10 Tips to a Job-Winning Interview.docx

10TipstoaJob-WinningInterview10TipstoaJob-WinningInterviewThesedays,interviewsdon'tcomeeasily.WhenyougetTheCall,makethemostofyourtime--andgoforit!1.Investigatethecompany'sculture,markets,andfinances.Butresistthetemptationtoshowoffwhatyou'veresearched:"Ijustreadthatyou'reabouttoembarkonanewproductline")unlessyouhaveaquestiondirectlyrelatedtoyourcareer.2.Looklikeyoubelong.Learnthecompany'sdresscodeanderronthesideofconservatism.Whenyou'reseekingaseniorpositionbasedonindustryexperience,you'llbeexpectedtoknowtheruleswithoutbeingtold.3.Takechargeoftheinterview!Themostsuccessfulinterviewsfeellikefriendlyconversations.Whenyourinterviewerhasanagenda(suchastheinfamous"stressinterview")stayrelaxed.Thinkofplayingagame.4.Assumeeveryoneyoumeetwillprovidefeedbacktothedecision-maker.Somecompanieshandoutcommentformstoreceptionists,securityguardsandpotentialpeerswhotakeyoutolunch.5.Communicateinterestandenthusiasm,evenifyou'renotsureyou'rereadytocommit.You'llrarelyhaveallthefactsuntilyou'relookingatanoffer.6.Bringextracopiesofyourcorrespondencefromthiscompanyaswellasyourresume,references,writingsamples,portfolioandcurrentbusinesscards.Interviewerslosedocumentsandconversationsmoveinunexpecteddirections.7.Createarelaxed,positiveattitudebydevisingarealisticgameplan.Whenyourcareerisn'tridingonasingleinterview,you'llhavefunandmakeaconfident,relaxedimpression.8.Writeathankyouletterwithinforty-eighthours.Createalow-keysalesletter,emphasizinghowyourqualificationsmatchthecompany'sneeds.Presentyourselfasaresource,notasupplicant.9.Afteryouwritetheletter,forgetabouttheinterview.Emailorphoneonlyifyou'vereceivedacompetingofferwithadeadline.Occasionallyyoumaymakepointswithfollow-upmailings.Asportsteampublicrelationsapplicantsentpuzzles,gamesandpressreleases--andshegotthejob.Useyourintuition.10.Keepnotesofwhatyoulearnedfromtheprocess.Whatworked?Whatwouldyoudodifferently?Assoonasyoubeginyournewjob,developacareerplanandasafetynetbeforeyouneedone.CathyGoodwin,Ph.D.,wroteMakingtheBig