12 Most Imperative Steps to Changing Your Career

Changing your career isn’t easy — but when it’s time, no other solution is sufficient replacement. There are a few signs and guideposts along the way that let you know in not-so-subtle form that you’re due.
For instance, have you been nursing a bored, slightly resentful dread in the pit of your stomach for the last few months of work? Watching the clock tick slower and slower each day? Or just plain disengaged, antsy and dreamy about all the other things you’d rather be doing?
There could be more subtle signs as well. Things like: realizing you don’t want to get promoted and become your boss; spending more and more time working on your side hustle (and seeing sustainable results that you could transfer into a full-time gig); drinking every night to soften the edges nicely sharpened by time spent at work.
Whatever the case, there are 12 important steps to take to make your career change:

1. Know thyself

Socrates wasn’t wrong. The rightest navigation to your True North starts from within. You want to make the right career change, not just a knee jerk reaction to a misplaced urge to leave your mean boss once and for all. If you don’t know yourself intimately — including what your values, vision, skills and talents are — you can’t build a fulfilling and successful career.

2. Career change or vacation?

Figure out if you really need a career change: Do you need a new role within your company, a similar job in a new company or an entirely new career? There is a difference in being fed up with your boss and being poorly placed in the wrong role.
One key indicator that we coaches use to determine if you need a career change or just need a break is to figure out if you’re tired or drained. Tired requires more rest and relaxation. It means you’ve been working hard without giving yourself the required time to rejuvenate.
Drained is an indication that you’re not just tired, but actually bone dry. What you’re doing at work is in no way providing you the stimulation and fulfillment that you require. Every day you return to that work is leaking out any juice you were able to replenish with sleep, a glass of wine and a good dinner.
Drained is like exhaustion. And as David Whyte says, “the antidote for exhaustion is not necessarily rest… [it is] wholeheartedness.” That means finding work and a career that you can engage with wholeheartedly.

3. Assess yourself

If you do decide you want to change your career, it will be tremendously helpful to evaluate your values, skills, personality and interests using self assessment tools. Sign up to take the Meyers Briggs test and other skills assessment tests or hire a career coach to help you figure out the bigger picture of who you are.

4. Keep a career journal

It’s also important to know what your strengths and weaknesses are. You can’t figure this out from a test, however. You have to find it for yourself. The smartest way to do this comes from Markus Buckingham who tells us that a strength is that which makes us stronger. Brilliant, right? So figure out, what makes you lit up, strong, buzzed, engaged or as if time disappeared? Conversely, when do you feel weak, drained, despondent, or disengaged?
Keep a log or journal to track the times you feel strong and weak so you have a written record of each and know, concretely, what your strengths and weaknesses are.

5. Brainstorm

After you’ve taken time to figure out who you are, what you want, what you’re good at and when you’re at your best, you’re now ready to sit down with pen and paper (or blank screen) and write down every single idea that comes to mind for what you might do for work. Don’t discriminate. In fact, do this over the course of a few days or a week so you give your brain time to explore like a curious anthropologist.
You could even take it a step further and ask people for ideas. Do a few online searches. Be open to both the realistic and fantastical right now. Treat this as a curiosity and idea gathering exercise.

6. Research

Once you have your list of ideas, pare down your choices by filtering them through what you know of your values, vision, strengths and weaknesses. Then, do research on your top choices. Find out the particulars like the needed skills and background, education requirements and average salary. Using LinkedIn, find out who you know that already has a similar career, or who knows others that are in that career. Make a list of the people you can talk to.

7. Commit

Now you have a short list of options. Before going forward, it’s important to check in with yourself and your commitment levels.
Up to this point you’ve been quietly collecting data, no more. From here on out, that will change. Check in with yourself now to reassess if you still want to change your career or simply change the company you work for.
If you’re sure you want a career change, excellent! Make the commitment to see this through.

8. Gather support

Changing your career is exhilarating, but it can be exhausting, too. While you hold down the job you already have, you’ll be taking on another: the job search. You’ll need support, especially from those closest to you. Have a conversation with your spouse or partner and make sure they support your decision. Share your ideas with your best friend and closest family members. Tell them all that you’ll likely need to call on them for support in the coming weeks or months as you change your life and career.

9. Make it public

Once you have your inner circle supporting you and you’ve shored up your resources, it’s time to take it public. You’ll want to write a simple, to-the-point letter telling people what you’re up to, why and what you need.
Take that info and tidy it up into a brief email that you could send out to everybody you know telling them what you want to do and asking them for help in the way of a) suggestions, support, and good mojo and, b) introductions to people they know that you can chat with for 15 minutes.
Know that you’ll likely need a few different iterations of that email. What you send to your aunt in Duluth is not the same one you’d send to your former colleague.

10. Say “yes”

Once you’ve reached out and started telling your people what you’re up to and what you’re heading towards, you’ll be surprised at the options and opportunities that start coming your way. Don’t worry if it doesn’t come at you all at once— keep sending emails and making phone calls to people on your list. Taking risks pays off. You will gain traction. And when you do, be prepared to say “Yes.” Say yes to coffees, lunches, informational interviews and telephone chats. Say yes to introductions and referrals, even if it doesn’t seem directly related or you don’t see the immediate connection. You never know what conversation or meeting will lead you to the opportunity that is just right for you.

11. Invest daily

Think of your career change as a piggy bank. With just a tiny slot on its back, it’s impossible to give your piggy bank a cash infusion. It’s one-coin-at-a-time, patiently and methodically. Then, one day without you noticing, it’s full.
Instead of infusing a few weeks with all of your intense, passionate desire to change careers, look at it as a long term investment. It will likely take time. And that time might not fit your preferred timeframe.

12. Face fear

We’ve all experienced this. You open up to an idea, apply your energy and smarts and then, Zoom! You’re swept up into momentum. Things start happening more quickly than you expected or in ways you didn’t predict. Suddenly, out of surprise and discomfort, you’re hitting the brakes. This is fear at work.
Know that this might happen. Likely, it will. So when it shows up, be ready for it. When you find yourself procrastinating, making excuses, complaining or criticizing when direct action or decision making is a far smarter option — take heed. Recognize it for what it is and choose differently.
Many people ask how long a career change can (or should) take. My answer is, it depends. It depends on many factors including the energy and time you can put into your change, the resources you have available to you, and whether or not you need to learn new skills to qualify for the career you want to transition into.
More important than how long it will take, remember to stay focused on why you’re choosing the change. You’re making this decision for a reason, and probably a very good one that. It’s worth taking your time and creating something meaningful for yourself.

12 Most “Must Attain” Traits for Today’s Unemployed

Today’s job market is the most challenging the US has faced in living memory. To many, the path their predecessors from Generation X and the Baby Boomers took (go to college… get a degree… get a good job) – looks like a fairy tale written millennia ago.

What to do? Settle for being under-employed, move back home with parents… go back to grad school and incur even more student loan debt? Sit around and wait for economy to improve? Put our futures off… to the future?

For those that are succeeding despite the challenging times, the answer is an emphatic “none of the above”.

For the rare few who have beaten the odds to succeed – there seems to be a shared set of skills and personal characteristics that undoubtedly set them apart.

The best news: the clear pattern in this list of traits shows that none of them are “given” – that is to say that these characteristics are not inherited through our parents or bestowed upon us by professors, supervisors or spouses. These “12 Most” traits that can be acquired and developed by anyone – and relatively quickly.

1. Confidence and Charisma

Think you have to be a textbook example of an extrovert to show confidence and charisma? Wrong. Not all of us are Lady Gaga or Oprah – we exude confidence in our own ways, sometimes quietly – and other times, God help us.

2. Serve as Teacher and Student

We love to teach. We love to learn. In today’s workforce and entrepreneurial world, those who may employ or work with us want to know we can do both, simultaneously.

3. The Desire – even the Need – to Communicate

Choose your weapon: in-person, email, phone, social media – or preferably all of the above. Effective communication with others – sometimes in the instant form – is expected. No… it’s demanded.

4. Problem Solving

Anyone can panic when a challenge arises. Employers want to know you can use data points, common sense and poise to rise above a problem – and turn into as much of a positive as possible.

5. Balance of Passion

No one wants to work with a Type A, matriarchal, Omarosa-type. Balance your passion – and expect and enable others to do the same. Golden rule: 50% life; 50% making a living.

6. Respect for Social Issues

A healthy respect for social issues and the desire to improve their world – both in your immediate environment and in a global sense – shows you are well grounded and you understand “big picture” issues.

7. Self-Discipline

Your personal drama, the 2,412 friends you have on Facebook, Halo 4 and designing your next tattoo should not be distractions. At work, you work. Period.

8. Barriers Not Allowed

Your refusal to allow any barriers to impede your success – including gender, culture, economics and education – is a sure sign you are willing to fight for what you believe in, even when it would be easier to quit.

9. Integrity

This is a simple issue in the workplace: 1) say what you’re going to do; 2) do it before you said you’d have it done. That’s it. (Okay-okay… some old school ethics help quite a bit, too. If you wouldn’t do it in church in front of your grandmother – don’t do it at work!)

10. Independent Thought and Teamwork

These two terms are not mutually exclusive. Employers know that “group-think” and being a “yes man” do not make for creative, complimentary teams. State your position. At the same time, make sure your ideas expand the effort to accomplish team goals.

11. Humility

Think you can’t be all these things – and be humble, too? Wrong. Your humility inspires others to speak up, shows you are willing to take a step back and that the team mission is more important than you (which makes you a great role model).

12. Leadership

See “Humility” above.

Don’t have all these traits and skills now? Of course you don’t – not many do. So focus on three or four of them you don’t feel confident about right now. Then set your sites on mastering three or four – plus those you already possess – will put you far ahead of 95% of your workplace competition.

The first step: Surround yourself with the human spirit that embodies these traits – and be coach-able. You’ll begin to emulate and build these traits in yourself, work through each day with greater inspiration – and maintain a clearer focus on building your future.

12 Most Imperative Steps to Changing Your Career

Changing your career isn’t easy — but when it’s time, no other solution is sufficient replacement. There are a few signs and guideposts along the way that let you know in not-so-subtle form that you’re due.
For instance, have you been nursing a bored, slightly resentful dread in the pit of your stomach for the last few months of work? Watching the clock tick slower and slower each day? Or just plain disengaged, antsy and dreamy about all the other things you’d rather be doing?
There could be more subtle signs as well. Things like: realizing you don’t want to get promoted and become your boss; spending more and more time working on your side hustle (and seeing sustainable results that you could transfer into a full-time gig); drinking every night to soften the edges nicely sharpened by time spent at work.
Whatever the case, there are 12 important steps to take to make your career change:

1. Know thyself

Socrates wasn’t wrong. The rightest navigation to your True North starts from within. You want to make the right career change, not just a knee jerk reaction to a misplaced urge to leave your mean boss once and for all. If you don’t know yourself intimately — including what your values, vision, skills and talents are — you can’t build a fulfilling and successful career.

2. Career change or vacation?

Figure out if you really need a career change: Do you need a new role within your company, a similar job in a new company or an entirely new career? There is a difference in being fed up with your boss and being poorly placed in the wrong role.
One key indicator that we coaches use to determine if you need a career change or just need a break is to figure out if you’re tired or drained. Tired requires more rest and relaxation. It means you’ve been working hard without giving yourself the required time to rejuvenate.
Drained is an indication that you’re not just tired, but actually bone dry. What you’re doing at work is in no way providing you the stimulation and fulfillment that you require. Every day you return to that work is leaking out any juice you were able to replenish with sleep, a glass of wine and a good dinner.
Drained is like exhaustion. And as David Whyte says, “the antidote for exhaustion is not necessarily rest… [it is] wholeheartedness.” That means finding work and a career that you can engage with wholeheartedly.

3. Assess yourself

If you do decide you want to change your career, it will be tremendously helpful to evaluate your values, skills, personality and interests using self assessment tools. Sign up to take the Meyers Briggs test and other skills assessment tests or hire a career coach to help you figure out the bigger picture of who you are.

4. Keep a career journal

It’s also important to know what your strengths and weaknesses are. You can’t figure this out from a test, however. You have to find it for yourself. The smartest way to do this comes from Markus Buckingham who tells us that a strength is that which makes us stronger. Brilliant, right? So figure out, what makes you lit up, strong, buzzed, engaged or as if time disappeared? Conversely, when do you feel weak, drained, despondent, or disengaged?
Keep a log or journal to track the times you feel strong and weak so you have a written record of each and know, concretely, what your strengths and weaknesses are.

5. Brainstorm

After you’ve taken time to figure out who you are, what you want, what you’re good at and when you’re at your best, you’re now ready to sit down with pen and paper (or blank screen) and write down every single idea that comes to mind for what you might do for work. Don’t discriminate. In fact, do this over the course of a few days or a week so you give your brain time to explore like a curious anthropologist.
You could even take it a step further and ask people for ideas. Do a few online searches. Be open to both the realistic and fantastical right now. Treat this as a curiosity and idea gathering exercise.

6. Research

Once you have your list of ideas, pare down your choices by filtering them through what you know of your values, vision, strengths and weaknesses. Then, do research on your top choices. Find out the particulars like the needed skills and background, education requirements and average salary. Using LinkedIn, find out who you know that already has a similar career, or who knows others that are in that career. Make a list of the people you can talk to.

7. Commit

Now you have a short list of options. Before going forward, it’s important to check in with yourself and your commitment levels.
Up to this point you’ve been quietly collecting data, no more. From here on out, that will change. Check in with yourself now to reassess if you still want to change your career or simply change the company you work for.
If you’re sure you want a career change, excellent! Make the commitment to see this through.

8. Gather support

Changing your career is exhilarating, but it can be exhausting, too. While you hold down the job you already have, you’ll be taking on another: the job search. You’ll need support, especially from those closest to you. Have a conversation with your spouse or partner and make sure they support your decision. Share your ideas with your best friend and closest family members. Tell them all that you’ll likely need to call on them for support in the coming weeks or months as you change your life and career.

9. Make it public

Once you have your inner circle supporting you and you’ve shored up your resources, it’s time to take it public. You’ll want to write a simple, to-the-point letter telling people what you’re up to, why and what you need.
Take that info and tidy it up into a brief email that you could send out to everybody you know telling them what you want to do and asking them for help in the way of a) suggestions, support, and good mojo and, b) introductions to people they know that you can chat with for 15 minutes.
Know that you’ll likely need a few different iterations of that email. What you send to your aunt in Duluth is not the same one you’d send to your former colleague.

10. Say “yes”

Once you’ve reached out and started telling your people what you’re up to and what you’re heading towards, you’ll be surprised at the options and opportunities that start coming your way. Don’t worry if it doesn’t come at you all at once— keep sending emails and making phone calls to people on your list. Taking risks pays off. You will gain traction. And when you do, be prepared to say “Yes.” Say yes to coffees, lunches, informational interviews and telephone chats. Say yes to introductions and referrals, even if it doesn’t seem directly related or you don’t see the immediate connection. You never know what conversation or meeting will lead you to the opportunity that is just right for you.

11. Invest daily

Think of your career change as a piggy bank. With just a tiny slot on its back, it’s impossible to give your piggy bank a cash infusion. It’s one-coin-at-a-time, patiently and methodically. Then, one day without you noticing, it’s full.
Instead of infusing a few weeks with all of your intense, passionate desire to change careers, look at it as a long term investment. It will likely take time. And that time might not fit your preferred timeframe.

12. Face fear

We’ve all experienced this. You open up to an idea, apply your energy and smarts and then, Zoom! You’re swept up into momentum. Things start happening more quickly than you expected or in ways you didn’t predict. Suddenly, out of surprise and discomfort, you’re hitting the brakes. This is fear at work.
Know that this might happen. Likely, it will. So when it shows up, be ready for it. When you find yourself procrastinating, making excuses, complaining or criticizing when direct action or decision making is a far smarter option — take heed. Recognize it for what it is and choose differently.
Many people ask how long a career change can (or should) take. My answer is, it depends. It depends on many factors including the energy and time you can put into your change, the resources you have available to you, and whether or not you need to learn new skills to qualify for the career you want to transition into.
More important than how long it will take, remember to stay focused on why you’re choosing the change. You’re making this decision for a reason, and probably a very good one that. It’s worth taking your time and creating something meaningful for yourself.

12 Most Compelling Reasons to Hire YOU

For job seekers, interns, recent college graduates and career management professionals, there’s one question that trumps all others: Why Hire You? As part of my new book on delivering your best elevator pitch, I wanted to showcase a real-life story (as opposed to a bookshelf strategy) for moving your career forward. And someone who knows how to get hired is the Millennial CEO.

You probably know the Millennial CEO, Dan Newman - He’s the guy who got to the Big Chair before his 30th birthday (and not at a company he founded). What’s his secret for career acceleration? There’s never been a more compelling time for this sort of information. Many Millennials and Gen Y job seekers are taking it on the chin in the summertime job market – not to mention Baby Boomers, Gen X, and the Silent Generation. People deserve every possible insight to move their careers forward. No matter what your generation, there’s a lot to learn from the 12most powerful answers to the question, “Why should I hire YOU?” – compliments of the Millennial CEO.

1. Competence

You have to be able to do the job. If you’re there on the interview the assumption is that you have the skills. Dan explains, “As a professional, you want to be taken seriously about doing a role. You have to have the know-how, bottom line.” But going beyond the resume requires something more…

2. Confidence

Or more precisely, a “humble confidence” – you have to know that you are able to do the job. Dan explains, “The team has to believe that you can deliver value that they can’t find somewhere else.” Confidence is the differentiator; if you don’t believe in you, no one else will, either.

3. Inspiration

“A big part of my success has hinged on my ability to convince others that I can do what they need me to do. I refer to past accomplishments, and experience, but at the end of the day, people have to believe that you can get the job done.” Transferring your beliefs to another is one of the hallmarks of inspiration, and a key to getting others to take action.

4. Results

“It’s all about packaging your accomplishments”, according to Dan. Does your resume reflect your results, or just your skills? When you are asked for your elevator pitch, do you deliver those results in clear package for the interviewer?

5. Empathy

A broad understanding of the players, the products and the industry is important for your career to advance. “But being able to speak intelligently about the various aspects of the business”, Dan says with newly-trademarked humble confidence, “has really accelerated my career.” If a company is going to invest in you, you have to show that you really understand what they’re trying to accomplish – and the implication of their challenges.

6. The Antidote for “Can’t”

“You have to remove the word ‘can’t’ from your vocabulary,” Dan says, without hesitation. “For any business, there are things that they can’t accomplish. You have to demonstrate how they can – with you, because you can turn obstacles into opportunity. And you have to make sure the company understands and believes that –with you in place – that overcoming their challenge is now possible.”

7. Delivery

“What’s the path to that profitability that all businesses seek?” You have to demonstrate that you understand how to deliver the results that are needed – even if those results are in engineering, customer service or cost accounting. Every role and every department has results; explain your role as part of that accomplishment.

8. Go Beyond Your Experience

What about new responsibilities – things you haven’t got on your resume? “You have to show extraordinary competence in the area of your expertise – and then connect that track record to new opportunities and new challenges.” Remember, the hiring manager hasn’t been able to solve the puzzle yet, either. “Delivering can expand the conversation. Look at the experience you do have, and explain how it relates.”

9. Leadership without Authority

“If you want to move into a new role with new responsibility, you have to show how you’ve been able to marshal resources from diverse departments.” Leadership without a title is the first step towards getting one.

10. Paying Attention

Nobody wants to be sold, but everyone wants to buy. “Have you shown that you understand the industry, and the company.

11. Authenticity

You Can’t Fake It. Anybody can write a great resume, but you can’t fake your elevator pitch. “The first 30 seconds of the conversation is so meaningful,” Dan explains, because presentation matters. “You have to demonstrate that you ‘get it’, whatever the issue might be, because without that connection, you’re done.”

12. Research

Know the company, and know your audience. “Do you know enough about me and my business,” Dan asks matter-of-factly, “before you ask me to buy YOU?”

What the experts don't tell you about interviewing

Interviews in the private sector vary from the well-planned assessment day, with group tasks and a panel interview, to a more hurried, informal chat with your potential line manager. Watch out for unpredictable factors that can influence the outcome. 

Your interviewer might not be trained 
Interviewing is often part of a manager's responsibilities, but they aren't always trained in techniques such as competency-based interviews, where questions about past behaviour in particular situations are used to predict how candidates would act if they were doing a particular job. Don't assume your interviewer has prepared thoughtful, probing questions that will elicit a compelling picture of your abilities and potential. 

Thorough research and preparation help you counteract even the most unprepared or untrained interviewer. Focus on the challenges of the role, and give examples showing that you have the skills and experience to succeed. Use a 'CAR' story-telling format (describing the challenge, your action and the result) and provide figures proving the impact you've made in similar situations. Weave in four or five of these relevant stories during the interview. 

Be ready for standard questions such as asking about your strengths and weaknesses. Prepare specific examples of where you add value. In the live Q&A, Rowan Manahan said: "Do some work on what you excel at – what has made the difference in jobs/projects in the past? Build a list and then, when you have an interview coming up, start mapping your identifiable, provable skills against the interviewing company's needs. The subtext to the strengths question is: "What are you good at that's going to make life better right here, right now in this company?" The subtext to the weakness question is "Do you have self-knowledge? Now you have this awareness of a chink in your armour, what are you doing about it?" 

Interviewing is a flawed science 
The best person doesn't always get the job. Some candidates are better at presenting themselves, while interviewers are also prone to making errors of judgement, such as giving preference to candidates who are similar in background or personality, or taking the score from one aspect of a candidate's performance and applying it to all aspects. 

Work this to your advantage. Pick up on any hints of shared experience, which move you from being an outsider to a known quantity. Listen attentively for what the interviewer wants from the ideal candidate. Address these concerns directly and reply succinctly, checking you've answered in sufficient detail. 

Never underestimate the personality factor 
In Job Interview Success, Be Your Own Coach, (http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/html/0077130189.html) Jenny Rogers says that likeability, motivation and social skills are crucial. In addition to job-related competence, show you're easy to work with (or manage) and that you would fit in. 

Give the interviewer a reason to like you. Be enthusiastic about the role and the company, and appear motivated about how you can contribute to its success. 

Don't complain about your previous boss, avoid confrontation and be pleasant without being obsequious. Ask about the working culture to reinforce the impression you'd slot in easily. 

It's hard to overturn a negative first impression 
What you wear – too much aftershave or perfume, your posture or handshake – these seemingly trivial things count. Any hint that you're not the poised, polished professional can irreparably damage your chances. 

If you show you've made an effort, you can score points. An experienced interviewer, Denise Taylor, said, "When you see a well-put-together outfit, you're drawn to the candidate. They still have to give effective answers, but you warm to them." 

Get a trusted friend to give you a critique of your entrance into a room. Do you come across as assured, arrogant or apprehensive? Meeting people at formal and informal networking events can also help improve your social confidence.

Five ways to improve your interview technique

Becoming an exceptional candidate is something you can do; it's just that most people don't take the trouble. In my experience, most interviews don't go that well; most people are bad at them. The truth is that many recruiters are actually not particularly good at interviewing either nor particularly effective. So, if you prepare properly and are a good interviewee, the odds can be stacked in your favor. 

To put in a good performance think about planning, practice and positive psychology. An interview is an audition. You need to project yourself as the sort of the person the interviewer wants to hire; as someone they want on the team. 

Just checking out a company website is not enough 
It's not just a question of researching the organisation. You need to understand your interviewer and why they are hiring. One way or another they are seeking a resource as a solution to an identified problem. Just checking out their website, report and accounts is not enough. 

Work on understanding the organisational need and how you can add value. Look at the challenges and opportunities they face and work out how to show that your experience and expertise are relevant. Explore their market, competitors and the changes taking place in the industry. 

Use your network to find information about the interviewer and his preferences, the company and its culture. Use LinkedIn and Zoom Info to gather all the intelligence you can.

Focus more on delivery rather than giving off-the-cuff replies 
Rehearse your presentation. I don't necessarily mean being word perfect. I'm talking about what you say when anyone asks you what you do, why you left, what you have achieved and so on. Can you talk about yourself comfortably, with confidence, concisely with clarity? Practice so that you have the right words, don't get flustered, talk at the right pace and, crucially, know when to stop. Remember the need for consistency between words and body language. 

In an interview you have to know your CV by heart. None of it pops into your head at the last minute; you know what you are going to say and what spin you are going to put on it. A good interviewee has learned his or her lines in advance and is focusing much more on delivery than on off-the-cuff replies. 

It's not a solo performance: aim for a 50/50 dialogue 
What you really need to do, though, is to make the interview interactive. People trained in interview techniques are told to use the 70/30 rule. That is to say the interviewer aims to talk for about 30% of the time allotted and the candidate talks 70% of the time, in response. 

The smart candidate actually wants a 50/50 dialogue. You should aim for a conversation, directed along the lines you prefer – whereby you can play to your strengths. The interviewer can only go with what you give them. This is best illustrated by using the "what was your biggest business mistake?" question. Do you really want to tell them your biggest mistake? Really? You decide. 

You are aiming for positive interaction. Make it easy for the interviewer by saying "have I told you all you need to know on that subject? Can I give you more detail?" Build rapport, find some common ground. But remember it's not a monologue, you are both actors in the interview and it is a dialogue, a conversation, not a solo performance.

A positive outlook is crucial 
Henry Ford famously said "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right". You're motivated, you've done the prep and have the drive to succeed so visualize success. 

Whether you call it confidence, self-esteem or self-belief, to shine at interview you need to show that you will make a good employee. Show that you are good at interacting and reading your situation, good at selling yourself and your ideas. Practicing your interview technique will make it so much easier to shine. There's no need to be nervous if you believe you are a good candidate for the role. If you believe you can do it, then you can do it. You know it because you have prepared, practiced and are ready to show what you can do.

Review and follow up 

After the interview send a letter. Thank them for seeing you. Reiterate how interested you are in them and the role. Review the key points of the interview when you discussed challenges and opportunities and outline how you can help them meet those. 

12 Most Convincing Actions that Get Senior Management to Listen

Here is your goal! You want to come across as totally knowledgeable about the content, confident and credible. You are presenting to upper management, investors, the Board or key customers. Here’s what your audience is looking, and not looking, for.

1. Don’t waste their time

Don’t read the agenda to them. An executive once told me, “I don’t need to listen to someone going through an agenda. He just wasted a minute of the ten minutes he has.” Instead, spend time telling them things they do not know. Look at your content and cut to what your audience already knows. Finally, don’t tell them everything you know or everything you have done. Once again, they don’t want or need to hear and respond to it. What they do want to know is just enough in order to decide on the decision you are recommending.

2. Provide an executive summary

Start by sharing the key messages of your presentation right up front. They don’t want to listen for ten minutes until you get to the punch line.

Here are two examples of executive summaries:

Strategy Recommendation Executive Summary Example

Project Update Executive Summary Example

3. Don’t show many slides (if any!)

If you do show slides, create images that capture your messages. If you read the slides, you’re done for.

4. Make time for your listeners to ask questions

Don’t talk so fast and plan to share so much data that your listeners cannot ask questions. Give them time during the talk as well as at the end.

5. If you are explaining a product or an idea, show or demo it if you can

Seeing it is better than only hearing about it. That’s why companies give out samples.

6. Keep the jargon out of the talk — unless they use it themselves

It’s your job to translate the jargon into everyday language so that everyone in your audience understands.

7. Pause between your sentences

Speak calmly, yet energetically. Don’t bore your audience with your voice. Don’t create a 15-minute talk and try to fit it into a 10-minute slot. Talking fast is not the solution.

8. Look at each person

It’s supposed to be a conversation. End each sentence looking at someone, not at the paper or the slide. If it’s part of the culture and appropriate in the setting, before you begin your talk and you are meeting people, shake hands firmly and look at the person when you shake hands.

9. Answer questions truthfully and concisely

If you don’t know, don’t try to fake it! One strategy is to say, “That number is not on the tip of my tongue; let me get the figure to you later on today.”

10. If someone disagrees, get curious

Ask a question. Request more information. “Will you say some more about how you see this situation?” Or, “I did not consider this perspective. Let’s talk about it.” Be careful not to put someone down when he or she disagrees with you. Do a practice run. Find a colleague to be really argumentative and practice how to handle the situation.

11. Be shorter than the time allotted, rather than longer

Save time for comments and questions. For a 20-minute slot, only talk 10-15 minutes.

12. Be yourself

Film yourself and look at your behaviors. Then get rid of the bad habits such as holding your hands in front of you or saying “um.” Keep the good habits, such as pausing between sentences and speaking only about the details your audience needs to know.

These are not difficult behaviors to learn. You just have to practice them before you get up in front of an audience of executives. There are two pieces to a presentation: content and delivery. Prepare the content early enough that you have time to practice delivery; then rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. To add the frosting on the cake of your presentation rehearsal, find someone to ask you all the tough questions. The more you rehearse to sound confident and credible with your presentation, the more you will get your audience to sit up and listen. I challenge you to rehearse 3-4 times for the next important presentation.