TOP TEN TIPS To Make Your Interviewing Strategies FIT Your Career Objectives

1. USE A STRONG OPENING… Clearly state your desire to work with the interviewing company.  Back up your desire with solid research on why you are a good fit for their needs.  "I'm talking to you to determine where my skills in can best be applied to make a solid contribution here."
2. ALWAYS INCORPORATE YOUR KEY STRENGTHS… Like your resume and other written collaterals, your supportive telephone and interviewing style should reflect a compelling message, based on your strengths that meet an organization’s needs. If you have researched and networked your way toward a particular opportunity, you should be able to "echo" your abilities relative to their needs. For example, in tabular form…

   This opportunity calls for…	And I offer…
   Communication Skills	8 years of demonstrated effectiveness in sales presentations to decision makers. Customers often mention the persuasiveness of both my verbal and written skills.
   Strong Computer/ Software Background	Proficiency in MS Office applications, including the ability to create and develop complementary power point and web page presentations.
   Proven Account Development Success	Recent track record of three straight years of leading our Regional Sales Team in revenue growth while establishing a new territory. Identified, secured and have developed several Fortune 200 customers.

3. TAKE DUE CREDIT WITHOUT OVERUSING THE WORD "I"… Focus in on meeting needs or requirements. Specifically, minimize the use of the "I word" in beginning your sentences. Third-party statements can create credibility: "My customers have always said that..." -or- "My supervisors have always been kind in complimenting my .... "
4. STRATEGIZE AROUND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE INDUSTRY AND THE SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY… Adopt a positive, future oriented perspective.  Optimism secures cooperation and advice easier than negativity.  Make it clear that your focus on this Company and its industry is because you enjoy the work.              
5. USE YOUR WRITTEN COLLATERALS TO COMPLEMENT AND SUPPLEMENT YOUR STORY…  Your written collaterals were designed around compelling examples of your strengths—little mini-stories to prove your worth from actual experience and results.  Pull from the same examples to gain repetition and behavioral evidence of your strengths = REMEMBERED!
6. BE SPECIFIC AND CLEAR in positioning your candidacy to meet an employer’s needs. Don’t try to be everything to everybody with vague, winding sentences and paragraphs.
7. FOCUS ON YOUR FUNCTIONAL STRENGTHS, NOT SPECIFIC TITLES...  Be prepared to research and mirror your strengths to specific openings, always echoing the FIT between your strengths and their needs. Make each receiver feel as if they are getting your personal approach to them.
8. PRACTICE POLITENESS, making mutual respect for their time and attention a valued commodity. Proper protocol, here, can pave the way for high quality relationship building.
9. CLOSE WITH A CALL FOR SPECIFIC ACTION AND YOUR CONTROL OF THE FOLLOW-UP… What IS the next step? Or attempt "closing" on an offer.
10. EMBRACE CHANGE, NEVER COMING ACROSS AS DESPERATE... ENOUGH SAID!

I WOULD ALWAYS ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMEMBER THREE PRACTICAL GUIDELINES, RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING TO MEMORIZE GLIB, WELL-CRAFTED ANSWERS TO CHALLENGING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:  FIRST... ANSWER THE QUESTION!  The implication, here, is that you have listened to and understand the question.  Clarify if necessary, but never repeatedly!

SECOND... LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE YOUR STRENGTHS. When on an issue of FIT, confirming a strength with a behavioral example is always welcomed.  When the issue reveals a weakness.... answer the question and stop talking.

THIRD... AT LEAST ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF A QUESTION BEFORE BLOCKING THE SUBJECT, TURNING THE TABLES, OR ANSWERING IN ANY MANIPULATIVE MANNER.  This strategy allows you to respond to "illegal, unethical" questions and also money talk.

Often you can build in credibility by talking about yourself as others see you, in the third person.  "My customers have always valued my responsive problem-solving nature.  Why, just last week...."  -or- "I have been consistently reviewed for my ..."

Bob Maher, CMF... The Careerpilot

Bob created his online presence, www.careerpilot.com, in 1994.  He has over twenty years of successful experience in Corporate Recruitment, performance management and Career Management Services.  He is an entrepreneur and innovator in the use of information technology in the recruitment and employment process.  On the Founder's Council of the Association of Career Professionals - International and quite active in their Professional Development, Technology and Chapter Growth initiatives--a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars.  Awarded the prestigious "LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD" in 2006.