Preparing for an Interview

What are three things you should know before heading out to an interview?

Know about the company.  Know why you want to interview them.  Know why they ought to interview you.

Let’s get down to basics. Do your homework before interviewing. If you’re short on time, check the prospective employer’s web site. If you have the luxury of more time and the company’s track record is good enough to merit space in business journals, go there. Read for information that describes their core business and business strategy; where they’re going and how they intend to get there. The company’s providing you the information you need to interview intelligently by asking good, relevant questions.

Why interview with them? Where’s the match? What can they offer you that reinforces your strengths and furthers your professional goals?

Why should they interview you? Find out what they need and why they need it. Make your case by linking your experience and expertise to the challenge they present and the direction they are taking. Organize your presentation around a proven track record of accomplishment.

What are three rules that every good resume writer should follow?

On average, a company representative takes about twenty seconds to review your resume. Therefore, keep it brief and on point, saying as much as you can in as few words as possible.

Outline the essentials without elaboration. Start with your current position and go back in time. If you did it before 1985, summarize it. Include three accomplishments for each key position you’ve held.

What are three common mistakes that interviewees make?

Talking too much, coming on too strong, saying too little.

Think through what you want to say, in advance of saying it. That’s called practice and verbose candidates aren’t apt to do it. Coming on strong typically results in over-promising and under-delivering. Saying too little leaves too much to the imagination, none of it helpful or productive.

What are three things the applicant wants to achieve by the interview’s close?

You want to have understood the challenges the company faces and how you can make a difference for them, going forward. You want to have made your case, presenting your track record of accomplishments as they relate to the position you seek. You want to have learned how working for the company can advance your career goals and objectives.

What are three things the interviewer wants to achieve?

You want to have conducted a fair interview; having given the applicant the same time, questions, and opportunity to present as you provided others. You want to have learned more about the applicant’s work history, track record, and potential to contribute than the application and resume combined would otherwise have told you. You want to have described your company, the position opening, and the challenges of both in a fair and balanced manner.

What are three mistakes that both interviewers and interviewees commonly make?

They don’t listen as much as they should, they don’t probe as much as they could, and they don’t create a safe environment that encourages a healthy exchange of information necessary to determine if there would appear to be a fit between the applicant and position being discussed.

Good interviewers are able to strike a balance between intimacy and formality. They know what to say, what to ask, and what combination is necessary to do the job right. They build in sufficient interview time to probe the unexpected response and respond to the unanticipated question. They realize that human beings are unique in presentation style even while sharing common skills and strengths. They value the differences by withholding premature judgment or award until they’ve had time to fully evaluate the individual relative to the competencies desired.

What are three reasons that applicants and organizations benefit from networking?

Each has opportunity to learn more about the other without jumping too quickly or rejecting an opportunity prematurely. Each begins with a level playing field, putting more emphasis on the job challenge and what it takes to meet it than looking for individual differences and exceptions. Each can present and respond with greater candor and less concern of rejection.

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Impression Preparedness

What can you learn from these seven snapshots?

#1 – I’ve been turned down by an employer who obviously doesn’t know talent when he sees it. For example, he asked me technical questions that I couldn’t answer. So I made up stuff that sounded pretty good, considering I didn’t know what I was talking about. He didn’t seem to appreciate my answers, or my jokes. Instead, he peered at me from over his glasses and read his questions off a long sheet of paper, like he was the Grim Reaper. Whatever I was selling, he wasn’t buying. With him being the boss and me being the applicant, you’d think he would have given me points just for hanging in. Well, it’s obvious now that he didn’t. It’s his loss. And I let him know it, in person and email. And I copied the president of his company. That’ll show him.

#2 – I applied for a job and wasn’t allowed to interview because I didn’t have a resume. I said I could talk about what I had done better than I could write about it. The employer said they had rules and one of them was that they needed a resume in advance of an interview, to determine if they wanted to go forward. I told him I was worth their time, and they should trust me on that. He said they’d take a pass. I showed up anyhow. He wouldn’t see me. That’s rude.

#3 – The interviewer had some nerve! Sure I had gaps in my resume. Sure I’ve lost a lot of jobs and quit a bunch of others. But the nerve of her to point that out like it was something I could control. Isn’t that against the law? Who can I report her to?

#4 – Can an interviewer tell me to leave because I’m smoking? All I needed was a couple of puffs to settle my nerves. The interviewer told me it was a “smoke free environment” which means they discriminate against smokers, and I told him so. That’s when he told me to leave. I said that I wasn’t going until I had my interview. He said there wasn’t going to be an interview. If that’s not illegal, I don’t know what is.

#5 – We interviewers know each other because we belong to the same organizations. It’s not uncommon for us to swap “war stories” about applicants whose behavior is outrageous enough to be memorable. When applicants are interviewing with one of us they’d do well to imagine themselves interviewing with all of us.

#6 – Some applicants like to ‘make friends’ with receptionists hoping we’ll put in a good word for them. What they don’t seem to understand is that we can, and do, put in a bad word as well. Our loyalties are to our employers, not to inconsiderate, clueless applicants who talk loudly and incessantly on their cell phones, who litter the reception area with food containers and soda cans, and stroll around like they own the place.

#7 – I conduct interviews in a small, poorly ventilated office. It‘s hard for me to breathe when applicants wear strong perfumes or have strong body odor. As a result, I have to conclude our conversations very quickly.

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Interviewers: Ace the Interview

Question from a reader: Is my resume better than I am?

Q: I’m getting interviews. I’m not getting offers. Does this mean that my resume is better than I am?

A: It sounds as if your resume is doing a better job speaking for you than you are speaking for yourself. If that’s the case, you’ll want to know how you’re missing the mark. Those answers can come from a combination of soul-searching, self awareness and candid feedback from people who know you best. To jump start your thinking, here’s a sampling of comments from interviewers whose business it is to separate resumes that work from the people who don’t.

• The applicant’s resume was spot on for what we wanted. We were ready to make an offer before the interview began. Luckily, we waited. Instead of the self-confident person we envisioned, the applicant appeared uncomfortable, insecure, and unsure of how to answer any question we asked. In order to stop the pain, we stopped the meeting after 20 minutes. We may have missed out on a real star, but we needed a solid communicator, who, right out of the box, could interact easily across functions, and manage up as well as down.

• The applicant’s resume seemed too good to be true. And it was. We might not have checked had he been able to articulate what he had done as well as his resume said he had done it. So, out of curiosity, and because we don’t appreciate getting duped, we fact checked. He made up eighty percent of what he wrote and exaggerated the rest.

• The resume was well written, well organized, and contained the experience we wanted. We interviewed the job candidate and concluded that she was intelligent and capable, but less assertive than we needed in this position. We questioned her about her ability to push back when needed, and to ask for what she wanted. She demurred on both counts. She said that she preferred to work in an environment where that was not necessary and said that an aggressive workplace created too much stress for her, given her emotional makeup. We respected her position but passed on her candidacy.

• The resume was representative of exactly what we were looking for so we invited the applicant to an interview. Within the moments of our meeting we realized he was far more than what we wanted. He took over the room in ways that can work well at a sporting event or fraternity party, but he clearly was not a good match for our rather stuffy board room culture.

• The resume was a great match for what we advertised. The candidate arrived right on time, was well-spoken, well educated, well groomed, and culturally sensitive. He had a keen awareness of how he could add value to whatever company he joined. What became increasingly evident, as we discussed a variety of issues, was that this candidate was more interested in changing career direction than he was in staying the course. We did not make him an offer.

As always, it’s up to you as the applicant, to match how you describe yourself to how you present yourself. Try practicing an actual interview with a trusted friend or colleague and as them to tell you, truthfully, how you come across.  Be open to hearing what they have to say and use the information to improve how you interview.

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Asking for Honest Feedback

You can repeat your mistakes or learn from them. That’s up to you. Life’s lessons are many and varied. Some are easier to understand than others.

When it comes to interviewing it’s hard to know what comment, question, response, smile, frown, or explanation got in the way of your winning first prize. There are too many X’s and Y’s, too many unknowns, and too little opportunity to find out what worked and what didn’t.

To be or not to be: Interviewers base their hiring decisions on a variety of technical and interpersonal statements and impressions that emanate from the applicants’ ability to present skills, strengths, and contributions in cogent, convincing, compelling sound bites. Those who are selected come across as open, goal focused and confident while not appearing assumptive, arrogant, or overly ambitious.

Hiring decisions can be imprecise and difficult to justify, which is why even the most objective interviewers would rather not get into extended discussions about the finer points of their process with applicants who didn’t make the grade.

So what can you do to improve on your ability to make favorable impressions?  Practice with individuals you trust that are willing and able to provide you objective and subjective, constructive, honest, direct feedback and insight regarding how you can improve the style and substance of your interview.

Before you involve appropriate acquaintances, friends or family in your pursuit, assess your level of openness to different perspectives and your willingness to do something with what you hear. If you’re not prepared, don’t start.

If you’re ready and so are they, establish the ground rules: when you’ll meet and how often, what’s fair game and what isn’t, and if compensation is involved, how much? Establish an exit strategy. A great idea can sour quickly if either or both participants aren’t as enamored with the process as they thought they’d be.

What’s your starting point? Your ability to describe the job you want and the experience, strengths and abilities you have that enable you to be successful doing it. If you haven’t figured that out you’re not ready for prime time.

What’s the responsibility of the feedback provider? To play the role of interviewer, asking direct and probing questions about your current expectations, perceived value and future aspirations, asking you to describe your setbacks as well as your successes.

What’s the process? Feedback providers ask the questions, listen to your responses and feed back to you the variety of impressions they derive from what you say. If their impressions are positive, you keep going; if their reactions are mixed or negative, brainstorm and experiment with better ways to respond to the question. Practice your changes, don’t memorize them, and when your interviewer-coach gives you the thumbs up, move to the next set of questions.

For feedback to be helpful it should be specific, behavior based, and descriptive. In other words, you want to see and hear yourself as you are seen and heard. Here’s an example:

When I asked you to describe your worst boss this is what you said:

“He made me angry”; “he made me feel badly”; “there was nothing I could do”.

As you spoke, you slumped in your chair, looked fatigued, and your face crumpled as though you might cry. I had the impression that in that circumstance you saw yourself as a victim; that you felt helpless and unable to choose differently.

If I were an employer I’d want to hire someone with the experience and capability of making mature choices in difficult situations. Try again: how would you describe your worst boss in a way that illustrates your ability to deal effectively under adverse conditions?

If you want to learn from your mistakes, ask for honest feedback.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Feedback in the Interview

When it comes right down to it, you don’t know what you don’t know. When it comes to interviewing, you don’t know what you’re missing when you don’t get feedback about how you’re doing; your presentation, articulation, clarity of purpose, listening skills, and ability to respond to the ambiguity of open- ended questions in ways that make sense and advance your case.

If you’re offered the job, you’re not apt to care about what didn’t work. If you’re not made the offer it’s highly likely you’ll want to know why and what you need to do differently so that the job is yours, should you want to accept it.

The people most apt to know and least apt to tell, are the individuals conducting the interview and making the decisions. You can ask for feedback, but most interviewers steer away from those conversations, fearing that they will turn from requests for enlightenment to no holds barred disagreements.

If you can’t ask interviewers, whom can you ask? Just about anyone who’s been reasonably successful working in positions similar to the ones you’d like to have. Are you apt to get the information you want? That depends on how you define feedback and the confidence and willingness the would- be giver has in providing it.

What does it take to be good feedback providers? What do you request of them and what are they likely to require of you?

What does it take to be good at giving feedback? The person providing it should be objective and non-judgmental, have the time, competence, and experience necessary to provide it, have an opportunity to observe you or interact with you in an interview or simulation, be candid and considerate, perceive that you are open to constructive feedback and have the desire to act upon it.

What are you likely to request of them? All the above and the honesty to tell you if they’d rather not participate.

What ought they to require of you? Your definition of feedback, why you want it, how you’d like to receive it, and what you intend to do with it; your respectful appreciation of their perspective, your willingness to listen and your guarantee that you will not argue with them or resent them for having provided what you said you wanted.

Assuming that you’re practicing your interviews with individuals who are willing and able to provide you non-judgmental, accurate feedback that enables you to see yourself as they see you, you’ll benefit most if they can provide it to you in visual, descriptive terms, the kind you’d get if you were watching yourself on television. Here’s an example.

“When I asked you to describe your five- year plan your body slumped

and your face lost color. You took several seconds to respond and when you did your voice sounded weak and lacked energy or enthusiasm. I therefore assumed that you weren’t prepared for the question and that prompted me to ask other questions that had to do with vision and mission.”

As important as it is to see yourself as others see you, it helps to hear

yourself as others hear you. For example…

“When I asked you to give me examples of when you had dealt effectively with a difficult boss, you answered by telling me about a boss who made you angry, how your anger caused you to retaliate, and how your retaliation caused you to get fired. In other words, you talked yourself into a problem I didn’t know you had. That resulted in my asking you questions that took you in a direction you said you didn’t want to go. All that happened because you didn’t answer the original question.”

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Basic Interviewing Mistakes

In life, little things can become big things. In job search, little things are the big things. Last week I described some big mistakes that job seekers make and asked you to compare them to the do’s and don’ts you’ve been practicing.

Here are a few more, just to keep you thinking:

What to wear: How to dress is a matter of concern to many interviewees who ask what they should wear if it’s casual Friday (or Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday) or if their chosen workplace doesn’t seem to care what people wear. Play it safe: Whether you’re on a formal interview or informally networking, respect the person who’s taken time to talk with you about your career and dress professionally. That suggests that you are well groomed, clean, fresh, pressed, jacket and dress slacks for men, suited skirt or pants-suit for women. If you wear jewelry, keep it simple. If you smoke or wear a fragrance, air-out. No sense triggering an asthma attack.

Thank you letters: If you send one (a good thing to do) make it work for you. Thank the individuals involved for taking their time to discuss with you the key challenges facing their organization and the role you can play in addressing them. Reiterate your ability to make an immediate difference and your strong interest in the position.

“This is a job I can do and want to do for you and for your company and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Develop a solid close: Most applicants spend so much time worrying about the front end of the interview (what will I wear? what will I say? what will they say?) and what happens next (did they like me? will they call me? should I call them?). that they don’t think enough about the importance of patience, pacing, listening, asking open-ended questions, overcoming objections, responding strategically, and asking for the job.

Negotiation: You haven’t completed your interview prep until you know the fair market value for what you bring to the table. In other words, what’s the going salary for people with your education, experience and track record, in your geographic area, for the position you want and the accountability that accompanies it? Once you know that range, you’re ready to discuss their offer. If it’s lower than what you can reasonable expect, you have room to negotiate. Don’t know how? Try something like this:

“Mr. Jones, I appreciate your inviting me to be part of your team and I’m excited about going to work for you. It’s a job I can do and one I want to do. The only thing that keeps me from immediately signing is the salary. Given my experience, track record of accomplishment, and the accountability that goes with this position, the offer is less than I had anticipated. Can we continue our conversation? If not today, then tomorrow?”

Then sit quietly and patiently and let Mr. Jones respond. Both of you need time to percolate so don’t rush to judgment. Chances are, you’ll get an offer that’s better than the one that’s currently on the table.

Show up: Whether you know it or not and whether they tell you or not, you’re on probation for the first thirty to ninety days that you’re on the job. If you interview over your head, saying you can accomplish great things based on your history, and your history’s bogus, you’re going to be history.

Bottom line, tell the truth. Do an honest self-assessment and find a job that requires what you do best, not what you do least well. Focus on what you know; what you enjoy doing, and what you want to continue to develop through experience, training, and education.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Killing the Interview

What are the mistakes that job seekers make and how do they compare to the do’s and don’t you’ve been practicing? Check these out and you decide:

Smile. For some, that big bright toothy smile comes naturally. These job applicants use their pearly whites to send the message that they’re genuinely happy to be in your presence and you in theirs. As an interviewer you are easily drawn to their warm and expressive nature because they appear interested in what you’re saying, even if they don’t understand it. It’s not at all surprising that they get through to the next round. After all, what’s not to like?

For other applicants, smiling is an effort, an afterthought. If they smile it’s as forced as it is fleeting. They may be happy to see you but they’re not sending any signals that they’re feeling that way. In fact, they may not be willing to commit to how they feel about you until you prove yourself worthy.  If you’re like most interviewers, you’ll cut them out of the pack before they have a chance to decide.

If you’re among the smile-challenged, you can learn. You can practice. And when you do, put your teeth into it, even if they’re not as many in there as used to be. Smile. Show that you’re the kind of person who is comfortable in the company of few or many and that you want others to feel comfortable around you.

Resumes: If you’re not getting the response you believe your job history meritsand as a result you aren’t getting interviews, there are a few culprits that may be getting in your way. You may be…

Throwing in the kitchen sink, trying to present yourself as someone who’s all things to all people. Instead, focus your resume on what you do best and want to keep doing.

Too ambiguous, confusing the reader, making it hard to know what job you want because your objective is non- specific and your experiences varied. Specify and clarify.

Too technical and too narrow a focus, writing in jargon that only someone familiar with your area of specialization can understand and interpret.  Instead, use language that suggests the applicability of your knowledge and talent to other fields of endeavor.

Too understated by describing yourself in nondescript, uninteresting ways.

Instead, state your objective in goal specific terms, name the job you’re after and the strengths that make you the pick of the litter. Organize your work history so that it supports your objective. Highlight at least three significant accomplishments per job entry.

Cover letters provide you an opportunity to succinctly and enthusiastically sell yourself and demonstrate the personality that a formal resume won’t allow. Cover letters give the reader a greater understanding of your intentions; your strengths, the outcome you seek and the part the reader can play in making that happen.

Attitude. Want to kill an interview? Carry a chip on your shoulder and a scowl that says I’ve been burned before and I’m not going to let that happen again.  It may sound outrageous, that no self-respecting job seeker would do that, but many do, not because it’s what they intend but because something unresolved is stuck in their craw and shows itself at the most inopportune times. Got a bad attitude? Work it out, work it off, and let it go. It’s getting in the way of your enjoying a productive life.

Energy: If you look as though you can’t get up from the chair you’re slumped in, you don’t have it and I don’t know any hiring manager willing to take a chance that you’re going to find it.  Project upbeat, motivated, can do energy, and you’ll improve your chances of getting the job.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Interviewing Problems Tackled

Are you having trouble interviewing? If so, join these folks who have emailed examples of their situations and frustrations:

“I’ve gotten feedback that when I interview I come across as remote, even arrogant. I don’t think of myself that way, although I must admit I am smarter than most people I know and I don’t have a real desire to make friends with everyone I meet. That being said, I’ve snagged my share of interviews but have received no offers, so I must be missing out on something important.  What can I say or do that will cause me to appear more engaging?”

Focus on connecting instead of impressing. Make conversation, not combat. Ask questions to learn, not challenge. Understand context before responding.  Lean forward, just a little, and speak personally rather than abstractly. Listen as the interviewer describes the company, the opportunity, and the challenge. Smile, relax, and let the interviewer get to know you.

“I have trouble keeping my mouth shut. I’ve been told that I can talk myself in and out of jobs in the same sitting. I don’t know when to quit! I guess I get too excited or nervous, particularly if the interviewer doesn’t say much and is hard to read. What advice do you have for a well meaning (and sometimes loud) blabbermouth?”

It sounds like you are overwhelming interviewers who 1) desire a reasonable and balanced exchange of information; 2) have an inkling you over-talk and under-think and want to test their theory; 3) see you as unaware of your surroundings and 4) perceive you as insensitive or disrespectful. If any or all of the above ring true, you should 1) ask open ended questions and allow interviewers adequate time to answer them; 2) be sure you understand the “why” of the interviewer’s questions before answering the “what”; 3) adjust the volume of your voice to the space in which you’re sitting and 4) be mindful and respectful of the interviewer’s schedule. When time is currency, use it wisely.

“How do you know when the interview’s over? Is dead silence a dead give-away? I’ve been in interviews when the employer seems bored or stops talking after just fifteen or twenty minutes. Should I take that as a sign that I should leave?”

You should take it as a sign that you’re not contributing as much to the discussion as the interviewer expects. Interviewers want applicants to be fully involved; to listen, act interested, project their personalities, and ask good questions. Interviewers expect applicants to demonstrate how they can benefit the company by utilizing their established strengths and proven track records. If your interviews sputter and grind to a halt, it’s up to you to revitalize them.

“I’m not very good at small talk. Don’t like to waste time. I want to get into an interview, make my pitch, hear theirs, and get out. What’s your opinion?”

Take your lead from the interviewer. If he introduces herself in an informal way and asks some “how’s the weather” questions that have little to do with the purpose of the meeting, just relax and respond. He wants you to settle down, lighten up, and establish common ground. You’re on his clock, not yours, so take a deep breath and enjoy the challenge as well as the experience.

“I had a great interview. The employer said I’d hear back from them in a week. Ten days have passed and I haven’t heard a thing. I’ve called once and still no response. What should I do now?”

Write and walk: Write a brief note expressing your appreciation for the interview, your continued interest in the position, and three ways you can add value to their organization. Then keep looking.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

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