My #1 Job Interview Tip

Job seekers would do anything to land that treasured interview that may launch them into a new career. However, having a face-to-face encounter with your potential boss is highly stressful.

In today's excerpt from my book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth, I share my #1 job interview tip that will take the worry out of the whole experience.

Some of my most prized possessions are the wonderful e-mails I have received over the past five years from radio show listeners who tell me how our research has helped them ace their job interviews and get the job. We’ve given out many great tips on body language, dress code, and even voice inflection. But I am about to give you the key ingredient for acing your next job interview. It’s the Thank-You Note!

Research shows that most hiring managers expect a thank you note after an interview, but fewer than 4.0 percent of interviewees send one. So here are tips on how you can be a standout interviewee:

•Find out the interviewer’s correct title.
And make sure you know how to spell his or her name. If you misspell the boss’s name you can kiss the opportunity goodbye. And get that thank-you note out within twenty-four hours of your meeting.

•Short note . . . great stationery.
Write something like “Thank you for your time yesterday. I am eager to play an important role on your team. I hope you will give me the opportunity to be a part of your growing company."

Wrap up with a sentence relating back to something the interviewer said or did. Something like: “Thanks for the book suggestion, I picked up a copy on the way home,” “I checked the web for those trends you told me about . . . you’re absolutely right, company X had a dismal third quarter.” It shows you were listening and you are a follow-up kind of person.

If you were interviewed by a panel of people then you should send thank-you notes to each one. Make sure they are different and hand-written.

•Don’t forget the receptionist.
If an assistant helped you, send a note to that person as well. And while we’re on that topic, make sure you are very polite to the office assistant when you announce your arrival. Managers many times take the advice of assistants and receptionists when making final decisions. Get the person’s name, write it down, and use it when you say goodbye following the interview.

•Sending the note.
Some job experts will tell you to send the thank-you note by mail. I am always impressed when I hear that the interviewee delivered the note to our office in person the next day.

Are you ready for that job interview coming up?  With my #1 tip under your belt, I promise that you already have the advantage.  For more job interview tips, check out my book Intelligence For Your Life.  You can purchase it at your local bookstore or go online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

John
Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com