As a reader of my blog and/or ezine, I know you have tremendous skills and abilities in the ways you can help companies grow or operate more smoothly or achieve their goals in some way. Spending some quality time looking inward and just identifying what you love to do and what happens when you do it is an important part of your job search success.

But what if you are one of those people that cringe when it comes time to communicate those strengths and “sell” yourself in a job interview?

I would like to offer you another perspective or belief system about what selling is – different from the one you might have now. It’s so important you know how to sell yourself because when you are able to communicate your strengths in a way that compels others, you are doing yourself and them a great favor. After all, you can’t help a company that doesn’t hire you.

To boost your know-like-and-trust factor in your job interviews, it’s vital you know how to encourage potential employers to hire you in a way that’s full of integrity and authentically you.

What this means for you is that you will attract the interest of more employers, receive bigger and better job offers, and feel confident in the way you’re communicating to the ways that you can help potential employers get the results they want…and that only you can deliver.

So, here are three tips to help get you started:

Tip #1: Steer the interview by frequently mentioning your value

So, if you’re offering turnaround expertise, you will frequently refer to your turnaround projects.

If you are a marketing expert, you will frequently share the results of your marketing efforts throughout the interview.

By focusing on the results you get, you will quickly and easily build the value of who you can be to your potential employers.

Tip #2: Create before and after stories
Everybody loves to hear before and after stories, even in an interview setting. And the best ones clearly paint a before and after picture

Think of all the problems, challenges and dire situations with your past company (or companies) and how great things are now that you have helped them.

Tip #3: Make THEM an offer they can’t resist

The point is to create an “offer” that’s so irresistible, your interviewers think, “We have to hire this person!”

To do this, you need to offer something they believe they can’t get anywhere else. Be creative!

Here are a couple examples:

One of my clients quickly received a robust offer because HE offered to produce at least two potential solutions to a challenge the company was facing and he said he would do it in 60 days.

Another client of mine set up as part of her interview process a 1/2 day on-site observation of the potential employer’s media company. She then presented an outline of 10 ideas to improve their work environment and boost their ratings. They offered her a whopping 100k over what she had been making previously. All this even after she was let go from that previous position. I love it.

When you learn how to communicate to your interviewers that you are willing to invest getting the right information into their hands that is going to help them, you are removing all the obstacles (including money, time and your competition) that might otherwise stand between you and the job offer(s) you want.

After coaching hundreds of professionals over the years it has been enlightening to see and understand the various reasons people don’t get hired.

Here are a few mistakes you can easily avoid with a little practice:

Mistake #1: Too Arrogant
There is a fine line between the confidence you absolutely need to have and being overly confident in a job interview. If you catch yourself saying any of the following statements you might be you might be skating that line:

• I am in no rush
• I need XXX of money
• I am being interviewed by ___ other companies

State your achievements but stay grounded, respectful and diplomatic to ensure the best outcome. Definitely make certain your potential employer knows you are enthusiastic about the position!

Mistake #2: Too Laid Back
I am a big believer that things end where they begin and most employers would agree that first impressions are paramount. Failing to promptly return calls and send thank you notes are easy errors to make that have disastrous implications.

Mistake #3: Still Grieving
A tumultuous split, being fired or laid off are all difficult situations that usually take a grieving process to get over. Denying yourself the time it takes to heal and move on can result in you being “less than your best” in your interviews. Sometimes you might not even notice it … but unfortunately your interviewers will. Take a little time, have some kind of “moving on” ceremony (this helps tremendously) so when it comes time to talk about your past employment you can do so without raising any red flags.

Mistake #4: Too Money Driven
When you put the focus on the salary you will command too early in the interview, or before you are asked about money, then you are asking for money, not value to be the deciding factor in hiring you. Keep the focus on the value you bring to your potential employer and the money almost always takes care of itself.

Mistake #5: Too Vague
The best way for you to pique the interest of potential employers from the start is to take a strong sales/consultants role. Meaning specifically, you must continue to peel back the onion of their needs…and then speak to those needs. Those needs are their key reasons for wanting to hire you, so show them you understand what their challenges are and demonstrate you have the solutions. Failing to zero in on your potential employers needs can defiantly cost you the job.

By understanding how we are perceived in interview situations it’s much easier to circumvent potential roadblocks to your career success and job of your dreams.

Mid Managers and executives get fired for lots of reasons. Some are legitimate for performance reasons and some firings are completely unjustified. Regardless of the reason for being let go there are solid methods for communicating the circumstances without it hurting your candidacy with future potential employers.

Here are three solid steps you can take to have successful interviews after being fired.

Step #1 – Give yourself time to decompress

This is the most important step you can and will take. If you have lost your job most likely you will go through a grieving process – similar to other significant life-losses we all experience. If you interview prematurely you may inadvertently “wear your grief” and/or find yourself unable to talk about your last employer with the kind of convincing detachment and discretion you will need to keep interviewers focused and excited about the value you offer them.

What if you need to begin to interview right away? Well then to speed up your “grieving process” while still honoring that time cycle, take a ceremonial weekend vacation, book a round of golf, a spa day or a family picnic by the lake. Whatever you decide make sure it’s fun and relaxing because this is your decompression time…just for yourself! Title your outing: “your ceremonial moving on.” This is a physical process that evokes very real physical and mental benefits.

I have seen this “moving-on ceremony” work wonders with my clients (it will work for you too!) and I have used it myself. When I left my last employer my husband threw me a congratulatory dinner and I bought myself a decadent slice of carrot cake, stuck and candle in it and we spent the evening talking about the future. It was wonderful!

Step #2 – Identify your allies

You want to contact any and all allies you have and had with your last company. These can include past colleagues, people that worked for you, key executives, clients and vendors. Anyone that can attest to your strengths, your attributes and anything positive. In applicable cases those individuals who can diplomatically hint that there were problems beyond your control with your last company can be especially helpful. Remember references can be provided by lots of other people besides your immediate “boss”.

Step #3 – Prescript a BRIEF but clear statement

Develop a brief statement about the reason you were fired and practice saying it. You can use it in your upcoming interviews. Keep it short and simple and clear. Here is an example:

Unfortunately I had no choice but to leave my last employer. When I originally took the position I was excited about________.

At first blush it seemed that their recent merger was going well. I had no idea there was such internal animosity amongst management. Perhaps in my excitement of the opportunity I missed the subtle signs. If I were to interview for another merger situation I would certainly know what questions to ask. Now I am focusing my attention on moving forward and I am quite excited to be here to talk with you about your corporation’s goals.

No matter what you “say” the secret is to be positive, bold and forward thinking. Your interviewers will focus on whatever you shine the spot light on so keep your attention on them, their challenges and how you can help them!

Using these three steps you can easily turn a situation you may be worrying about into a non-issue. Remember too, many people that have been fired worry terribly that they will have to make big sacrifices in order to land their next position. This is so often untrue! Use the situation to reflect on whatever can be learned from it, use these powerful techniques to minimize any damage and simply move on!

I am always surprised when I am talking to an executive in the midst of an interview…and they share with me how they approached the money topic.

Here are two very common things I hear:

“They asked me how much I needed and I said at least $250k”

“I asked them what they had in mind for their salary package”

What most people don’t realize is that these two statements put ALL the power in the hands of the employer! So, to alleviate these negative events from happening and successfully negotiate the maximum salary package possible, here are several powerful tips:

Tip #1: Never give financial ultimatums before the actual offer is made

The first statement automatically puts the primary focus on the money.

While the value that the executive brings to the company (you know all those things the company should be getting more and more excited about?) takes a back seat!

So save your ultimatums for after the formal offer (more on this later).

Tip #2 Never be the first to bring up money

The second statement simply shows that the executive is willfully putting the money ahead of his or her value to the company – not exactly a motivator for the company, is it?

Tip #3 Focus on the value you bring to the table

The more they want you…the more they will pay to get you. Simple as that.

Remember the last big thing you really, really wanted? It’s funny how we can come up with the money for things we really want because we place its value at the top of our list. And even though people are not things, the emotions that get evoked in a job interview when a company really, really wants someone – are essentially the same.

So the object of your focus should be – what can I focus on that is going to make this company get really, really excited about hiring me? I guarantee you the answer to that is not going to be how much they are going to pay you..unless you have offered to work for free.

Tip #4 Give money ranges

When asked how much salary you need or how much you made in your previous position you can give a range. This does two things: it doesn’t allow the company to fix a salary point on you (i.e. 50k or 100k or 350k) that could very well be too high or too low or just a continual point of focus. You need that potential employer to be focused on how they can get you on board (because of all the great skills and abilities you bring to them – that is going to help them drive revenue, increase productivity or launch a new product, service etc…)

So you can say something like:

“For the last couple years my total compensation package has ranged between ___ and ___. The wider your range the better”

Then you can add:

“Since we are on the subject do you have a range in mind budgeted for the position?”

Tip #5 Don’t negotiate at the time the offer is made

When you are receiving your offer – no matter what the offer entails, keep a straight face! You can ask to have a day or two to go over the offer and get back to them which will give you time to formulate your thoughts. You really need this time to come down from the “WOO HOO I got an offer!” high.

If the offer is your dream offer you can accept it. If the offer is too low you can put a counter on the table.

Anyone can negotiate the best offer possible using these techniques that honor you and the value you can bring to your next career opportunity!

More on specific negotiating strategies in part II!

This is one of those “trick” interview questions that answered wrong, could tank your candidacy rankings.

A general rule of thumb when interviewing is that you always want to answer trick questions with short answers. The reason is twofold. First, you don’t want to risk opening up a can of worms, rambling, getting nervous or defensive etc. And second, you want to minimize the time you spend answering “trick” interview questions so that you can spend the majority of your time answering questions that speak to your strengths and aptitudes as they match what your interviewer is looking for!

So memorizing short answers to the top three or four trick questions is a very wise move. I consider this question to be one of those top three or four trick questions.

It used to be that the seemingly correct answer to this question was:

I want to have your job!

Or:

I want to sit where you are sitting!

However now that answer is seen as too coarse and not politically correct.

Another pitfall to watch out for with this question is you probably will not know if your potential employer is interviewing you for a position that is prime for promotional opportunities, or if they want someone solid in the role for many years.

Rather than guess what they are thinking, here is a completely safe (even bombproof!) answer you can give:

Well, I would expect to be advancing based on my job performance and taking on additional responsibilities.

You can even add:

And I would anticipate being appropriately compensated for it.

Finally you can say:

Since we are on the subject can you tell me where you see the growth of this company/position in the next several years?

Not only is this a great answer but you can follow it up with a great question! You will look engaged, enthusiastic and interested in the company and the position…a triple threat!

Categorize this question under “trick questions” because it is meant to tempt you to vent. Double the temptation if your last job was less then wonderful.

Often my new clients share with me that if they are asked this question during an interview, they will openly describe both the good and bad elements of their last company,“in the name of honesty” .

That’s a slippery slope. Let me share with you why.

You may be the most ethical, wonderful and pleasant professional ever, but unless you are personal friends with the interviewer, he or she has no way of knowing if your comments are  “fair and balanced” or if you are a malcontent.

Why risk the potentially negative exposure?

The general rule is to never say anything negative about your last job to your prospective employer. Certainly there is a time and a place for such discussions, but it’s generally not during a job interview.

Your job interview is your precious window of time that you won through your commitment to your job search goals. Use this time to focus on your future. A positive attitude and positive comments are so important in a job interview. I cannot stress this enough.

So what do you say when your interviewer asks you to answer the question “what didn’t you like about your last job?” Here are several options:

Have you ever had to fire anyone? This is the best answer you could give. No one likes it (at least the majority of people don’t) and it’s a good benign answer. It’s also short and doesn’t open a can of worms. Also, it would be difficult to over talk this answer and open up a can of worms in the process.

You could say:

Letting people go. Sometimes it was necessary but I dislike doing it.

Never fired anyone? You could say:

Reprimanding team members. Sometimes its necessary but I will never learn to like it.

Another example would be:

Actually my last job was a really positive experience. The only thing I didn’t like was the commute.

These answers are intended to help you breeze past this trick question so you can invest your window of time on building the value of who you could be to your potential employer.

What is the one question you KNOW you will get asked at the beginning of each and every first interview?

“So, tell me a little bit about yourself…..”

My clients continually share with me that although it seems like this should be an easy question to answer, they struggle with exactly what to say!

The really good news is that I am going to give you a short script to answer this question and you will only have to fill it out once! It will work for multiple interviews. This is a simple way to break down what to say each time you are asked to share a little about yourself.

You will want to keep your response to something you can say in under a minute. This ensures you don’t lose your listener.

Your template begins with a statement such as:

“Well, as you can see from my resume, I have ….”

What you state from there should first include any relevant academic information, years in the industry or position, and short highlights of the key positions you have held. It may sound something like this:

“Well, as you can see from my resume, I have 15 years’ experience in the construction industry. After graduating from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in construction management, I was hired by Turner Construction to work as a project manager in their hospitality division. That’s where I got my feet wet in project management. I quickly developed a reputation for bringing projects in on time and under budget.”

“Then I was recruited by company X…”

Continue with this theme through to your current position. Invest the most time talking about your previous positions that are most relevant to the position for which you are interviewing.. In most cases, this will be the position(s) you have held in the last 5 to 7 years.

Your template ends with the statement:

“…I am really excited to be here and to learn more about the qualities you are looking for in a top candidate. Would it be okay to talk about that now?”

Your interviewer(s) will love your positive attitude and you will get to learn more about the position – right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Jot down the key points they share with you because these are your talking points for the rest of the interview!

Don’t forget to practice your template several times out loud until you feel comfortable. This will reinforce your confidence, too.

By using this simple technique, you will calmly and confidently answer this question – and impress your interviewer in the process.

This is the one question that seems to strike fear in the heart of every job seeker. Not only does it put you, the candidate in an uncomfortable position but the tone of the question itself is deliberately provocative.

However, this is one of the easiest questions to answer if you know the right formula!

First, a little preparation.

You want to take whatever job description you have of the position with you into the interview. If you do not have a job description that is OK.  At the beginning of the interview, you want to ask the interviewer to describe the qualities and skills that the company is looking for in a top candidate. Discretely jot down the highlights of whatever they tell you.  By the way, these are your talking points for the rest of the interview.

When the dreaded question arises…why should I hire you, you simply look down at your notes and state back to your interviewer your understanding of the key qualifications. So you would say something like this:

Well as I understand it you are looking for someone who can….

As they nod their head in agreement you add:

Not only do have have many/all of those skills and qualifications, I hope it’s not too forward to share with you that I am really excited about this position!

Alternative positive statements include:

…I really see myself working here.

…I really want this job!

Though this is a simple technique, be sure not to discount the powerful effect it has. You will have to try it out to see its full effect and I promise you it will be a very positive one.

Usually the intent of the interviewer in asking provocative interview questions is to see how you will respond. Will you stammer? Get defensive? Go on and on? So, a smooth, confident and positive answer wins every time!

Use this simple yet powerful technique to help ace your interviews!

Do you want a simple yet powerful way to secure bigger job offers?

It all starts in the interview – when money comes up.

If money comes up in the first interview or in a phone interview, and you give up information such as how much you made in your last position or what you are looking for in terms of compensation, then you have successfully steered the focus of the interview….in the wrong direction.

When money is brought to the spotlight before a company has had time to get to know you and all of the value you could bring to them, then how much it will “cost” to hire you will take center stage. And when this happens you will have to work harder in order to compel your interviewers to see above and beyond your price tag.

Not only do you stand to loose your negotiating power by prematurely mentioning money, but the dollar figure you mention will now serve as an immovable backdrop against the successful communication of  your strengths and attributes.

It’s interesting how this works – but its very true.

You might be thinking “Well how do I get around such a direct question about money in my interviews? After all, I don’t want to appear rude and hurt my chances of being invited back.”  It’s wise to be considerate of these points; however you can successfully sidestep these questions and prolong discussions about money for a later interview by using these simple techniques:

Technique Number 1

When you are asked how much money you are looking for, simply state that salary is important to you but equally important are benefits. Ask them since you are on the subject, If they could share their benefit package with you.

This is a simple diversion that is extremely effective.

Technique Number 2

When asked about how much compensation you are looking for or what you currently make, you can share that although you would be happy to discuss money with them, you were hoping to get a better understanding of the opportunity and give them a little more time to get to know you – in order to see if there is a potential fit.

Follow this statement up with asking them “If that is OK.” After all, you are offering not to answer their question so your diplomacy and polite response will help you to successfully sidestep this question until a later interview.

Using these two simple techniques will help you keep a focus on your skills and abilities as they relate to the position you are interviewing for – and set the tone and pace for a bigger and better offer!