Not all hiring managers are great at the interviewing process. I know of very few who participate in any kind of training to get better at conducting effective and meaningful interviews. Most just shoot from the hip and invent in the moment. This approach doesn’t always help you.

You need the hiring manager to be skilled at hosting a great interview so you can share what you need to about your performance and capabilities, learn enough about the organization to help you make a good choice about the job, and show you are a good fit for the role. This creates a problem for many of today’s job seekers – a problem you need to take control of.

Consider the following to ensure the interview is an effective use of time for both of you – to show what you are capable of, create a strong impression of yourself, and learn enough about the organization to know if you fit:

1. Be confident in your spoken and body language. Speak clearly and confidently. Sit up straight. Walk confidently. Shake hands firmly while making eye contact. Create the image you want them to remember.
2. Notice your environment. Relate something you see in the interviewer’s office, space or building that creates a personal connection or directs you to sharing something important about your performance. Notice awards, portraits, photos, products, etc. and find a connection.
3. Share two important things you learned in researching the company. Say something about the company that shows you have done your work ahead, and that will also move the interview to discuss something important about your performance. For example, “I see you have recently expanded into France. The international customers I worked with in my last two roles had significantly different expectations than Americans. Can I tell you what I did that was successful?”
4. Identify three critical things about your performance the hiring manager needs to know and prepare a way to ensure they are discussed. If the hiring manager does not ask about something you feel to be important, you could say, “I believe that…” and then share a performance perspective. Or, you can say, “I have a question about the way you…” and relate it to how you have handled a similar situation. You now direct the discussion to something important about your performance.

I have been through many interviews over my career where the hiring manager wasted both my time and his/hers. I make it my responsibility to use the interview time effectively and to ensure the hiring manager knows critical performance information about me. Be ready to take control of the interview if you need to.

For sample talent-based interview questions and my list of the hot industries and hot jobs, go to www.LiveFiredUp.com and click on “Job Seeker.”

Please share this with someone who can benefit from it. Contact me if you need my help.