Interview with a Preponderance of Proof

by Kevin Donlin - Guaranteed Resumes - Click for Info

When preparing for your next job interview, try to be like the lawyer I once read about. One of his legal assistants told him: "I think we've prepared enough evidence for you to prove your case." The attorney lunged across the table, grabbed the assistant by the throat, and said: "Don't you ever send me into a courtroom with 'enough' proof. I want a preponderance of proof!"

To convince employers that hiring you would be a terrific idea, you need more than "enough" proof in your next interview. Go in there with a preponderance of proof.

Here are three ways to do that.

1) Use testimonials

The best print ads and infomercials all feature testimonials from satisfied customers, who have used and benefited from the product. You can -- and should -- bring testimonials to your next job interview in the form of letters of recommendation, good performance reviews, awards, newspaper clippings, etc. These "testimonials" work because they're a third-party endorsement of you and your skills. It's one thing for you to say: "I'm a real team player." It's quite another to prove it by showing a letter from a former boss, saying: "Sally is a real team player."

2) Do your homework

Nothing impresses hiring managers like a candidate who knows their company. If you research your target employer and bring that material with you to the job interview, you'll make a tremendous impression. One candidate, LeRoy, in the book "Proof of Performance," by Rick Nelles, called the clients and competitors of one company to gather background data. He also spent half a day riding around town with a sales rep. The hiring manager was stunned ... and offered LeRoy a job during the first interview.

3) Your attitude can make the difference

Before you can convince others to hire you, you must convince yourself. I spoke with a client yesterday who was "surprised" and "uncomfortable" when it came time to discuss her strengths, weaknesses and accomplishments during an interview. To overcome this, practice your 30-second response to this question: Why should I hire you? This will force you to come up with a cogent explanation of why you're special. And it will get you into the habit of talking about yourself more comfortably. Which will help develop the winning attitude necessary to ace your next job interview.

Best of luck to you!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes.

Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.

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