You’re a smart fella.  You worked hard in school, participated in some meaningful activities, and dutifully read the Brand-Yourself blog every day.  Fortunately for you, all of your efforts have paid off, and you have some interviews scheduled! Now, everything on your resume no longer matters.  The only thing standing between you and that dream job is a friendly conversation with a hiring manager.  You only have a limited time to impress them, so listen up! 

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.

A couple weeks ago I met my friend Martha for lunch at our local Red Robin. Martha is quite particular in her food choices which is why we always meet for lunch there. In the last four years I have known her, she has never ordered something other than a cheeseburger without the cheese. And apparently Red Robin happens to have the best cheese-less cheeseburger in Oklahoma. (I wouldn’t know, I’m more of a California Burger or Pita Wrap kind of gal). While we were sitting enjoying our burgers, fries, and discussing our careers and family lives, I realized the connection.

• Resumes are subjective. So are cheeseburgers, hamburgers, boca burgers, etc. Some hiring managers prefer an objective, others are particular about a cover letter, and some have no opinion whatsoever. I once had a hiring manager who would not interview any candidate who misspelled a state abbreviation. If you were a candidate with the right credentials but accidentally wrote Missouri’s state abbreviation as MI instead of MO, you were out of luck. So proofread, pay attention to details, and make sure to cover all your bases.
• Preferences matter. Because recruiters, hiring managers, and human resource professionals spend approximately 10-15 seconds skimming your resume, you need to make a great first impression. What is extremely important is to read the job description and understand the specific instruction outlined as to how to apply. Some applications request that you list your salary expectations while others do not. These guidelines are extremely important.
• Go bold or go home. Some hiring managers like burgers that sizzle. It is important to consider what style, format, and type of resume that is acceptable for your industry, position, or company you are applying for. For example, Jeff Nelson is a marketing director with a very creative and unusual resume. I located his resume after doing a keyword search on Google using the words, “hamburger resume.” Some companies want a little spice with colorful graphics, fonts, and formats while more conservative companies and industries prefer a more standardized format like Guy Macon’s, an electrical engineer which I found using the keyword search “my engineering resume.” Both these examples were found on the first page of the Google keyword search and illustrate how powerful resumes and keywords are when posting your resume online.
• Stay positive & focused. Not every cheeseburger is someone’s favorite, and not every resume appeals to every hiring manager. What is important is to be yourself and articulate your uniqueness and experiences through your resume. Stay inward focused, but look for ways to improve your plating & presentation skills by refining your resume, cover letter, or even your interview. As a candidate, you are focused on yourself and can fail to see the ingredients or characteristics that attract others. Ask people you trust, heed expert advice and get outside opinions to help you refine your recipe.

Photo Credit FindaLink

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media.  She has over 10 years of experience in human resources & recruiting.

Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting.   Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business will be released in February 2010.  Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

I hope that everyone is enjoying our interview series about professionals getting jobs because of their proactive use of social media! Today I have the honor of introducing you to Gwen Darling who has a very interesting, unique and inspiring story of how she got a job offer because of LinkedIn. In this story you will see how Gwen started in the early days of the Internet, absorbed all the knowledge she could, took a monumental risk that paid off and how she rose to the top to where she is now. All of this and more below!

What is your background and area of expertise?

My background is quite eclectic – as an English major I always sought creative opportunities that would also pay the bills.  Sometimes those are hard to find!  In 1996 I found myself the divorced single mother of 2 little girls, and knew I needed to find a way to leverage my creative talents and my innate knack for all things “techie.” I applied for a job with a very small company that had the vision to purchase domain names for all the nearby recreational lakes, and off I went to attempt to sell 3-page Web sites to Mom and Pop lakeside motel owners.  The problem was, the Internet was so new, no one knew what a Web site was (I was learning, too!), let alone how it could help them boost sales, so I found myself doing more educating than selling.  Of course that was back in the days of dial-up, and it took FOREVER to do a demo, so I figured out pretty quickly that this wasn’t going to be the road to riches, but I discovered I had a knack for explaining technical concepts in layman’s terms.

About that time, I ran across a company online called the “Mining Company,” which is now About.com.  Their Internet for Beginners Guide spot was available, so I applied and got the job, where I stayed for over three years, working remotely.  I had no idea how fortunate I was at the time – talk about learning the ropes from the master! As Guides, we had access to Internet visionaries who taught us about Content Management Systems, SEO, building community thru discussion boards and chat, e-commerce, affiliate programs, etc.  It was an unparalleled opportunity that set me on my career course in a very clear direction after that.  I emerged from that position in 2000 armed with knowledge and expertise that was tough to beat at that point in time.

Where did you work previously too your current job?

I worked for five years as President of Therapon Skin Health, originally hired to transform the company from a brick and mortar model to an Internet-based model.  Once that was accomplished, I left to direct the Sales and Marketing arm of a Travel Nurse company, where I stayed for two years.  It was the travel nurse company that I left in 2006 to strike out on my own.

You had six-months of savings and a lot of determination, but zero clients when you left you corporate job of a six-figure salary. Why did you take the risk and how did you know what to do?

My decision to leave was multi-faceted.  My two girls were now teenagers and I was very concerned that my leave early and come home late schedule would allow them a bit too much freedom, and I felt like our connection was getting lost in the shuffle of my professional commitments. I knew it was important to know their friends and their schedules, etc., but that was tough to do when I was gone all day.  Additionally, after having the authority to make decisions, and make them quickly at my previous position, the travel nurse company was set up such that the CEO had to approve all but the smallest decisions – company-wide.   It was extremely inefficient, and kept many of us from achieving the success we thought was possible.  I left work every day extremely frustrated.  So…I had one of those turning point moments – took my dogs for a long walk, decided I was tired of making money for everyone else, and set the wheels in motion the next day.  I went to Barnes and Noble and stocked up on “How to be a Consultant” books, set up an LLC, and two months later, let the Board know of my decision to leave.  To be honest, I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do – I just had a “life is too short” to be unhappy breakthrough, and was determined to make it work.  Somehow. 

How did you hear about LinkedIn and what were you first thoughts when you joined it?

I first read about LinkedIn in my favorite business magazine that is now defunct, Business 2.0.  (CNN article on LinkedIn).  It was free to set up a profile, and I thought it made great sense, since I figured the reach of the LinkedIn network could only benefit me, much like the About.com network works to drive traffic to its individual Guide sites.  I wasn’t pinning any great hopes on it, though – just another spoke in the wheel.

Did you know what you were doing when you first signed up for LinkedIn and the potential behind it?

I’ve always been a “what if…” kind of thinker, and I did see the potential of the LinkedIn network, but it was more of a “aw hell, why not, it’s free” kind of decision.

How did the job opportunity present itself and develop?

About two months after posting my profile (and pretty much forgetting that I did), I got an email from some guy in Boston who was starting a healthcare staffing company – both travel nurses and Healthcare IT professionals. He had found my profile doing a keyword search and asked if he could call me.  Long story short, we talked, we clicked, and he asked me to come to Boston to meet with their company.  Turns out, the Chairman of this company ended up being an industry legend that I had read about and admired for a long time! All went well, and I was placed on retainer to help them with their marketing efforts – both online and offline.   As the company grew, it became clear that the Healthcare IT focus was the future of the company, and so I was introduced to the industry that is now my main focus!

Where do you work now and how has it changed your life?

After seeing a need in the industry, I launched a new resource in May that is now my primary project – HealthcareITCentral.com, a Career Center for Healthcare IT job seekers who are looking for their next opportunity, and Healthcare IT employers who are seeking them.  In addition to the Job Board, the site features many other resources for Healthcare IT professionals to learn more about the industry and how to successfully land and keep their “dream” job, and because of my extensive marketing background, I am able to offer Healthcare IT recruiters a comprehensive online strategy for attracting the best candidates.  In other words, this is my dream situation.  I am my own boss, call my own shots, am able to be both creative (I write a weekly blog for Healthcare Informatics magazine) and “techie,” and have a great deal of flexibility since I can work anywhere where I can get a few bars on my cell phone and an Internet connection.  My kids, who are now 19 and 17, have survived their teenage years intact, and so have I!  And I can say, with 100% certainty, I would not be in this Ideal situation if it weren’t for LinkedIn. (All that being said, though, this has not been an easy transition.  I am just now starting to gain the kind of traction I’ll need to get back up to where I was financially when I left corporate life – there have been a lot of sacrifices along the way – but all worth it.)

Now that you are a social media success story, what advice do you have for everyone else trying to do the same thing?

Developing a social media presence can be overwhelming – there are so many components and it can easily become such a time drain!  I frequently advise clients to develop a social media strategy before they jump in.  Actually I wrote a blog post to that effect:  http://tinyurl.com/ylnhxgu. It’s important to strategically develop your network, connecting with those people who can help you, but it’s also equally important to connect with those who you might be able to help, as well.  I am a firm believer in the “pay it forward” approach to life – and social media is a perfect place to put that approach into play.

Closing Thoughts

Wow, that is an amazing story! As you can see, Gwen leveraged her knowledge and experience in order to secure the job. LinkedIn was merely the means to get the foot in the door but it was her hard-work and determination that landed her the position. Check out Gwen’s LinkedIn Profile for for information and insight.

Interviewing is something that is going to take practice and preparation no matter how experienced you are in the job search process.  When you are in the interview you never know what type of interview it will be or what off the wall questions a potential employer might ask you.

It is important to realize the position of the person across the table from you when you are in an interview.  The potential employer is looking to find insight into how you act on your feet, how well you can think through problems and all in all how well you would work within the company.

After that initial realization of everyone’s expectations here are 5 tips to help you figure out how to interview well.

How to interview well

1. Don’t launch into your answers. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts then give a good answer rather than a fast answer.
2. Practice practice practice. I cannot emphasize how important it is to get comfortable being asked questions and having to respond.  You do not want the interview to be the place you are being asked your first questions on the spot.
3. Know your strengths. It is important to show off in the interview what you are good at.  This helps you control the conversation a bit more and makes sure that you cover the important topics.
4. Stay calm. No matter what happens it is important that you stay calm.  You are in a tough position, you want to stay relaxed and roll with the punches.
5. Know your employer. This is probably one of the most important aspects of how to interview well.  You need to know something about your employer.  If you can’t do the research up front they will think you don’t care.  It should only take 15 minutes on the web to discover some important news.

Interviewing well is not something that is going to come easy.  It is important that you figure out how to interview well early on so that you do not miss job opportunities.

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