Job Interviews: Ten Tips to Avoid Wretched Reviews

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Think klieg lights sweeping the Hollywood sky, stretch limos pulling up to a theater entrance, and celebrities being interviewed by television entertainment show hosts as they make their way up a red carpet into a much ballyhooed movie premiere.

Crazy exciting, right? Until the next morning when the reviews appear. Uh oh. Critics think the movie was a dog. The film's actors and their colleagues are spun off center with verbal depth charges instead of hoped-for praise.

Wretched reviews affect job interviewees too, even though shortcomings in their performances won't become public. When interviewees just don't hear back, they feel the same way as panned actors: awful.

Don't let that unhappy ending happen to you. Do everything you can to make your interview performance earn rich reviews. And to help, a master of job search, Joe Turner (www.jobchangesecrets.com), CEO of Swenson Turner, Inc., a career coaching firm in Phoenix, shares 10 ways you can do just that.

Bring Storytelling into Prime Time

An interview is a conversation. Don't fall into an answers-only rut. That's why you've spent time learning to storytell with true prepared stories that highlight your accomplishments. Remember, a conversation is really a series of questions and answers. As soon as you answer a question, try following up with a question of your own.

Go In Knowing Your Lines

About 90 percent of candidates "didn't get the wiki" that their purpose in an interview is to do infinitely more than ask for a job. Not you. You got the wiki.

Your goal is two-fold: First, to demonstrate that you are a good "fit" for the organization — like salt and pepper, bread and butter, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hummers.

Second, you're looking for breaking news on whether the position is really something you want to invest your life in.

Leave the Begging to Others

Neediness is one of the all-time deal killers in the job market. Whisper in your own ear before walking in the door: "I don't need this job. I do need air, food, and water." Keep things in perspective. Sell your strengths and your ability to do the job. Employers don't hire because they feel sorry for you; they hire because they want you to solve their problems.

Share the Stage with Dignity

Generally speaking, participate in an interview as an equal, not as a subordinate of the person conducting the interview. This doesn't mean you shouldn't show courteous respect to the interviewer, especially if the interviewer is a general and you're a buck private. Participating as an equal is a subtle matter of self-perception, so remind yourself of your status before the interview begins.

Remember How a Star Is Born

From the moment you walk into an interview room, demonstrate confidence. Your first impression makes a difference. Stand up straight, make eye contact, and offer an enthusiastic handshake with your interviewer. If you don't remember names well, jot down the interviewer's name on your notepad as soon as you're seated. Ditto for any other person you're meeting with.