Tips on Interviewing By Blair Singer Interviewing for a coveted position can be a daunting task! You want to put your best foot forward, but it can be difficult when nerves get the best of you. However, there are some steps you can take to prepare for your interview. Follow these simple steps, and that job offer might just be around the corner! Do your due diligence up front. With the Internet, there is no excuse for not knowing a ton of information about the company with whom you are interviewing. Know their website, know their appearances in the news, know their culture. Nothing puts off an employer more than a person who shows up “winging it.” Show real interest and a level of intention to get into their world quickly and deeply. Remember that in any form of selling, “highest energy generally wins.” Make sure that you do whatever it takes to show energy, optimism, future thinking, and a high level of personal responsibility. Show ownership for everything. Do 20 push-ups in the rest room before you go into the interview to get your energy and mindset in tune. Engage, smile, nod, lean forward, and use expressions that show you are really interested physically and mentally. Role play a lot in advance! Either with a partner or out loud alone, role play potential employer/interviewee conversations, challenges, and objections. Do tons of them. Even practice your worst nightmare questions. You will be amazed at how well the interview will go in reality. That is because the “Little Voice” in your head has been quieted and replaced with confidence and the knowledge that you can handle anything. Verify what you are hearing the interviewer say. “So are you saying that this position is challenging because of the hours or because of the team involved…or both?” This kind of question puts you IN THEIR WORLD and takes the conversation to a deeper level. It also shows that you are locked in with them. It’s common knowledge that you should ask lots of good questions based upon your pre-research and the information the employer is giving you. But also ask questions like…”When I am faced with that situation in the coming days ahead, would it be okay with you if I involve you and other team members in the decision making?” “Who is the person I should contact to get a hold of my training materials?” These are assumptive closes in which you speak “as if” you already have the job. You entire conversation should be in ‘assumptive’ language. This gets the employer talking to you as if you are already on the same team. As in any selling situation you should always be closing. Periodically ask questions to calibrate where the interviewee is with you in the conversation. Nothing is worse than spending the whole time talking about yourself only to find days later that you and the interviewer were not on the same page. Ask questions like… “Based upon what we discussed, I am extremely excited to sink my teeth into this position. How do you feel about it?” “I feel we are a good fit, what do you think?” “How soon can I get started?” Of course after you ask the question….shut up! Remain silent until the other person responds.