You may be surprised to learn that the way you respond to the initial inquiry sets the tone and influences employers’ impressions before you’ve even met. Are you sabotaging your interview before you start? If any of these points sound familiar, you may now know why you didn’t get the job:

You didn’t follow instructions. You receive an email or a phone call inviting you to interview for a job, along with a series of steps to take to schedule an interview. Are you sure you always read and follow those directions?

You’re slow to respond. If you include an email address on your resume, employers assume it is a good way to reach you. (Most, if not all, will expect to be able to contact you electronically.)

You don’t seem flexible. An employer calls on the phone to schedule a time to meet, and your response to every suggestion is “no.” Even though the organization may not cancel your chances entirely at this point (it may be required by law to follow through with an interview), you will have a difficult reputation to overcome when you meet in person.

You use bad judgment about when to answer your phone. We all have mobile phones, but that doesn’t mean we need to answer them every time they ring. If an unfamiliar number pops up on your phone when you’re struggling with traffic or in a loud environment, don’t answer it.

You over share. You’ve been waiting forever to hear from this employer, and you’re so nervous when they ask to schedule an interview, you can’t stop talking. It may be charming if you express excitement about the opportunity to interview, but you’ll start to lose points quickly if you transition into a complaint about how long it took them to get back to you.

You miss key details. Just because you live in Boston and the job is in Miami, don’t assume the interview will be over the phone. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to not assume anything when an employer contacts you.

Don’t schedule anything before you consult your calendar. If you’re currently working, make a point to review your work and coverage schedule to be sure you aren’t getting yourself into a bind in your job.

First impressions last—make sure your target employer’s first impressions of you are positive so you won’t have any ground to make up when you actually interview for the job and you’ll give yourself the best chance possible to win the position.

Read the whole post on U.S. News & World Report.

photo by marc falardeau

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1. A question that proves you’ve done your homework. Employers are so relieved when candidates come to interviews well prepared and informed. Ask questions that make it clear you’re informed about the organization, its goals and its culture. It’s even possible to save a bad interview with good questions.

2. What’s the most important initiative for the person you hire in the first month? Not only do you want to know this because it will be your job if you get this position, you’ll be able to assess if the organization has any clue about what they expect this person to handle. If the reply seems too vague, overreaching or unrealistic, you’ll have the heads up that if you take the job, you could be in for a difficult start.

3. Who will be my boss and who is on the team? Don’t assume that you’ll automatically meet your potential supervisor or colleagues at an interview. Make sure you have a clear understanding of who is in charge and whom you’ll be relying on if you take on this position.

4. When will you be making a decision? It’s such an obvious question, but many nervous job seekers forget to find out when they can expect to hear back. This is especially important if you are the first of 30 interviews over the next three weeks, and the employer doesn’t plan to be in touch before then. Instead of cooling your heels and fuming that no one is getting back to you, you can relax when you ask, “When do you expect to make an offer?” or “When will you be letting people know about the next steps in the process?”

5. What’s the best way to follow up? You don’t want to annoy the interviewer with follow-up phone calls if she doesn’t check voice mail more than once a week. Ask how to follow up and at least you’ll be assured that you’re getting in touch with the employer using their preferred methods.

Questions You Should FORGET

1. It’s a mistake to ask anything you can easily find online. It makes you look like you’re unprepared and just grasping for a question to ask. It’s almost better to ask nothing than to ask something like, “So, what are your most popular products?

2. Any question that suggests you would want or need special favors. This actually starts when you schedule your interview. If you start asking for special favors from the get-go, it’s a red flag for employers. At the interview, don’t ask about working from home, flexibility, vacation or other benefits. Table questions about salary until it is time to negotiate.

3. Anything that makes it look like you want this job to be a stepping stone to something else. If you ask, “When could I apply for a promotion?” you’re giving a clear message that you’re already moving on from this job they are focused on filling. No one wants to hire someone who has their eyes on the next thing. Keep your aspirations to yourself for the time being.

More advice:
Bad reasons to change careers
Creative ways to land an interview
How to ace the strangest interview questions

Originally published on AOLJobs.com.

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Interpreting body language is an important element of good listening. Think about it – eye contact, nodding, leaning in to listen – all of these help your conversation partner recognize how engaged you are and helps him or her feel valued as part of a conversation. Body language is key to helping you succeed in business, or any field.

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.)

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

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Interviewing is really an art as much as it is a science. Being successful depends on a combination of preparation, know-how and the ability to connect with the audience. Something most job seekers don’t consider – your interviewer HOPES you are the best candidate for the job. Think about it – who wants to interview and interview and never find a great fit for the job?

Some ideas to help turn your interviewer into a FAN!

1. Convince yourself that the interviewer really WANTS to hire you.
The fact is, it is tough to hire a quality employee. I can say from experience that your interviewer hopes that you WOW him or her with your answers and give fabulous reasons to hire you.  In essence, the interviewer is rooting for you!

2. Know what to say. 
Prepare in advance.  A lot.  No, you don’t have to memorize answers to 100 interview questions, but be sure that you spend time thinking and practicing what you will say in response to topics that will come up:

• Think of your key points (as they relate to how you fit into the job).  These points are your message.  They answer the question:  Why should we hire you?
• Create several stories that illustrate your points and describe how you are able to fill the organization’s needs.  Stories should demonstrate successes, a time you overcame obstacles and examples of how you interact with colleagues and employers. Use the STAR technique to describe these situations.
• Incorporate the fact that you’ve conducted research on the organization, their goals, values, accomplishments and needs in your answers.  Your interviewer will be happy to know that you spent some time on the organization’s website or reading up on them.  It’s flattering to know that you’re interested enough in the job to prepare.  Interviewers love prepared candidates.

3. Listen carefully and answer the question. 
You won’t believe how many candidates reply to a direct question without actually answering it.  It can be a little painful for the interviewer.  Ask for clarification if necessary, even think for a few seconds before replying.  (Not too many seconds, though.)  If you don’t answer the question, you’ll lose your fan.

4. Don’t keep talking and talking (and talking)…
There is no quicker way to lose your audience than by droning on and on before you get to the point.  If it doesn’t seem that you’re getting to the point, you will lose your audience quickly.  Even if you do (eventually) answer the question, your interviewer will be busy making mental notes about what to pick up for dinner by the time you get to the point.  Be succinct.  Your interviewer will love it!

5. Follow Up
Send a thank you note.  It matters.

If you follow these tips, you’ll increase the likelihood of keeping a fan on the other side of the interview table.  That fan is much more likely to become a colleague if they like you as much when you leave the room as they did when they invited you to interview!  It’s in your hands – interview to seal the deal and GET THE JOB!

Stay tuned for some additional tips from Keith Ferrazzi!

photo by woodlywonderworks

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photo by GotMeAMuse

Sometimes, even the best laid plans don’t go as planned…

Case in point, a new client of mine whose job search is in full swing. His resume is top-notch, cover letters targeted and linkedin profile updated. He has started being invited for a lot of interviews, which is very exciting (for him and for me!)

Having worked in one place for his entire (lengthy) career, the interview is a stress point, and we have discussed and prepared to face this very important bridge between the opportunity for a job and actually getting a job!

He knows what to do to prepare. Sometimes it just doesn’t go as planned. For example, a recent interview:

• The shirt he was planning to wear didn’t fit. Luckily, he had an extra one handy.
• His well-thought out portfolio was waiting on the kitchen table. Unfortunately, he forgot it there and only realized it when he reached his interview destination.
• His GPS didn’t have the company’s address in its system, so locating the interview spot was a bit tricky.
• Sitting down for the interview, his phone rang. Forgetting the cardinal rule about not answering your phone during an interview, he answered it. Who was calling? A very high-profile recruiting firm asking him to schedule an interview!

There are several lessons to be learned from this story, but the most important lesson is the one I haven’t shared with you – this client’s reaction to the whole mess:

I was not angry with myself…Have a giggle with me not at me, all I can see is the funny side of what happened today.

You can’t buy a great attitude like that! Next time, he’ll triple-check that he has his portfolio and he’ll NEVER answer his phone in an interview. All of these are lessons that are easily learned. The ability to see the humor in a comedy of errors isn’t something you can teach. It’s a “soft” skill that will serve him well in his job hunt and as an employee for the lucky employer who hires him!

Further proving this client is a true math guy – he estimates the statistical probablility of all of these things happening at once: 10 trillion to one. So, don’t worry too much that your interview experience will be similar!

Keppie Careers can help you navigate all the ups and downs of your job search: www.keppiecareers.com.

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