Interview Magic: Job Interview Secrets From America's Career and Life Coach

by Whitcomb, Susan Britton

• ISBN13: 9781593570163
• ISBN10: 1593570163
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: JIST Works

Summary

At last-a professional career coach reveals her inside trade secrets for excelling in job interviews and getting job offers. No other book explains the nuts and bolts of interviewing so clearly, then illustrates those techniques with Before and After interview question responses. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Susan Britton Whitcomb speaks nationally on the topic of career management. She is president of Career Masters Institute

Table of Contents

Part 1: Interview Foundations	1	(146)
10 Critical Truths for Job Interview Success	3	(12)
Truth #1: Careers Can Be Made or Broken in the Interview Process	4	(2)
Truth #2: Your ``Career DNA'' Is the Secret to Your Value	6	(2)
Truth #3: There Is a Place for You	8	(1)
Truth #4: Employment Relationships Are Symbiotic	9	(1)
Truth #5: You Don't Have to Memorize Answers to 101+ Interview Questions	10	(1)
Truth #6: You Can Control Your Success	11	(1)
Truth #7: You Can Control Your Performance	12	(1)
Truth #8: You Will Be Judged on Three Dimensions	12	(1)
Truth #9: Bottom Line---Every Employer Wants One Thing from You	13	(1)
Truth #10: You Can Give 'em What They Want	14	(1)
First Things First: Focus on the Right F.I.T.	15	(40)
Why Job Seekers Jump at the Wrong Opportunities	16	(3)
Identify Your Career-FIT™	19	(30)
Finalize Your Career-FIT™	49	(1)
Create Your Focus Statement	50	(1)
Chapter Wrap-Up	51	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Focusing on the Right Career-FIT™	52	(3)
Capture Your Value with ``Smart'' Success Stories	55	(24)
Conveying Value to Interviewers	56	(3)
Inventorying Your Success Stories	59	(3)
Questions to Elicit Success Stories	62	(3)
Using the Smart Format to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions	65	(6)
Writing Your Success Stories	71	(6)
Chapter Wrap-Up	77	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Capturing Your Value	77	(2)
Communicate Your Value Via a Career Brand	79	(30)
How Can a Career Brand Help You in Interviews?	79	(1)
The Elements of Your Brand	80	(1)
Verbal Branding---Creating Your Sound Bites	81	(15)
Visual Branding---Look and Act the Part!	96	(9)
Chapter Wrap-Up	105	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Communicating Your Career Brand	106	(3)
Manage the ``Buoy Factor''---How Mindset Can Sink or Support You in Interviews	109	(38)
The Buoy Factor	110	(1)
The ``I CAN'' Mindset	110	(1)
Gauge Your Buoyancy	111	(5)
Inspire Daily	116	(9)
Control the Controllables	125	(10)
Act Now	135	(4)
Never Give Up!	139	(6)
Chapter Wrap-Up	145	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Managing Mindset	145	(2)
Part 2: The Interview	147	(136)
The 10 Types of Interviews	149	(20)
Telephone Screening Interviews	150	(1)
One-on-One Interviews	151	(1)
Behavioral and Competency-Based Interviews	151	(1)
Situational Interviews	152	(1)
Stress Interviews	152	(1)
Panel or Committee Interviews	153	(1)
Group Interviews	154	(1)
Simulation Interviews	154	(5)
Videoconference Interviews	159	(2)
Lunch or Dinner Interviews	161	(2)
Chapter Wrap-Up	163	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Managing Different Types of Interviews	163	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Any Interview	164	(2)
10 Common Interview Mistakes Made by Candidates	166	(3)
Pass Online Prescreens and Assessments with Flying Colors	169	(22)
Online Prescreening Tools	170	(4)
Assessments	174	(13)
Chapter Wrap-Up	187	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Managing Online Prescreening and Assessments	188	(3)
Make a Great First Impression in Telephone Interviews	191	(12)
Set Up Your Phone Zone	192	(1)
What to Expect During a Telephone Interview	193	(1)
Questions to Ask in a Telephone Interview	194	(1)
A Dozen Must-Do's in Telephone Interviews	195	(2)
How to Wrap Up the Telephone Interview	197	(3)
Chapter Wrap-Up	200	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Telephone Interviews	201	(2)
Score Points in Behavioral Interviews	203	(14)
How to Spot a Behavioral Interview Question	203	(1)
What Employers Look for in Behavioral Interviews	204	(4)
How Employers Use Competencies to Develop Interview Questions	208	(1)
Mining Job Descriptions for Competencies	209	(1)
Linking Competencies to Your SMART Stories™	210	(1)
Why SMART Stories™ Are Critical in Behavioral Interviews	211	(4)
Chapter Wrap-Up	215	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Behavioral Interviews	215	(2)
Connect with the Interviewer---How to Create the Right Chemistry	217	(26)
Phase 1: Connect with the Interviewer	218	(12)
Connect with Different Interviewers	230	(9)
Chapter Wrap-Up	239	(1)
10 Quick Tips to Create Chemistry and Connect with Interviewers	239	(4)
Clarify and Collaborate---How to Explore What Needs to Be Done and How It Needs to Be Done	243	(18)
Phase 2: Clarify What Needs to Be Done	244	(8)
Phase 3: Collaborate on How to Do the Job	252	(4)
Chapter Wrap-Up	256	(1)
10 Quick Tips to Clarify and Collaborate in an Interview	257	(4)
Close with Professionalism---How to Wrap Up and Win	261	(22)
Phase 4: Close with Professionalism	261	(9)
Measure Your Performance in a Post-Interview Analysis	270	(1)
The 4 C's in Second and Subsequent Interviews	271	(2)
Sample Follow-Up Letters and ``Leave-Behinds''	273	(7)
Chapter Wrap-Up	280	(1)
10 Quick Tips to Close with Professionalism	280	(3)
Part 3: Preparing for Interview Questions and Negotiating Salary	283	(138)
How to Respond to Frequently Asked Questions	285	(40)
How Long Will the Interview Be?	286	(1)
How Many Questions Will I Be Asked?	286	(1)
Frequently Asked Questions	287	(32)
Chapter Wrap-Up	319	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Responding to FAQs	320	(5)
Master Your Industry-Specific Questions (ISQs)	325	(28)
Industry-Specific Questions	326	(23)
Linking FAQs and ISQs to Your SMART Stories™	349	(1)
Chapter Wrap-Up	350	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Answering Industry-Specific Questions	350	(3)
Deal with Illegal and Awkward Interview Questions	353	(32)
Do You Have Sticky Wickets in Your Background?	353	(1)
How to Spot Illegal Interview Questions	354	(8)
How to Respond to 10 Killer Categories of Questions	362	(13)
How to Manage ``Sticky Wicket'' Questions	375	(3)
What You Should Know About Reference and Background Checks and Pre-Employment Polygraphs	378	(3)
Chapter Wrap-Up	381	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Responding to Illegal or Awkward Questions	381	(4)
Negotiate Your Salary: The Secrets to Knowing and Receiving What You're Worth	385	(36)
Preparing for the Salary Dance	386	(5)
How to Deflect Salary Questions Until the Offer	391	(4)
When an Offer Is Made	395	(4)
How to Initiate a Counter-Offer	399	(4)
Negotiate Additional Elements of Your Compensation Package	403	(3)
Special Circumstances	406	(2)
Get the Offer in Writing and Think It Over	408	(5)
Chapter Wrap-Up	413	(1)
10 Quick Tips for Salary Negotiations	413	(8)
Appendix A Resources for Researching Companies	421	(2)
Appendix B Interview Question Contributors	423	(2)
Index	425