Authentic Interviewing

By now you've probably heard about Hillary Clinton's emotional "moment" yesterday in New Hampshire - how at the end of a 2-hour Q&A with NH residents she suddenly teared up as she spoke about the importance the upcoming U.S. presidential election has for her. This rare personal glimpse into Hillary's personal life turned some people off and convinced others to vote for her (or think more seriously about doing so).

Watching the clip of the Hillary's "moment" made me think about the importance of authenticity in interviews, in our case, job interviews. So much of the time job seekers are memorizing answers and caught up in "interview speak" that little room is left to get real. Yet isn't getting real what really matters?

Years ago I read somewhere that your skills get you an interview but your personality gets you the job. True! The trick, though, is to find ways to share your personality authentically without risking the potential backlash that can come from too much sharing. Some random recommendations:

• Always tell your truth in interviews. By this I mean not only being honest about dates and details, but also being honest about who you really are, what you stand for, and what you value.


• Share your passions. If there's an issue in your industry that you feel strongly about, share it. Authentic passion is a powerful force and one that cannot be ignored lightly.


• Keep your responses short. A great antidote to saying too much is to always keep your answers to 1-2 minutes in length. Once you talk beyond the 2-minute mark you'll probably find yourself getting vague, repetitive, or inappropriately emotional, so stop while you're ahead.


• Share positive rather than negative emotions. Never say anything negative about anyone or anything in an interview - you're the one who looks bad no matter what "they" (whoever they are) did. Share positive emotions like joy, pleasure, excitement, or anticipation, though, and the interviewer will likely remember you - for all the right reasons.
• Be yourself. Don't use any interviewing advice unless it truly resonates with you. Find your own words and use them rather than copying what experts suggest. Socrates was right: To thine own self be true. Listen to expert advice but tailor it to your personality.

I have to admit that I haven't given Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy too much thought to date. But after yesterday, I can see that she is driven by a passion that I resonate with. I don't know yet if I'll vote for her, but I definitely will not be able to ignore her anymore.

Would that be such a bad thing for employers to say about you?

The Power of Word Choice

Word choice isn't just for English majors - but it is often overlooked by job seekers and resume writers alike.

Word choice is the art of selecting the right word for the right use. Clear communications naturally emerge when we use the best word to express what we are trying to say.

When we fail to use the right word, our verbal and written communications cloud the issue at hand and make misundertandings more likely. Poor word choice can lead to:

• Vague sentences
• Imprecise quantifers
• Incorrect assumptions
• Inaccurate statements
• Reduced impact
• Boring repetition
• Failure to communicate

One of the mistakes I often see in resumes - including those designed by certified professionals - is the failure to pay attention to word selection. This failure reveals itself in resumes, letters, and interview responses as:

• Using a similar-sounding word inappropriately. For example, have you ever known anyone who said pacific when what they actually meant was specific?
• Repeating power verbs in unimaginative ways. With thousands upon thousands of words at our disposal, there is absolutely no reason to use the same action verbs over and over to start sentences and bulleted statements.
• Using vague quantifiers. Quantifiers such as many, some, varied, and several, to mention but a few, have been weakened by consistent overuse.
• Selecting weak action verbs. Action verbs aren't all created equal. Using a word with less punch (like improved) communicates less than a stronger verb (like strengthened).

So, what can you do to bolster your word selection skills?

• Buy a word-a-day calendar or subscribe to a word-a-day RSS service (many are free) to stretch your vocabulary in new directions.
• If you wish to emphasize a skill in a document or an interview response, use synonyms to communicate without repetition.
• Don't rely on spell checkers to ensure good grammar. The word pacific may be spelled right, but if you use it in place of specific, that usage will still be wrong - and embarass you.
• When you find that you have already used an action verb in your resume or letter use a thesaurus to find an alternative selection.
• Rather than rely on vague quantifiers, get specific. How many? If the number isn't impressive, describe what you did in other more meaningful ways. If the number is impressive but you don't want to be explicit, then try something like more than $10 million.

With the continuing rise of digital communications (pagers, cell phones, chat, email, web, blogs), verbal and written communications are decaying rapidly. You can easily set yourself apart from other candidates by taking a little time and energy to boost your vocabulary and word choice.

Dress for Success

Many of you may have the whole dress for success thing down pat. But in case you haven't interviewed in awhile or are new to the ranks of mid-career and executive professionals, here are some basics you must know.

[Note: I know of an executive at the $200K salary level who recently wore wild tennis shoes to an interview, so clearly getting back to basics is an important thing to do! By the way, he didn't get the job.]

Fashion Tips for Women and Men

• Not sure how to dress for a particular interview? Go to the workplace in question at one of the following times of day: start of business, lunch, or close of business. Observe what everyone is wearing. Identify the person who is the most well-dressed, and dress one notch above that for your interview.
• Even if you know that the company dress is casual, dress up for interviews anyway. It shows professionalism and respect, and more importantly, that you know how to dress for job interviews.
• Dress conservatively for interviews and avoid bright, flashy colors and patterns. Solid navy blue or medium to dark gray is usually best.
• Wear comfortable clothing that doesn't need distracting "adjustments" when you sit or stand.
• Clean and press all of your interview clothing and polish your shoes (or have it professionally done).
• Keep jewelry to a minimum. Avoid jewelry that distractively jingles or swings when you move. If you ordinarily wear facial jewelry (e.g., in your nose, tongue or eyebrows), remove all of it before interviews.
• Practice good hygiene: Clean and trim your fingernails (or get a manicure), shower, brush your teeth, gargle with mouthwash, comb your hair, and do all that other hygiene stuff your parents taught you.
• Avoid wearing strong perfume or cologne. Fragrance is a matter of personal preference and your interviewer might dislike your choice. It's best to have no scent on at all.
• Empty your pockets of bulging and jingling items, such as a cigarette pack and coins.
• Carry your paperwork (resume copies, reference list, letters of recommendation, job-application information, etc.), a pen and notepad in a nice briefcase or portfolio, preferably one that is color coordinated with your conservative-colored clothing (such as a black or dark gray briefcase). This makes you look organized and professional.

Job Interview Dress Tips for Women

• 
  Wearing a dress is probably not a good idea. You might get by if you wear a color-coordinated blazer, pastel blouse, and long skirt or slacks. But you can't go wrong wearing a solid navy-blue or medium-to-dark-gray business suit, with a solid-white, long-sleeve, no-frills dress blouse.
• If you wear hosiery (recommended), wear skin color. Naturally, no runs.
• Wear low-heeled, conservative dress shoes that are color coordinated with your outfit.
• Don't go without a belt if you're wearing a skirt or pants with belt loops. Wear a dress belt that matches your shoes (e.g., black with black).
• Style your hair tastefully or have it professionally done. If it's long, wear it up or back, so you're not constantly flipping it out of the way.
• Avoid fingernail designs and bright- or odd-colored polish. Clear or no nail polish is best.
• Apply makeup sparingly and avoid unusual or bright colors. Definitely don't apply sparkles to your hair or face.
• If you wear earrings, wear small, conservative ones. Wear only one per ear in the traditional earlobe position.
• It's better to carry a briefcase or portfolio into an interview than a purse.

Job Interview Dress Tips for Men

• 
  A sport coat and color-coordinated dress slacks with a pastel dress shirt might do. But a solid navy-blue or medium-to-dark gray business suit is best, as is a solid-white, long-sleeve dress shirt with a conservative silk tie. Silk makes a smaller, much nicer knot than most other fabrics. If you can't afford 100-percent silk, try a silk blend.
• A tie clip or pin will keep your tie from flopping around when you open your sport coat or suit jacket.
• Wear calf-length dress socks (not crew or tube socks) that match the color of your suit.
• Wear low-heeled, conservative dress shoes that are color coordinated with your suit. (For example, don't wear brown shoes with a navy-blue or gray suit. Wear black.) Some say that laced shoes are dressier than loafers, but that's a minor detail. The important thing is to wear conservative, color-coordinated dress shoes, not sneakers, cowboy boots, etc.
• Don't go without a belt if you're wearing pants with belt loops. Wear a dress belt that matches your shoes (e.g., black with black).
• Get a professional haircut or trim. If you can't stand the thought of cutting your long hair for interviews, at least tie it back in a ponytail. But short, well-groomed hair is best.
• Clean-shaven is the best way to go too. If you have a beard or moustache, shave it off for interviews. If you just can't, at least make sure it's well-groomed.
• If you ordinarily wear one or more earrings, remove them before interviews.

Helpful resources for women:

• Fashion tips for women
• Make-up tips
• How to tie a scarf

Helpful resources for men:

• Fashion tips
• More fashion tips for men
• Tie tricks, tips, and techniques

Ace That Interview

If, like many people, you're not typically at your best on a phone interview, you'll find this article I recently wrote for Suite 101 helpful:

Ace That Interview: 18 Ways to Improve Your Telephone Performance

Enjoy!