How to stand out on your next job interview

(MoneyWatch) Tips on how to shine in a job interview are in abundant supply, but what do you really need to know?

Amy Gallo at technology blog Lifehacker recently rounded up advice from expert interviewers. One important principle is to ensure that you are helping the interviewer as much as possible, she writes.

• Tips to start - and end - the job interview process


• Why you didn't get hired


• How to answer unexpected interview questions

Interviewers often ignore their own best practices and instead lean on their own preconceived ideas. As a result, you can help steer the conversation in the right direction and encourage them to focus on your best attributes. Specifically:

Prepare. Make sure you are not just prepared to talk about yourself, but know as much as you can about the company, its culture, industry trends and so on.

Have a strategy. Almost as if you're building an "elevator pitch" about yourself, decide ahead of time what three things you most want to convey. Build a marketing message and have stories, or narratives, that reinforce them.

Drive home your potential. It's more important -- and probably more advantageous -- to emphasize your potential rather than wandering deep into the weeds of your resume. In fact, the latter might expose areas in which you fall short of the job requirements or illustrate areas in which you are weak.

Don't be yourself. John Lees, a career strategist, says that advice about being yourself is "demonstrably untrue." Instead, you must be able to improvise your performance in a way that presents your ideal self. Bring energy, enthusiasm and confidence, even if those attributes don't come to you naturally.

Be ready for tough questions. Prepare in advance for questions about aspects of your resume that don't put you in the best light, and have short, simple answers to address these areas. Don't go into a lot of detail. It's also advisable to prepare for follow-up questions that provide additional detail. The bottom line is to never put yourself in a position in which you haven't thought these questions through, requiring you to wing it.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user bpsusf

[alanjamiekeith]

I agree with Bob Prosen. When you are competing with others for a single job opening, you need to make your interview memorable. Customizing your approach requires doing research prior to the interview. Knowing key statistics and facts about the company shows you came to the interview well informed. What is even more impressive is when you understand the company's strategy and challenges and how best you can market yourself as an asset to achieve the company's strategy or solution to its challenges. Use social media websites such as the company blog, Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the company. Be ready to tell personal stories about how your skills and behaviours fit the company's strategy or will address the company's challenges. Telling a story makes you stand out because your story is unique and to the employer, it is a predictor of your future performance.
Alan Keith
College President/Coach/Restauranteur

[alanjamiekeith]

I agree with Bob Prosen. When you are competing with others for a single job opening, you need to make your interview memorable. Customizing your approach requires doing research prior to the interview. Knowing key statistics and facts about the company shows you came to the interview well informed. What is even more impressive is when you understand the company's strategy and challenges and how best you can market yourself as an asset to achieve the company's strategy or solution to its challenges. Use social media websites such as the company blog, Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the company. Be ready to tell personal stories about how your skills and behaviours fit the company's strategy or will address the company's challenges. Telling a story makes you stand out because your story is unique and to the employer, it is a predictor of your future performance.
Alan Keith
College President/Coach/Restauranteur

[bobprosen]

Thanks for these helpful interview tips!

For many, the first step is learning how to get an interview so they can put these tips to use.

As a former Fortune 500 executive I've hired hundreds of employees. The key to getting hired whether or not there is an opening is to customize your approach. If not, you won't stand out or get an interview. Companies hire people to solve problems (both positive and negative). Your ability to uncover your target employers problems and position yourself as the solution is what will get you hired even when there are no job postings.
Bob Prosen
CEO
The Prosen Center
for Business Advancement
www.mycareeraccelerator.com