How to ace an interview

"Getting Hired"

"Your resume may get you the interview, but the interview is what gets you the job", says Peter Handal, president, CEO and chairman of Dale Carnegie Training. "Both the resume and the interview are important components of finding a job, but the interview is where you can sell yourself to the company". Here are some of Mr. Handal's tips on how to ace an interview:

- Do your research. Never go blindly into an interview. Make time to research the company, the position, the industry, and anything else - even the person conducting the interview. It's always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared for any question, and you can bet they've done their research on you!

- Dress for success. First impressions are lasting. Even in casual dress industries, interviewers want to see someone who is polished and looks put together. Always dress a notch or two up from what you see is acceptable in that work environment.

- The elevator speech. Almost always you will be asked, "Tell me about yourself." Write out a 30-second speech that you can use to answer that question. The speech should highlight your achievements and make you stand out from the crowd. Each speech, which you rehearse until it's natural, should be tailored to the job/industry in which you are interviewing, so be sure to write out a few that will work in a variety of industries.

- Follow up. Always send a hand-written thank you note directly after the interview - within 24-hours. It should be hand-delivered if possible, mailed if you have time, or E-mailed if there are only a couple of days between your interview and decision-day. If more than one person interviewed you, send a thank you note to each person, by name and title.

Dale Carnegie Training was recently identified by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top 25 high-performing franchises, available in more than 25 languages throughout the United States, and in more than 75 countries.

In addition to these tips, Dale Carnegie Training invites you to visit their new blog, Generation.Next, which can be found at www.blog.dalecarnegie.com. The new blog features expert interviewing tips and you are welcome to share your feedback from your experiences.

As an aside, I am a graduate of Dale Carnegie Training.

Marvin Walberg is a job search coach. Contact him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net, marvinwalberg.blogspot.com, or PO Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243