June 23, 2014

I recently came across a list of sensible job interview tips by Ford Myers, a career coach and author of "Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring."

One tip in particular struck me: "Set the stage for effective follow-up. Developing your follow-up strategy BEFORE the interview will even enhance your behavior DURING the interview."

I spoke with Myers, and he said this: "What most people do is they just show up for an interview. They haven't even done any research in most cases; they haven't studied about the person or the company or the culture. It's a huge mistake. It's like lambs to the slaughter."

So to make sure you properly prepare, think about how you want to position yourself once the interview is over.

"Let's say the interview goes really well," Myers said. "What do I want to get out of it? What is my objective? Most people say, 'I just hope

I come out of it alive.' That's not good enough."

Myers suggests you think of yourself less as a job candidate and more as a consultant. Ask probing questions during the initial interview: "What are the challenges, what are the needs, what are the company's biggest problems, what have they tried, what has worked or not worked. When you come back for a second interview, you're going to walk in with a presentation which is based on the notes you took and everything you learned at the first interview."

"When the interview ends, the worst thing you can do is say, 'OK, I hope to hear from you, bye,'" Myers said. "You want to maintain control. You say, 'I see our meeting is coming to an end. Please tell me what the next steps are and when I can expect to hear from you. And if I don't hear from you by next Tuesday, may I call you?'"

And if the interview tanks, don't surrender: "Say after 20 minutes, the interviewer says you're just not the guy for this job — do you just get up and leave? No. Ask the person, 'Can you tell me why?' You might learn something."

Maybe both you and the interviewer acknowledge you're not the best fit for the job, but you happen to know a person who would be ideal. Don't be afraid to recommend someone else. You're not getting the job anyway, but you could leave a remarkably good impression on the interviewer.

"They might say, 'You're really an unusual guy, I like the fact that you have a positive attitude,'" Myers said. "They might say, 'Hey, I left a company a year ago, and I happen to know they're expanding and looking for someone with your particular background. Why don't I call them.'"

The bottom line is you want to squeeze every bit of value and potential out of the interview. Maybe you get a second interview and walk away with the knowledge to impress. Maybe you don't get a second interview but at least get some sound feedback. Or you make a good connection with the interviewer, knowing that every good connection helps.

If you don't think ahead, you lose control of the situation.

"Whether you're working in a McDonald's or as CEO of a company, you want to have these skills and be thinking about these things," Myers said. "It's not about job search; it's about career management. Nobody's going to manage your career for you."

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Interview follow-up tips - chicagotribune.com

These are good tips for the uninitiated, but quite frankly we old timers still hold all of this true and good advice, but, a gift of knowing what to say at the right time always helps, and of course, a good command of the English language.

Thanks for this info, WG, and I hope some of our young folk will benefit.

I love Rex's columns, and this one seemed especially timely. And yes, tick, the younger crowd when job hunting needs to be on their toes and well prepared. Researching a company and also role-playing with someone before an interview will really help.