Interview specifics...GET THE JOB BY BEING READY FOR THE INTERVIEW!

Interviews by telephone and those in person are both chances for you to shine, and with a bit of preparation and anticipation they can be things that add a sense of urgency to the mind of a potential employer about the need to hire you/keep the interview process going.  Many parts of the interview are things you can successfully anticipate and practice for, and devoting some time to the predictable ingredients is well worth the time and effort!  This post imagines a scenario when it is a one on one interview, but I'll post a blog about panel interview dynamics in the near future.

For telephone interviews, I ALWAYS encourage clients to have a page with as many possible comfortable answers to the predictable questions on it, answers that address the exact question and play up your candidacy with action words and experience examples that will help.  Why NOT do this?  You should practice delivering these answers so they don't wind on too long, or just give clipped, non-interesting responses when more is called for.  Ideally, have someone who has had some interview experience listen to your answers and give you some feedback on both content and length.  Of course, it shouldn't sound as if you are reading from a sheet, so that's something to practice, as well.  What clients have often found is that by practicing and having the sheet with them, they didn't refer to it much, but having it there gave them a sense of comfort and if they got flustered or nervous, there it was for easy reference. Info about the company that you have located through your own research is also a super idea to have on this sheet, you are ready with gentle "arrows in the quiver" to expand the conversation with related information YOU bring up. 

First off, getting the greeting and introductory phase of the interview set is the way to set a launch pad for the rest of it being successful.  Make sure you are clear on the person's name and use the name every so often, but not every sentence! The interviewer will ask how you are, and having a planned, pleasant and easy response to this basic query is important, to give you a chance to settle in to the interview and to mentally clue the interviewer in that you understand what's expected of you.  Asking them in a similar fashion how they are (and waiting for them to answer and then responding briefly) is also a type of social convention that the more you engage in, the interviewer continues to think "Yes on hiring this person." 

Moving into the heart of the interview, there will probably be early questions about why you think you should work for the company.  Being prepared to show you know your own strengths is critical, and weaving some information about the company needs that shows you have looked at their website and their upcoming events and press releases or news stories about them and can give this information back in a concise fashion will continue to burnish your image with the person you are speaking to.  Here is where you are not boastful but confident and secure in your abilities and past work, and can speak about it without embarrassment or reluctance.  If you can't give them reasons to hire you, who can?

Working in bits and pieces of the research you did about the company is also a key move.  Don't just talk about what they bring up about the company, show that you went out on your own to find out more and that you can bring up items that relate to what's being talked about at the pertinent times.  I'm not saying you should ignore their questions and control the conversation, I'm saying that having command of a wide range of topics that relate to the company and their past, present, and future is a characteristic that will separate you from other people who are not as resourceful and forward-thinking.  These things fit well on the prep page I mentioned earlier, by the way.

You will be asked "Do you have any questions for me?"  HAVE SOME!  If the interview has gone on a long time, maybe one or two are enough.  If it's been short-ish, here is where you control the extension of time and your exposure.  Questions about the extra information you found out through research before the interview can be used here, and also a variation on "Well, in your experience at COMPANY, what are some personal qualities (or work style characteristics, or personal values, or habits, etc) that successful people at COMPANY have had?"  Then, when they answer, follow up by connecting your qualities/characteristics/values/habits with the ones they mentioned, with examples of you exhibiting them if possible.  By doing this, you get some personal insights from the person, and then align yourself with things that mattered to them...more "Yes on hiring this person."

When they signal that the interview is winding down, be clear on what the next steps might be, whether they need anything else from you, and if you have mentioned something about your past and sending some sort of report copy or work product to them be sure to get the right email or mailing address so you can do this promptly.  Be clear on when you can expect to hear from them, or if they are waiting for something from you. Thank them for the time and attention, and sign off.  IT'S NOT OVER, HOWEVER!  Sending a thank you note (ideally handwritten, but emailed is better than nothing) right away is crucial!  Don't start with "Thank you for ...," start with something like "I was happy to speak with you earlier today about the POSITION NAME..." and then go on, with a thank you somewhere later.  Mention something that was helpful about the conversation, or something that impressed you about the talk, or a factoid that came up, so that it is clear that the note was written after the interview and that you were paying attention.  Get it sent, then wait for the next communication that the interview indicated, and give it "some time to breathe."

Congratulate yourself on a job well done, and then get to work applying for another gig and setting up another interview with another company rather than resting on your achievement...you are HOT and in a groove...stay that way with continued effort until a job offer than you accept comes to you!  DON'T LET UP! 

Entry level or part time work? KEEP IT SIMPLE AND LOCAL

When someone is looking for an entry level or part-time job, "keeping it simple" may be something that eludes them.  What I mean by "simple" is trying to find a job that is close to where you live, or really easy to reach if you have to commute a bit.  These jobs are not going to be the only job you have in your lifetime; you'll be taking them to get experience, learn "how to work," and start filling out a resume and having some work time that you can talk about when it comes time to apply somewhere else.  So, rather than make it challenging to be on time and add hassles to your new job, why not try and find a position that is close by and relatively easy to reach?

I'm not suggesting you take a terrible job just because it's close.  I am suggesting that you start the search by walking to businesses that are near where you live and seeing if they have "Help Wanted" signs in the windows, stopping in and asking a manager if they are hiring (rehearse this before you try it and keep it brief) and getting an application or advice how to apply if it's via an online source, or making a list of spots that are close and then going home and doing some internet research to see if the company website has information on open jobs and how to apply.

When you have covered the walkable places, what's the next level of "easy to get to?"  Is it a brief bike ride or car trip?  Can you get to other businesses via reliable public transit? Finding spots that you can get to easily goes back to that idea of "keeping it simple."  When you speak to someone about a possible position, MAKE SURE you let them know that you live close by, or can get to the job easily...no doubt they have hired folks in the past who had problems getting there and may not have lasted, so you separating yourself from this bunch by mentioning your proximity is already starting to get the employer saying "YES" to your possible employability.  

Bringing up things like the fact that you live close by, have come to the store/business before and liked it, and/or have had an interest in working there for a prolonged period of time are all examples of things that are worth mentioning when you speak to someone about a job.  By saying these things, it keeps edging you towards the moment when the employer will decide that taking the chance of hiring you is worth it, so SAY THESE THINGS rather than just figuring "Oh, she will see my address on the resume" or "he has probably seen me in here buying stuff."  Don't leave helpful things unsaid! 

"It takes all kinds" never truer than now!

"Diversity" is a catchword that in quite en vogue these days, and in addition to other kinds of diversity, "neuro diversity" is a goal of many places of employment.  People coming at work from different mental places and with different abilities is a highly valuable scenario that is beneficial for the work and the company, but one something possible applicants with unique abilities and personal characteristics may miss considering and undervalue. 

Hiring people with their own approaches is a low risk move that companies have become more comfortable with as the years have gone by.  As long as you "fit in" enough to be someone that they evaluate as being able to do the work and be someone that does not unduly upset their established corporate culture, they will probably be open to letting you take the position and prove yourself.  Additionally, depending on the position, the options of working at home or at a remote location are possibly available and ones that open even more doors for people with unique abilities or evolving personalities.

The takeaway from this post is to not be afraid or intimidated by having unconventional habits, unique social skills, or personal "quirks" that define you.  Surveying the job landscape and company options and finding ones that "allow you to be you" while getting the work done in a variety of ways might be easier than you think, and don't let the unknown rule your job search with fear and doubts.  You have the right to apply, pursue the job, and be involved in a mutual evaluation of whether the position is right for you and vice versa.

What a boring place any spot is where everyone is expected to act a certain way...your uniqueness may add to your charm and endear you to the people making hiring decisions and your potential co-workers, as long as you apply yourself to the tasks at hand and always try to help others when you can!  Your specific "neuro diversity" may be just what they need! 

Being accountable to others in job hunt...KEY IDEA

It's helpful to consider allowing other people to aid you in your job hunt by letting someone else know what you are trying to do with regard to the search, and when this step should be done.  For instance, if you are compiling a rough list of places locally that you want to apply, let the person aiding you know how many places you want to target (maybe 10 to start?), and when this lest should be done (next Monday).  Then, when next Tuesday comes around, they should ask you how the list is looking.  This simple act of making yourself accountable to someone else can really be a positive step in establishing some inertia to get the needed tasks accomplished, and to realize that it just won't be yourself that you might be letting down if you don't meet your goal timelines. 

If the goals are not being met in a timely way, maybe the expectation of how much time the task might take is off, or you are in need of some guidance.  Ideally, the person checking in with you might be able to offer some guidance and help, or at least sit with you and watch how you are trying to get the task done and then give some suggestions to improve the completion possibility.

It's not a nag or someone else to hassle you that you are setting up, it's a support and a person that has your best interests at heart and will take pride in your success and small steps towards a larger, satisfying whole.  Consider it a modified "buddy system," but rather than holding your hand, they are helping propel you forward, towards a more effective and happy life and one where your goals are met, little bit by little bit!