When it comes to interviewing for a job I want you to ask yourself this question and answer it honestly. Are you really prepared for the interview? Look at it this way, if for a million dollars you were asked to go on national television to make a free throw could you do it? More importantly, what would you do to prepare in advance? I mean for a million dollars I would imagine that everyone would practice. After all you’re not going to be that stupid. You’re going to practice until you can’t practice anymore! Why doesn’t the same effort go into your career?
This is how you have to look at interviewing. No matter what level you are at in your career, interviewing is like shooting free throws. It’s not something that you do day to day. Practice is something that you cannot take lightly, especially in this economy. You are up against some stiff and hungry competition and if you think for a second that you can just wing it then you are crazy. The guys who wing it are the same guys who tell me they can’t sell. Well you better learn how to sell yourself and that requires practice. I tell sales people all the time that you need to practice and practice out loud, unless you’re skilled in transmitting your thoughts telepathically! I would suggest that you practice the way you would practice at free throws and that would be by actually shooting the ball and not thinking about shooting the ball.
Job candidates that have just finished school and are looking for full time work are absolutely terrible when it comes to the hiring process. It would shock you to know how bad they are at it. Just a headline for those of you who just graduated. Get a clue! Here is a list that you need to pay attention to.
1) If you have a scheduled interview, GO! Don’t cancel it unless you died.
2) Know who you are interviewing with and what the company actually does by going to their website.
3) Have two good questions to ask at the end of each interview.
4) Be engaging and learn how to have a personality.
5) No matter what you have on your resume you better be able to talk about it and explain it in detail.
6) Make sure that you dress professionally. For guys that means a suit and tie, white pressed shirt with black shoes and black socks. For ladies, a nice skirt or pants suit.
7) Make sure you know the driving patterns so you can arrive ten minutes early.
These are just a few points and I could go on forever. The message that I want to convey is that you really need to practice your interviewing skills and the awareness of how you project that first impression. Regardless to what skills you think you have, if you are not relatable to other people then times are going to be difficult for you.
Have you ever met someone that you just liked instantly? You probably do all the time. Well those people have it and you need to find it. Their ability to create those feeling in you can be learned. That gift is really what “good sales” people can do. They can get you to like them without talking about what it is they are selling. What then happens? They wait until you bring it up and by that time you’re sold!
If you need help on your resume, I would suggest that you find a resume writer. Resume Done Right is a company that specializes in writing resumes for job candidates. Perhaps you need to find a reputable career coach , someone who has been in the game from every angle and can assist job candidates who are looking for new employment on their own.
