wrong answers.

As so often, I want to drive my point home with a practical story I experienced last week. In my current position, I work closely with the person that interviewed me and was mainly responsible for hiring me. From the start, I got along with him very well, which, of course, never hurts. So every so often, we have our two-minute water cooler talks. About a week ago, he told me he needed to shift our meeting because he had to go do an interview. So after he got back from it, I initiated one of those water cooler minutes and asked him how it went. His response didn't need any words - his facial expression said it all. (It was not very positive). So I thought this would be a good moment to reveal that I blog about this sort of stuff and, in turn, interview him about mistakes this person obviously made and how to avoid them.

Well, it turns out that the girl he interviewed for an internship already had had a telephone interview with him before coming in. During that interview, she seemed quite smart and she was told what the main account was she would be working on (this is for a large PR agency). So now that she came in, he asked her some follow-up questions, and she was dumb-founded. I will now list some of the questions and her answers and hope that this will teach you the very valuable lesson of DOING YOUR RESEARCH!

Question 1: You will be working on one account mainly, but you'll also have your time split over nine other major accounts. Do you think you'll be comfortable doing that?
(Editor's Note: When you work at a big PR agency, it is normal that you work on several accounts simultaneously. PR agencies are very busy.)

Her answer: "Oh... I don't know. I've worked in-house before, so I've only worked on just that one product."

Right answer: "Well, I've worked in-house before. So even though that would be equal to only one client, they did have several project going on and I helped with many of them. So I'm excited to switch to agency now and learn about this new aspect of working on several clients. But I do think I am well equipped to handle it and I am a fast learner and highly organized.

Lesson learned: If you don't have the exact skills needed, you think of a transferable skill. You also never say no! Never. Just don't.

Question 2: You know that this is a full-time internship, so you'll work 40 hours a week, from about 9-5:30, including lunch, Monday through Friday. Does that sound like a schedule you can handle?

Her answer: Yes, that's fine. But I do want to say that I come from North Orange County, so I may not be on time every day.
(Editor's note: Anything in North Orange county is about 30 miles removed from this office and you do have to take a horribly backed-up freeway during rush hour.)

Right answer: Yes, that's fine.

Lesson learned: Never - again, I repeat NEVER, volunteer negative information. Especially not if that information makes you sound like a slacker, uncoordinated, unorganized, or simply careless. In most entry-level jobs, these qualities are absolutely essential. If you already know you'll have a tough commute, you just get up a half hour earlier. Worst case scenario: You get to work half an hour early. You are not late for an interview; just the same, you are not late for work. Every so often that will happen for reasons outside your control (like an accident that closes the whole freeway and you're literally stuck) - but you never suggest that this might be an ongoing thing for no reason other than you not getting up on time.

Lesson learned: Less is more. Do not ramble. Do not answer questions that weren't asked, unless you have something really good to say. Remember: No one asked "Were you ever late for work?" Or "Do you think you might be late for work?" The question was: Does this sound like a schedule you can handle? It's a yes or no answer. And this is something you know in advance. If your answer to it is no, you shouldn't be wasting anyone's time by coming to the interview in the first place. Find something closer to home. And by the way: If they did ask if you thought you might be late for work, your answer is: "No, of course not. I know I'll have a tough commute on the 5 and I already tested out how long it takes me to get here, so I know when I have to leave my house to make it." Period. -See now, you've volunteered a wholly positive detail that made you look prepared and showed you're thinking ahead.

Question 3: As we have discussed on the phone, the main account you'll work on is the XYZ Project. What do you know about this project? How do you feel about it?

Her answer: Oh, I don't know, I haven't worked on it yet, so I'm not familiar with the project.

Right answer: Well, this answer should be as long as your answer makes business-sense and you can speak intelligently about this project and what you've learned during your research. And this is a good time to also throw in intelligent questions about this project, as far as your work on it is concerned, for example.

Lesson learned: When they give you a freebee and already tell you in advance exactly what it is that you'll be working on - you research it! To death! Until you can't find any more information on it. And during the interview, you might even find a way to volunteer that information to show initiative, before you're even asked about it. This is where the research part comes in. They won't hire you because you're pretty. They'll hire you because they think you're intelligent and you can handle the job and are prepared.

Needless to say that the girl did not get the internship. And I was a bit embarrassed, because she graduated from the same school and the same program I graduated from. And I was just really wondering why you would give answers like that... and I came to the conclusion that it is because people just talk too much (We're nervous in interviews) ... or are too honest (Yes, you will be late for work. They know that. Everyone is every so often. But you just don't say that!) ... or just don't think their answers through, and don't consider all possible consequences. It's not because they're stupid, it's because they weren't prepped.

Help Me To Help You!
So the key is to do your research and learn as much as you can. Not just about the company you're interviewing for, but about interviewing and this whole process of getting a job in general. At this point, I would like to ask you for your opinion: What is it that YOU would like to learn more about? What do you think might be your biggest deficiency and you just don't know where to turn for it? What have you researched and just haven't found satisfying answers, or what you found simply didn't work? Please let me know! Email me directly at anne.pelczar AT yahoo DOT com or leave a comment. I want to help!

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ESSENTIAL Interview Skills You HAVE To Know If You Want The Job

1/28/2012

2 Comments

All the years of smart networking are finally paying off - I've applied to a myriad of jobs, and almost every single application went through someone I knew in the company. Out of that myriad of applications, even though most of them came with recommendations from within the company, I got 4 interviews. FOUR. Quite a few never even replied at all - despite the referral. That's how hard it is to get a REAL job! So what do you do to get it? -Oh, this one will be long. But you SOOO want to read this!!

#1: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK! AGAIN: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK! AGAIN: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK!
Not just to get a job, but to find out everything you can about their industry and their company. It's some really easy and effective research AND it gives you face-time. So... if you are reading this and you're still a student: Get networking NOW! And HARD! It is work, it really is. But if you don't do it, you won't have a job later on. Entry level positions are usually hired from within... BE IN! Unless you're happy to be a burger flipper with a degree. Right now, you think it's nerve-recking to get the internship you want, or to just get an internship at all - wait until you have to do this for real! Start preparing now, build that network! And if you've graduated and are in my shoes: It's not to late to build a network. It's harder now because you're later in the game, but it's doable. Start now. The sooner you build it, the sooner you'll get a job.

#2: WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE
http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2012/dp/1607740109
There it is. This is the Amazon link. Twelve bucks will give you the most valuable advice. Read it before you graduate. Have a plan to hit your job search running. Your job search should be a real job. Have a plan and a strategy and tactics. And know your objective, which is the job you really want. And don't stray from it. Don't settle for less. Know what you're worth. Because this is where you work to land the job you REALLY want... not just the next best thing.

#3: KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMPANY - FOR REAL!
Now that you're smart and you know how to look for the job you want, you have to make sure you get it. So when you go on that interview, be really prepared. I mean, prepare the hell out of it! Going on their website and reading every single word of it is only the first step in your preparations. It is your full-time job to know everything possible about that company, the open position, and the person interviewing you. You go into that interview and you know more about them than they do. You know their employees and what they do, and how that relates to the job you're applying for, you know their clients, their partners, their alliances, their goals, their aspirations, their work ethic, you've read every single press release, everything in the media, you know what search results come up on google, you know their skeletons in the closet... I mean EVERYTHING! If you're not willing to do that, you probably don't have a passion to work there in the first place.

I went to a PR and marketing panel last semester, and one of the professionals on the panel, a PR professional working at Rogers and Cowan (a huge entertainment PR firm in LA for those who are not well versed in entertainment), said that she went to interview for her job and she knew she wanted to be at Rogers and Cowan (who doesn't?!). So she went into that interview and she knew all their clients, and what exactly they did for those clients, and she knew every conceivable detail. And they told her she got the job because she knew all those things and that showed them that she really cared and knew what to know. She could start the job running.

Along those lines, take two minutes to watch this video. It answers the question: "Why do you want to work here?" You better ace this one - IT'S A TRICK QUESTION!

"WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?" - WATCH YOUR ANSWER BELOW:

#4: BE YOURSELF!
What does that mean? I've read a job column in the OC Register the other day that my trusted ex-PR professor-turned-mentor gave me. It was written by interview coach Brad Remillard, and he answered the following question:

"I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS FOR WHICH I KNOW I'M QUALIFIED, YET I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED A JOB. JUST WHAT DO COMPANIES MEAN WHEN THEY ASK FOR QUALIFIED PEOPLE?"

The answer was so simple, but we easily forget: You're qualified if you fit in!
When you go in an interview, it's not because you need to proof your qualifications to them. If they didn't think you were qualified, you wouldn't be there in the first place. You've already shown them that. You sent your resume, they saw your skills and work experience, they already know you're qualified.
So while we, as the interviewees, focus on making sure to give them every detail of every job we ever had and how we can apply that to their company, all THEY do is focus on YOU. Not your qualification - on YOU. So what you do in the interview is SELL YOURSELF. You don't sell your resume, you've already accomplished that. And you know that because you're THERE. The interview is your soft sell. The part where you sell YOURSELF. As a person. As someone who is likable, articulate, able to interact with people, and most importantly: Who will fit in with the company and their team (so do your research and know what they're looking for in a team player and if that's you!). Someone who is self-confident, not nervous when presented with an unfamiliar situation (such as an interview), someone who works well with others (who doesn't interrupt the interviewer), someone who can give answers that actually answer the question and not just blurt out bullshit just to say something. Someone who knows what he/she is talking about because you know the field. This is to prove YOU, not your skills.

#5: DON'T PREPARE. IMPRESS!
So knowing that now, just how do you do that? It's really simple: By being yourself. Don't pretend anything in an interview. Don't pretend to be someone you're not, don't pretend to know something you don't. They've interviewed hundreds and thousands of people, they WILL see right through it. And even if you manage to deceive them in the interview, it'll just get you right fired after you start working and there is no more pretending.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW THAT WITHOUT PREPARATION.
Now, I'm not saying don't prepare. Do know your strengths and you weaknesses. Do be able to describe yourself, applicable to the job, in 3 words. Do have your "Tell me about yourself" prepared like it's a movie script. But prepare minimally, don't have a script to every question - because it will take your personality out. And it'll make you nervous if you "forget your next line." And if you feel compelled to inject something, something you just thought of, something that makes sense, say it. Don't worry about the 30-second-per-answer rule. I have never ever kept that rule. I most certainly speak longer than 30 seconds per answer. But if you actually have something intelligent to say, that's ok! They want to hear that. They want to hear that you know what you're talking about and how THAT contributes to the company. And it has NEVER worked to my disadvantage. Now, don't make the mistake to ramble. Do stop yourself at a certain point. Don't go on unnecessary tangents. Do be precise - that's really the "30 second rule" - that's really just saying: Be precise. They want to see that you can do that. But as long as your answer stays intelligent and on the topic, give it personality.

HERE'S A WINNING EXAMPLE
Here's a good, hard example question: "You have so much background in another industry. How come you're applying for a job in THIS industry?" This is the kind of question where you'll be tempted to lie... because you think your real answer will look bad. Resist the urge - be honest. They can tell if you're trying to lie to just get through an answer, they really can. If you're honest, and you know exactly why you want to change industries, and you can make it personal and actually show your reasoning that applies to their industry - perfect. If you just applied for the job because it's a job, even though you really don't care at all about the industry - you lost them right at this point. You WILL NOT get the job. But we're going to assume you applied for the job because you had a reason (and ideally, that reason should never be money unless there's a compelling reason that ties in with the job). And then that's your reason.

Here's a good, easy answer: "You know, that's a good question. I have so much background in that particular other industry because I always thought I wanted to be in it, so I worked diligently on learning about that industry (This, by the way, shows them your commitment and efforts that are perfectly transferable). But after working there, after doing my internships, I just came to see that I didn't seem to fit it. Everything is so cut-throat and people in the industry just have a personality so different from mine (customize here and name qualities). And it's not that I couldn't do my job, because the job is the same in either industry. It's the industry itself I decided was not the right fit for me (This is where you show them that you know what you want based on primary research and initiative). But I also did a project in YOUR particular industry and I talked to people working it it (name companies if you can) and I found that people there are so different, and have a completely different drive for why they do their work. It was so much more enjoyable to work with them because they actually cared not just about their job, but about their company. They worked at that company because that's where they really wanted to be (And again, you are showing that your decision is based on intelligent research and long contemplation). And it was so much more enjoyable to work with them because of that. And I want to be able to be passionate about my job. I want to believe not just in my work, but in my company and in what they do. And I know that I can do that in THIS industry, not so much in the other. The job I do is the same (and these are the points that I am particularly qualified in), but I can do it in an industry (or company) that I really came to believe in much more than the other (And now you're telling them that you can do your job regardless. Make that point. But you told them why you want to do it for them)."

That's the honest truth. And that's a good answer. You were honest, you told them you love your job, and you love THEIR industry and here is why, and it took longer than 30 seconds. And it's perfect. That's your personality showing. Don't worry about being honest - that's exactly what they want to see.

#6: YOU'RE INTERVIEWING TO GET A FRIEND, NOT A JOB
Don't worry about throwing in all the big words. If you know what you're talking about, they'll automatically be in there.
Don't worry about forgetting something - just say: "You know what, I'm drawing a blank right now." They know you're not perfect, they know you're nervous. An interview is a test on how you handle being nervous. It shows how you'll handle that in real life. Don't panic. Don't try to pretend you're not nervous. In other words: Don't be a hero. That, too, adds a likable quality - that you can admit a weakness and that you know you're not perfect. Because guess what: No one is.

I bet that all of us forget these basic things because we know what's at stake... and we forget what's really important when trying to "make friends" just because it's called an interview.

See it exactly like this: You are trying to make friends with the interviewer.

You will work with them - they SHOULD be your friends. Why would they hire you and see you every day if they don't like you?! You're there, you're qualified. They'll train you anyway! This is where you become their friend. When YOU choose your friends, you want them to be nice, personable, supportive, you want them to believe in you and pull you up, you want them to be good people who care, you want them to share your passions and interests. Right? Well, this is a relationship you're building just the same. This is where you're telling them with all you're saying: "I want to be your friend. Like me!" This is also where you find out if YOU like THEM. Think about this carefully: Do YOU want to go to work there every day just to have a job, but have a miserable life because you hate the people you work with? Well... that's exactly what they do when they look at YOU.

So go out and be so successful now! And let me know what you can add to this. Maybe you have a good example to share? Use the comment box below, I'd love to use your input!

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