In my spare time, one of my passions is working on NY Times Sunday crossword puzzles.

All of this is driven by my love of words. I’m always looking for resources that will help me find the right words and improve my writing.  If these resources make word-searching and learning fun, so much the better!

I readily admit that, although grammatical errors can drive me up the wall, I’m certainly no expert. I’m sure my blog posts contain mistakes that have my readers tsking.  That being said, I always try to make my writing as professional as possible.  The bottom line is, the way you write says a lot about you and your personal brand. 

Here are two websites I’ve turned to recently to sharpen my writing:

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips

Mignon Fogarty (@GrammarGirl on Twitter) offers daily grammar tips, to which you can subscribe. Some topics she’s covered that plague me:

Ending a Sentence With a Preposition

Who Versus Whom

Lay Versus Lie

#8 in her Top Ten Grammar Myths, honoring National Grammar Day (March 4), is:

“Irregardless” is not a word. Wrong! “Irregardless” is a bad word and a word you shouldn’t use, but it is a word. “Floogetyflop” isn’t a word—I just made it up and you have no idea what it means.  “Irregardless,” on the other hand, is in almost every dictionary labeled as nonstandard. You shouldn’t use it if you want to be taken seriously, but it has gained wide enough use to qualify as a word.

Wordnik

According to their site, Wordnik (@wordnik on Twitter) is billions of words, 423 million example sentences, 4.7 million unique words, and over 185,000 comments, 95,000 tags, 74,000 pronunciations, 24,518 favorites and 728,464 words in 23,583 lists created by 39,849 Wordniks.

In a NY Times Sunday Magazine “On Language” article in December, Erin McKean, chief executive and founder of Wordnik, explained what the online dictionary is trying to accomplish:

“We’re using text-mining techniques and the unlimited space of the Internet to show as many real examples of word use as we can, as fast as we can.

A word is so much more than its meaning: it’s also who uses it, when it was used, what words appear alongside it and what kinds of texts it appears in.”

Wordnik includes definitions, examples, pronounciations, etymologies, and statistics.

The Word of the Day on March 10 was “shuckish”. Think you know what it means? Here’s the definition.

Related post:

65 Power Personal Branding Verbs to Nail Your Executive Value Proposition

An Executive Personal Branding, Online Identity and Job Search Strategist, Meg is a 20-year careers industry professional and one of only a handful of people worldwide to hold the Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategist and Master Resume Writer credentials, both gold standards.

“I love my work collaborating with savvy senior executives and entrepreneurs who know where they’re going, but need help differentiating their unique promise of value in the new world of work and executive job search, and positioning themselves to work their passion. My clients are typically c-suite, senior-level executives and rising stars.”

Find out more about Meg at Executive Career Brand, and by viewing her LinkedIn profile and following her on Twitter.

Support me by sharing this post:

This week, I compiled five of the best posts on the web about how to perform better in phone interviews.

1. Telephone Interview Secrets by hiremyparents

In this post by hiremyparents support, the author makes a phone interview sound a lot like method acting. The post suggests dressing in business attire for the interview so you will be in professional mode, practicing interview questions aloud before the call and smiling during the call. In a way you will be putting on a performance, one starring you as your best possible self.

2. Five Ways to do Better in Phone Interviews by Penelope Trunk at Brazen Careerist

Ms. Trunk’s post points out that standing up and walking around during the call can make you project a more natural and therefore more likable persona. She likens the interview to selling oneself and reminds the reader to close the sale by politely trying to get an in-person interview scheduled before the end of the call.

3. Win in Telephone Job Interviews by JobsDFW Blog

Blogger Julia Penny reminds us that the job candidate in a phone interview must overcome the lack of visual cues. For example, you must concentrate even more intensely on what the interviewer is saying so you can tell whether he or she is engaged in the conversation and you can act accordingly.

4. Don’t Say Hello in a Phone Interview by Interview Angel

Brent Peterson’s bluntly funny post underscores the importance of a professional demeanor from the first instant of the call. Answer the phone, he says, by identifying yourself . Act as though you are the receptionist for the corporation of you.

5. Telephone Interviews are as Easy as 1-2-3! by BullsEyeResumes Career Blog

BullsEyeCareers posts about what they believe are the three most important components of the phone interview: energy, tone and clarity. Especially striking is the blogger’s warning to limit sarcasm and negativity because, since you can’t see the interviewer, you don’t know how they are coming across. Remember, you won’t be able to use emoticons here.

Support me by sharing this post:

Here’s what to do to stand out from the crowd and really wow your interviewers:

• Arrive 15 minutes early. This allows you extra time to find parking, use the restroom, get some water or just relax.  Also, if some unexpected delay comes up, it gives you an extra cushion to make sure you’re not late.
• Dress conservatively. Do not wear the latest suit or dress from the fashion magazine you pick up at the book store or in the grocery line.  Be conservative.  Until you learn the culture of the company, it is better safe than sorry.  There are exceptions to this rule such as small start up companies or a marketing/PR firm in New York.  Remember, it never hurts to ask the HR person at the company what is appropriate if you are unsure! 
• Research your interviewers. Ask the recruiter or human resources professional for the names of the people with whom you will be interviewing.  Take these names look them up on LinkedIn and  Google/Bing and learn about their work experience.  Maybe their background will provide you with some interesting talking points: do they write a blog, participate in an organization or perform volunteer work similar to what you are interested in?  Remember, these are real people who like to engage in real conversations, not necessarily all business all the time.
• Arrive prepared. Have a classy-looking portfolio notebook to take notes.  Always have a few extra copies of your resume, maybe even bring a flash drive with you that has your resume to be downloaded easily.  You never know who may ask for it. This is simple planning and only takes a few minutes the night before to ensure you have the opportunity for the best first impression.  Also be sure to have a list of your own questions prepared.  About the job, the company, and the interviewer themselves.  This shows that you actually care about this specific opening, and that it’s not just another interview.
• Collect business cards. Ask anyone you interview with for their card before the interview session starts.  Take their business card and put it at the top of your notepad.  Now you are able to glance down at your paper, casually, and see their name very easily should you happen to forget.
• Ask about the next steps. Before you leave, ask the manager or recruiter for the appropriate way to follow up.  Do not leave with “we’ll be in touch”.  Ask for a timeline as to when you may follow up for feedback if you have not heard anything.  Make sure you let them know that you understand their busy schedule and you are happy to call at their convenience.
• Thank you notes. Always write a thank you note!  One tip I learned right out of college was to bring thank you notes with you and write them by hand in the car before you even leave the parking lot.  This allows you to have all information fresh in your mind as you write your thank you note.  Do not write a generic thank you letter. Instead, make specific points about the conversation.  Even just one sentence which references something you talked about, or something personal about the interviewer, is much better than a canned response.  Feeling ambitious?  Hand-deliver your letters to the receptionist so they arrive later the same day or the next day (alternately, FedEx overnight them.  Consider the cost an investment in getting the job).

These may seem obvious, but you’d all be amazed at how many people still show up late, dress inappropriately, know nothing about their target companies, and generally goof up this process.  No matter how good your resume is, if you can’t nail these steps, you’re in trouble.

Have some other interview tips for us?  Share your best pointers in the comments section.

Support me by sharing this post:

The personal mission statement is not something you create once and then forget about.  Rather, it is a doctrine you can consult, review, and revise on a continuous basis. I review mine every 3-6 months, or whenever I feel the need to do it. My process is based on ideas from organizational management literature, books about creating mission statements in businesses.  I then apply these ideas to the situation of an individual within the context of personal branding theories.

As an individual I have values and virtues, just as organizations do. The difference is that while a conflict of values is not uncommon in a large, complex corporation, they seldom occur within an individual. This does not mean that there are no conflicts in personal values, but rather that the conflicts are most often in the form of prioritizing between values which are generally compatible. The problem is that this is a dynamic process, and that one value cannot always be prioritized in front of the other. For example, professional ambition cannot necessarily be placed ahead of love for one’s family.

In my personal mission statment I have grouped my core values and virtues in five areas:

1. Integrity
2. Success
3. Freedom
4. Health
5. Relations

Your core values are yours and not mine, therefore your groups most likely will differ. This is a good thing, because it is a sign of differentiation. The important thing when defining your values and virtues and then crafting your personal mission statement is to make sure that the values are yours and not something that has been imposed upon you by your friends, your parents, society or any other external party. Look deep into yourself and explore what really motivates you and what really matters to you. Only then can you define what success is for you.

Once I have defined my mission, it is time to start thinking about what specific goals and milestones I will be using to fulfill the mission. Not everything I do can be in line with the mission, as conflicts will naturally arise, but the mission statement will guide me in the quest for happiness and fulfillment of what I value most.

Next week  I will write more about goal setting for personal success.

Support me by sharing this post:

Regardless of where you find yourself in your career (recent graduate, mid-career or executive level), there is always a need for you to surround yourself with mentors.

It is important that companies offer a mentoring program so that employees have a resource to expand their knowledge as well as to have a “go-to” person for any questions that are encountered.  It is also a great program for new employees to be able to grow within an organization, plus it shows that the company is invested in its employees.

But, not all companies offer a mentoring program.  You may find yourself either in a company that does not have a formal mentoring program or you may neither have a mentor nor know where to begin looking for one.

I firmly believe that everyone should have mentors.  Notice I said mentors, plural.  You may have one person you speak with more often than others, but you should have more than one mentor to leverage.  Why?  Each mentor will be able to add a different value to your career and add a different perspective to help you grow.  Do not limit yourself to one person and do not try to latch onto everyone you encounter.  Find a few (two, three, four) professionals you connect with very well, whose opinions you trust and value.  Try your best to forge strong relationships with them.

Who you should look towards to be a mentor:

• College Professor – A great individual to keep in touch with as a mentor.  Academia is a fantastic way to keep in touch with trends and professors are always reading and writing as a part of their profession.  They also instruct many others and will keep in touch with a diverse group of former students.  Staying connected and having a support structure in place when you graduate will certainly help your career foundation.
• Colleague (or former colleague) – You will work alongside many individuals throughout your career and you will learn which ones are genuine in their desire to see you succeed.  These are the people you want to associate with over the years.  Share ideas, talk about new opportunities and discuss innovative thoughts in a mentoring exchange.  You will both be working to advance each others’ careers while building up mutual respect.
• Manager (or former manager) – This is someone who has already been in your role and who has worked to overcome hurdles similar to those which you are involved with currently.  Managers often make great mentors because they not only have been in your situation before, but they have a vested interest in seeing you succeed.
• Third Party – This is a catch-all group for anyone else you may encounter.  You may have met someone through a networking event.  At a mutual friend’s gathering.  Or maybe through a social networking site.  These are excellent individuals for you to connect with because they can provide a more varied knowledge base than those who work at your company .  There may be more of a feeling out period as well as a growing trust factor.  However, these relationships may be the most valuable because of the vast range of information that you will be able to share with each other.

Who should you avoid as a mentor:

• Family Members and Friends – These will most likely be the first groups you will look towards to use as a mentor.  However, friends and family are usually not the people you want to turn to in order to get honest, impartial feedback.  Due to the nature of your relationship, it is likely that a certain level of emotion will find its way into the conversation. While it is obviously worthwhile to have an open and honest relationship with your friends and family, they are not likely to be an ideal sounding board for business and career ideas.

One common theme you will see in all of these mentoring roles is a strong need for trust.  If you are able to wholeheartedly trust your mentor and they trust that you are listening and incorporating their ideas, these are relationships that have limitless boundaries.

As important as it is for you to have strong mentors, do not forget to be a mentor to others.  Share your knowledge and experience to help others develop.  Also remember that everyone you help will become someone that will be willing to help you out when they have the chance (hopefully!).  Surrounding yourself with smart people, whether they are helping you or you are helping them, will only further help you grow.

Pay it forward.

Create a Remarkable Web Presence at Brand-Yourself.com

After identifying and consulting your mentor on a regular basis, it’s time to create a visible web presence to further benefit from this relationship. Did you know that more than half of employers are more likely to hire you if you’ve spent time developing your personal brand across social networks? To help you do this, we built a platform to manage your online reputation from one central hub. Create your Brand-Yourself account today and see how our tools can help you build, optimize and promote a remarkable web presence that gets you hired.

—
Keith McIlvaine is a Social Media Strategist within HR and Recruiting for a Fortune 500 company.  When he is not focused on leveraging social media and networking, Keith is also a personal branding coach and social media mentor.  He is passionate about his family and is a major soccer fanatic.  Follow Keith on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.  The statements I have posted on this site are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

Support me by sharing this post:

You know how it goes sometimes at networking events.

You’ve barely introduced yourself to someone new and gotten through your brand positioning statement (or 30 second pitch) when they jump in and ask you to help them with something- a formal introduction to someone at your company … or advice on who to connect with there … or something else.

What??? This complete stranger expects you to do them a favor already?

They’re not practicing “give to get” networking. They should be slowly and gently building relationships by giving of themselves, before asking for help.

Networking that benefits everyone is all about helping, sharing, finding common ground, and being a good listener.

Listening well is a powerful way to attract people to you and keep them there, ready and willing to help you, because:

• Most people love to talk about themselves and to be heard with intent interest by the listener.
• Most people are not being listened to, but crave it.
• Most people, especially at networking events, have their own agenda and are interested in your needs.
• Being listened to makes people feel valued and good about themselves.
• Most people are in such a hurry to move on to the next shiny object that they’re bowled over by someone who slows down and takes time to listen to them.

Too many people these days are overly self-absorbed and have short attention spans. Keen listening is becoming a lost art, along with so many other basic courtesies and good manners. It’s a rare personal attribute – one that is greatly valued and can differentiate you from your peers.

People remember those who give them that boost by being truly interested in what they have to say. They are much more inclined to keep considerate good listeners at the top of their mind when they hear of an opportunity that may be a good fit for them.

Are you a good listener in these important ways?

• Do you listen for cues that will tell you how you may be able to help the speaker?
• Do you keep in mind others in your network as you’re talking with people, in order to determine if they may be able to help each other?
• Do you ask questions and listen to challenges facing their companies? Maybe you’re the answer to their problems. If you’re not, maybe you know someone who is.
• Do you listen carefully to determine whether this is someone you want to network with further or if she/he is an energy-drainer who will take more than they’ll give? After all, it’s nearly impossible, and quite exhausting, to be a sounding board for everyone who needs your ear.

Your takeaway:

Good listeners set themselves up for reciprocity in networking. Being an intent listener may just make you more memorable than the powerful personal brand message you express when networking.

An Executive Personal Branding, Online Identity and Job Search Strategist, Meg is a 20-year careers industry professional and one of only a handful of people worldwide to hold both the Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategist and Master Resume Writer credentials.

“I love my work collaborating with savvy corporate leaders and entrepreneurs who know where they’re going, but need help differentiating their unique promise of value in the new world of work and executive job search, and positioning themselves to work their passion. My clients are typically c-suite, senior-level executives and rising stars.”

Find out more about Meg at Executive Career Brand, and by viewing her LinkedIn profile and following her on Twitter.

Create a Remarkable Web Presence at Brand-Yourself.com

Once you’ve improved your networking skills, it’s time to create a visible web presence to put these networking skills to use. Did you know that more than half of employers are more likely to hire you if you’ve spent time developing your personal brand across social networks? To help you do this, we built a platform to manage your online reputation froCm one central hub. Create your Brand-Yourself account today and see how our tools can help you build, optimize and promote a remarkable web presence that gets you hired.

Support me by sharing this post:

Illustration by Romolo Tassone

By now, I hope you know that networking is your key to getting a new or better job. I’ll give you a slightly different twist on the reason for this: most hiring managers aren’t too secure about their hiring abilities, so they’re predisposed to take suggestions from others. Sometimes hiring managers are just too lazy to look for the right person. And sometimes the person who’s networked into the organization showed so much imagination and fortitude that they deserve to be hired. (Hint: that should be you.)

So, let me share a basic truth about resume reviews, tests, and all the other screening “stuff” people do. These tests are designed to predict failure, not success. (And that goes for SATs and all the other tests you’ve taken over the years.) If we could predict success as easily as we can predict failure, we’d all be rich.

What does that have to do with networking, or introverts? Most of you aren’t going to get jobs by answering ads on Craigslist or trolling through HotJobs or Monster, which is where introverts like to hang out. The best way to get a job (or a better one) is to get directly to the hiring manager and plead your case. And one of the best ways to do that is by broadening your personal network at events, meetings, etc.

If you agree with that, but you’re still feeling shy, here are some suggestions:

1. 1.  Try to pick a networking venue that meets regularly. Go there a few times – it’s OK to be quiet in the first couple of meetings, but eventually, you’re going to recognize other “regulars,” and you’ll feel generally more comfortable. You’ll become more outgoing automatically.
2. 2.  Make sure you know something about the topic of the meeting – do your homework first! When I first started going to SVASE (Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs) meetings, I didn’t understand much of what people were discussing – but that changed by the 2^nd or 3^rd meeting, because I noted the hot topics, and researched them before going back.
3. Understand the dynamics of small groups – it’s easy to talk to somebody who’s standing alone. Not too bad to get into a group of two people. Much harder to get a discussion going with three people.
4. Live by the rules… I’ve written before about the six seconds you have to introduce yourself. You’ve probably been taught all about the elevator pitch, but that’s not how you introduce yourself! You need a good personal branding statement. Mine is: “Hi, I’m Walt Feigenson, and I help you get found on the Internet.” If yours is crisp and interesting, you will be invited to give your elevator pitch (and keep it to under 30 seconds!).
5. Don’t set your standards too high. Some people will network with everyone in a room, and some with just a few. It’s OK to do whatever is comfortable for you. If you meet 20-30 people in one event, you simply can’t connect with any one of them on a deep enough level to be meaningful.
6. Try to end your meet up with an action item (if the person seems interesting). This could be something as simple as a follow-up email or an oral invitation to link on LinkedIn.
7. When you get home after the event, make a note on each card you collected about where you met the person. Select the people you want to follow up with, and,,, well, you should know the rest.

Here are a couple of useful ideas for anybody, not just introverts:

• Put your picture on your business cards. It’s much easier for somebody you meet to remember your face than your name. You may think this is hokey, but it works.
• Wear your name tag on your right side, not your left. This does two things: 1) it makes it far easier for your new contact to see your name tag when you shake hands, and 2) it’s a subtle indicator that you really know something about networking.

One last thought. There’s more than one kind of networking. I do a lot of public speaking, even though I’m an introvert. For some reason, I’m more comfortable talking to a roomful of people than networking one-on-one. So my networking is through public speaking. One of the key benefits of that is that people come to you for networking, so it’s really easy to establish new friendships. There might be an analog for you, perhaps public service of some kind…Find what works, and make it happen!

Create a Remarkable Web Presence at Brand-Yourself.com

Once you’ve improved your networking skills, it’s time to create a visible web presence to put these networking skills to use. Did you know that more than half of employers are more likely to hire you if you’ve spent time developing your personal brand across social networks? To help you do this, we built a platform to manage your online reputation froCm one central hub. Create your Brand-Yourself account today and see how our tools can help you build, optimize and promote a remarkable web presence that gets you hired.

Support me by sharing this post:

1.   Writing a blog forces you to constantly research your given niche.

Until I started writing a blog on the subject, personal branding was just a thought stuck in the back of my mind that would only occasionally pop to the front.  Now, the game has changed entirely.  I constantly seek relevant articles, search Twitter, and think out loud about what my next blog post might be.

For you current bloggers out there, I am certain the same is true.  Whatever your given subject, you will approach it with more focus and passion if you dedicate a few hours every week to write about it.

Now consider a situation in which you don’t know, or more importantly don’t care, how many readers you have (if any).  Simply out of the necessity and passion to write, your day-to-day interest on your subject would still be amplified.  Constant research and knowledge building will surely help you in your endeavors, even if a set of eyes never reads the words you’ve written.

2. Writing a blog provides an unparalleled outlet to hone your writing skills.

Past Technorati data estimated the total number of bloggers worldwide at 184 million.  That may seem like a big number, but given that there are 6.7 billion people out there, bloggers represent only a small fraction of the population.  If you’re among them, you are one of the few people that actually practices writing on a regular basis.

The ability to write well is a skill that is dying out quickly.  This next generation will think 141 characters is far too long to write on any one subject.  By writing a blog, you exercise a muscle that most never use (past the moment that college diploma hits their fingertips).  Like anything else, writing takes practice, practice, and more practice – something a blog provides, readers or no readers.

3. A blog can be used down the road as proof of authority.

Imagine a situation in which you regularly write kick-ass blog posts for an entire year without ever attaining a single reader.  You see a listing for your dream job, and the role just so happens to mesh perfectly with your blog’s subject.    You submit your resume with a link to your blog, the hiring manager reads it, and she is blown away by your brilliance – you get the job with ease.  Did she care that you never amassed a following? No.  Did she even know?  Probably not.

It is funny that blogs are so closely tied to readership figures.  When I read the newspaper, or a book, I care not how many other folks have read the same piece – I only care about the words on the paper.

Use your blog first as a tool to grow, refine, and exude your authority.  Yes, the more readers the better.  Yes, blog readers may  potentially turn into long-lasting connections.  But, I hope I’ve proven that your blog can be a huge success no matter how many site visitors you happen to attain.

Ryan Rancatore can also be found on his own website, Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.

Ryan would love nothing more than to connect with you on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.

Support me by sharing this post:

Well, guess what?  It actually did happen to me this past year! Now I want to share my story with you in hopes that it will help inspire you to chase your passion.  The best part… the job I have now didn’t even exist within most companies as recently as six months ago!

I’ve been a recruiter for over 10 years, both on the agency side and the corporate side.  I love networking and connecting with people and I also like keeping updated on the latest trends for great ways to connect with people effectively.  While times and technologies have changed, I have never needed to change any of my recruiting search strategies or methodologies. Instead, I just added new tools to my arsenal and found ways to incorporate them into my overall strategy.  The newest tool in my belt: social media.

I was an early adopter of social media (within my particular team) and I used it to connect with a wide variety of individuals globally, in order to exchange ideas on a variety of topics.  I found this to be a way to expand my network and learn from a much broader group than I was previously exposed and connected to.

One day, I read a blog post that really hit home with me about how I needed to take control of my personal brand and ability to be found on the internet.  That very same day, I signed up for a few new social networking sites in order to connect with others more efficiently, to become more active in the global conversation and (most importantly) to be found.

Through my work, I enjoyed some personal success in identifying, networking with, and hiring candidates through social media. I was truly enjoying utilizing these new avenues to join conversations.  Over time, my company investigated social media for our employee-to-employee messaging.  As this new direction was being considered, I was approached to help lead our global social media recruitment  strategy, including its implementation and execution.  This truly was a dream job opportunity for me and it is something so impactful that I am already finding myself directly affecting my company’s message to the market. 

I have always worked to positively impact my company and convey our brand and message in my daily recruitment activities, but now to be able to do this on a much broader scale is completely humbling, yet energizing; that I was selected to help lead this effort is something that I am incredibly enthusiastic about.  The fact that I was able to expand my field of expertise and responsibilities while staying with the same employer is an added bonus!

My recommendation to all of you is to follow your passion.  Identify what it is that motivates you and will allow you to do your job better and more effectively.  Also, determine how it may impact your day-to-day activities in a positive way so that it is not distracting you from your objectives.  Discuss your objectives with your manager to figure out how you might best accomplish them while increasing your own productivity and that of your team. 

The most important thing to remember is to be active. Sitting around and waiting for that job to fall into your lap is not the optimal strategy here.  Your dream job is out there, but if you don’t take steps to find it, someone else may beat you to it!

Support me by sharing this post:

One of the most challenging parts of the job search process is breaking through the clutter and getting noticed by employers. This is especially true when it comes to the interview.  While being selected for an interview may mean that you are one of the top candidates that the company would like to investigate further, you are now going up against other top candidates like yourself.  How do you differentiate yourself from the crowd?

Here are five tips from both me and four fellow career experts to help you more effectively stand out, or “brand” out, in your interviews:

1.    Be sure to have your personal brand and pitch ready to communicate to your interviewer(s). Having a one-to-three-word personal brand and supporting pitch not only makes you look more professional, but also makes you more memorable when answering questions like, “Tell me about yourself,” and/or “Why should we pick you?”  It provides you the opportunity to more concisely present your unique and differentiating value and more importantly to be remembered for it.  Your interviewers aren’t going to remember everything you say in your interview, but they are much more likely to remember a strongly-communicated personal brand and how well everything else you said reinforced and supported it. - Chris Perry, CareerRocketeer.com

2.    Did you know that getting a job today is based on 70% presentation and only 30% skills and abilities? In order to help applicants stand out from the hundreds they are competing against for that ONE POSITION, I always coach my clients to bring a “First Impressions Binder” to the interview. This binder showcases your resume, awards, letters of recommendation, bio, any articles or white papers you have written, and the research that you did on the prospective company.  The binder with “view thru” cover allows you to slip a custom cover into the binder with the company’s logo, your name, date, and person with whom you are interviewing. It shows that you can focus on detail, you have supporting documentation and you did the research before showing up for the interview. - Angie Maizlish, WordsImpress.com

3.    You must instill trust by making a personal connection. Interviewees need to connect with their interviewers in order to instill trust.  There are three behaviors that can help interviewees instill trust almost instantly:  (1) make eye contact and try to smile with your eyes, (2) be sincere and, if appropriate, offer compliment that you really mean about the company, why you want to work there, etc., and (3) be a person with whom a conversation is easy (i.e., even though you are possibly nervous, try to avoid looking overly anxious in your body language and speech).  Remember that an interview is still a conversation, an interactive communication between two people and, as humans, trust is critical. - Paula Caligiuri, PaulaCaligiuri.com

4.    My first interview tip is to use stories. Every human being, including hiring managers, loves a good story.  People who tell good stories are memorable and compelling.  So if the interviewer asks, “What is your greatest strength (or weakness)?” or “Why did you get into this line of work?”, answer in the form of a short, one-minute-or-less, story.  In fact, aim for three sentences.  Sentence #1 is the set-up, usually a problem of some kind (“my company was losing money on inventory”).  Sentence #2 is the action or what you did to solve the problem (“I designed a new system to track incoming and outgoing shipments”).  Sentence #3 is the happy ending with you as hero (“after a year our inventory costs went down 50%”).  Your story can be longer than three sentences, but strive for short!   Practice your stories until you can tell them quickly and clearly. - Karen Burns, KarenBurnsWorkingGirl.com

5.    When interviewing with multiple people from the same company separately, do not ask the same questions of each person. They will talk and it will look very unimaginative that you asked the same question as well looking like you can’t think on your feet or make a connection with each individual interviewer. Make each interviewer feel special by asking specific questions to their position or what topic they are talking to you about. Also, come prepared with questions! Sounds basic but so many people don’t do it! At the end of an interview if they ask you if you have any questions, that’s still an interview question. Look smart, ask insightful questions. It will make you look like you are really processing what the interviewer has said and are internalizing this information to determine whether it’s a good fit for you and them. - Jennifer Spencer, Spencer-Group.com

Special thanks to these experts for their contributions!

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing “generator,” a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer and Launchpad.

Support me by sharing this post: