“There are generally two types of video interviews a candidate may encounter,” says Christopher Young, CEO of Async Interview, a video interviewing technology that allows companies to interview candidates anywhere there is an Internet connection and webcam. “One-way interviews, such as the type of interviews that Async provides, pre-screen candidates by having them respond to pre-set questions without a recruiter on the other end. Another approach is a two-way interview, conducted using Skype-like technology. Candidates and recruiters interact as part of a two-way, live interactive interview process. These are typically used later in the interview process.”

As part of their “Get America Back to Work Campaign,” Young offers the following tips to help you ace a video interview:

1. Practice questions.

2. Look at the camera, not the screen.

3. Dress appropriately.

4. Take care to set up the recording environment. 

5. Think about timing.

6. Watch your language.

7. Calm your nerves.

8. Don’t let mistakes throw you off.

9. Consider your strengths and weaknesses.

10. Do your research.

Read the detailed tips at my U.S. News & World Report post.

photo by woodleywonderworks

By the same token, you want to bring your “A game” to every conversation. Knowing what to eat to encourage peak performance may be as important before an important meeting as it is when planning to run a marathon. Athletes know how to load up on all the right foods and how to hydrate on a regular basis, in addition to right before a big race or game. Think of your job hunt from a total body perspective.

Have you thought about the fact that there are foods to help you:

• Think clearly and maintain optimal brain function
• Solve problems
• Reduce anxiety, control stress, stay calm

Consider the following suggestions to help improve performance in these key areas:

Web MD suggests anti-oxidant-rich blueberries, omega-3 essential fatty acids such as salmon, and foods high in vitamin E, such as nuts and seeds such as “walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and unhydrogenated nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini” may help improve brain functions. The article also suggests eating avocado to contribute to healthy blood flow and brain health. (Although, you may want to eat avocado in moderation, as Web MD notes they are high in calories.) Other good “brain foods” recommended in the article include: whole grains (oatmeal, breads, and brown rice), wheat germ, pomegranate juice, freshly brewed tea, and dark chocolate.

Read the rest on my post at U.S. News & World Report.

photo by gezellig-girl.com

“My dream job just came knocking on the door.”

All of the sudden, a longer-term, “let’s think about it” plan became an immediate need — how to impress the telephone screener to land a chance at an interview for the job he’d been yearning to have. (Incidentally, this was the second client in a week I’d convinced NOT to offer to “scrub toilets” for the privilege of working someplace!)

Luckily, I was able to schedule a just-in-time coaching session and identified the salient points from the job description I believed would be most valuable to highlight and discuss in an introductory meeting. Success! The meeting went well; the client is waiting to firm a date for the second interview — and is ready for the next “just-in-time” session to help him hone in on what he wants to say.

Could this be you? Absolutely! Do you need to wait to the 11th hour to get some help to get you where you want to go? No! Start preparing now.

Are you ready to present yourself — in line with what your audience wants to hear? Could you pass an initial screen? If not, maybe it’s time for a coaching session?

photo by Feuillu

Answering the question well requires two, equally important elements:

1. Knowing what you offer.
2. Understanding what the organization wants.

What You Offer
Why are you a good fit for the job? If you don’t know your skills, it will be difficult to land an opportunity. It’s imperative to understand what you have to offer when applying for positions. I tell my clients to post the question, “Why should we hire you?” on their bathroom mirror, refrigerator or anyplace they will see it during the day. I instruct them to answer, out loud, keeping different companies in mind each time. This type of rehearsal will help you hone in on what you have to offer.

What do you enjoy most about your job? It’s likely those aspects correlate with your strengths and may help identify reasons to hire you. For example, do you enjoy spending a lot of time negotiating, preventing problems (or solving them), or interacting with people from various backgrounds? Are you a writer, whose best time is quietly typing, alone at the computer? Or, is presenting in front of large groups your favorite thing? Make a list of what you would consider your best strengths.

If it’s difficult choosing your best skills, consider asking for help and doing some self-referential research. Dig out old performance reviews, read what people have written about you in LinkedIn recommendations, and ask your friends or colleagues about your strengths.

Identify what is unique or special about you. How have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? What did you accomplish that no one else managed to do? Did you volunteer to tackle a problem and solve it? Give yourself credit — ideally, your past work will provide a strong, supportive platform for your next job.

Don’t underestimate the value of looking at yourself, your skills, and your accomplishments and outlining the key points you will want to share with a prospective employer.

What the Organization Wants
While the focus of “Why should we hire you?” is on “you,” the interviewee, it’s important to remember the answer isn’t all about you. The most successful interview responses focus on the hiring manager’s needs. Framing replies that demonstrate you understand their problems — or “pain points,” makes a big difference when competing with many other qualified candidates.

What are the skills to focus on when you apply for jobs? It’s usually not very difficult to identify what employers are looking for; their 2,000-word, in-depth job descriptions don’t leave much to the imagination. Many firms post videos, and manage Facebook sites and Twitter feeds touting their organizations and why you might want to work there. Skip these resources at your own peril — they are telling you exactly what you need to know to be a strong candidate.

To prepare to successfully interview — frame your answer to, “Why should we hire you?” to suit the employer’s needs. Print and highlight the job description, looking for the top three or four most important details. Do they include terms such as, “cross-functional team,” “team work,” and “team player” several times? If your answer to, “Why should we hire you?” (asked directly or as an underlying question) does not mention and focus on your abilities as they relate to teams, you are probably out of luck.

Does the company’s YouTube channel have a series of videos outlining its commitment to customer service? You’ll want to include details about your interest in client relations as part of the reason the employer should hire you. If an organization emphasizes a topic, it’s likely management will appreciate your letting them know why (and how) you are a good fit. Think of an interview as an opportunity to build a bridge between what the company wants and what you offer — and to figuratively lay a red carpet across the bridge, encouraging the employer to walk across!

Final Thoughts: What if There’s a Disconnect? You Know You Need to Emphasize a Skill or Accomplishment that’s not a Strong Suit?
The job requires leadership skills, for example. You know the interviewer will want to discuss it, but it’s one of your weak points. What should you say?

Give examples of non-work related leadership stories if your work history isn’t very leadership focused. Maybe you led a volunteer team and raised a lot of money, for example. It does help to be able to work in information about how you demonstrated leadership at work. To address this topic, break down the definition of “leadership” and identify some matches between what you’ve exhibited on the job and what the job requires.

For example, a leader:

• Takes responsibility for his or her actions
• Can think on his or her feet and make decisions
• Can convince others of a viewpoint or plan — and inspire them to cooperate
• Sees the bigger picture and makes suggestions to avoid obstacles

When the interviewer asks why the organization should hire you, include a leadership-focused reply, such as, “I know this job requires strong leadership experience. The best leaders think ahead, make good decisions and skillfully convince others to cooperate.” (Then, tell a story illustrating a time when you used those three skills.)

photo by b4b2

Skip these resources at your own peril — they are telling you exactly what you need to know to be a strong candidate.

But, what if most everything on the job description is a great match for your skills, but they want one or two skills or accomplishments you don’t really have a lot to say about? A good example? Leadership skills.

So many jobs are looking for people with leadership skills. You know you need to address how you are a great leader in the interview, but, truth be told — you haven’t had a lot of opportunities to lead. Maybe you’re an entry-level candidate or you’re trying to move into a leadership position. However, as far as specific stories about how you led a team to greatness, you don’t really have it.

Some things to consider:

It’s acceptable (and expected) to share non-work related leadership stories if your job isn’t very leadership focused. Volunteer work is very useful for this. Maybe you led a team and raised a lot of money for a cause. Or, you galvanized a lot of other volunteers and accomplished a big goal. Your leadership stories do not need to focus entirely on your paid work experiences.

That said, it does help to be able to work in information about how you demonstrated leadership at work. Focus on what skills are useful to have as a leader…Break down the topic of “leadership” and see if you can identify some matches between what you’ve exhibited on the job and your career goals. (Note: remember, you can break down the topic for any skill you want to illustrate.)

For example a leader:

• Shows (and takes) initiative — enthusiastically
• Takes responsibility for his or her actions
• Has strong communication skills
• Can think on his or her feet and make decisions
• Is able to convince others of a viewpoint or plan — and inspires them to cooperate
• Demonstrates dedication and confidence
• Is comfortable with a certain amount of ambiguity
• Is focused on the best possible ways to get the job done
• Thinks analytically and focuses on the task at hand
• Sees the bigger picture and makes suggestions to avoid obstacles
• Hones strong relationships
• Shows good judgement
• Is imaginative and innovative

Consider addressing a question about leadership like this:

When I think of the best leaders, they demonstrate dedication and confidence, can think ahead and make good decisions and have strong relationships with their teammates. (Then, tell a story illustrating a time when you used those three skills.)

Framing the definition of “leadership” and providing a story showing how and when you used those characteristics will help you answer a question that might otherwise have stymied you — if you were thinking of a very traditional example of you “leading” a group or a team, but you have not done that on the job.

What suggestions do you have to answer interview questions that might otherwise really stump you?

Resources for this list:

An article by Barbara White, who has over twenty years experience in leadership. She is President of Beyond Better Development, which specializes in motivation and training in interpersonal skills.

Coach4Growth

photo by Leo Reynolds

photo by Thomas Hawk

Thanks to BestInterviewStrategies.com for this!

photo by LauraKGibbs

If you think this is the only way for you to be the “last one standing,” at a job interview, consider some interview coaching, resume help and social networking training!

Body language may be more important than you think in a job hunt.

Kate Lorenz wrote about the topic for CareerBuilder.com. She said:

Research has shown that the first impression you make on an interviewer really sticks. In one study, untrained subjects were shown 20- to 32-second videotaped segments of job applicants greeting their interviewers. When the subjects rated the applicants on attributes like self-assurance and likeability, their assessments were very similar to the interviewers’ — who had spent more than 20 minutes with each applicant.

Seems like focusing on your body language – and first impressions – matters – a lot!

I once wrote a term paper about the importance of body language. The quote I remember from it,

“Don’t underestimate the power of body language,”

from The Little Mermaid, is no less true today!

(Yes, I really quoted a Disney movie in my paper. It worked.)

Did you know that people who are positive and confident outperform their peers in their job searches? Research shows that persistence and a postive attitude pay off in the job hunt. You can always pick out a pessimist by his or her body language – slumped shoulders, eyes down, expressionless (or frowning). No one wants to hire someone who seems sad or pessimistic. Straighten up, smile and make eye contact. Your body language speaks louder than your words.

In fact, research also shows that body language makes up more than half of how our communication is perceived. That means that you may be describing your greatest business accomplishment, but if your posture isn’t good and you don’t make effective eye contact, you might as well tell the interviewer about the time you lost your portfolio on the way to a presentation.

Another telling body language tool is the handshake.

How many times do we have to tell you – strong and firm gets the job done! BusinessWeek wrote about several different types of handshakes to use and some to avoid. Eye contact along with a firm handshake can make a world of difference to how you are being perceived.

Remember – the little things matter.

In fact, the “little things” may actually be the BIG things! Focus on every aspect of your presentation to ensure that you put your best foot forward with your job search.

photo by Gerwin Filius

I have written about how to stand out in a sea of sameness.  Instead of focusing on YOU – what you want, what you offer – start listening. Ask questions. Be the candidate who connects on an emotional level with your audience. There’s nothing that people like better than someone who seems interested in THEM – it’s human nature. Be the one who listens first and answers based on what you learn. You may be surprised by how well this technique works!

Being an active listener is just that – a process that involves your participation. On the surface, listening is something you do without thinking. In reality, to be a good listener, you need to work at it.

Grace Fleming, who writes for the About.com Guide offered these tips to help become an active listener.

1. Listen for verbal clues.
2. Watch for nonverbal clues. “ Eyebrows, hands, pauses, eyes” – these note when a person makes an important point.
3. Be mindful of your own reactions. Nod or smile, but try to avoid physically reacting to a negative comment. Fleming notes,  “As long as you’re managing your reactions, you’re still listening.”
4. Avoid making predictions. Don’t assume what the person will say next, as it usually means you will stop listening.
5. Focus on the words, not the person. Don’t focus on what the person wears or ugly hairstyle!
6. Don’t get caught up on one detail. It is easy to get distracted, but you don’t want to miss the next important point.
7. Don’t let your mind wander. Your “to do” list can wait. Push non-related thoughts from your mind to focus on the conversation.

Don’t miss the rest of my series about the five networking fundamentals to help you land a job. Review the pieces about the keys to researching your networking targets, how to ask good questions and six ways to improve your listening skills.

Once you have a chance to think about updating your skills, take  this quiz to evaluate your general listening skills.

Please share your ideas and comments about good listening in the comments!

photo by vickisnature