Interviewing with any company can be intimidating but preparation will help chase away some of the butterflies. Remember it is unusual for a company to hire a candidate who fits the job description 100%. View the position advertisement as a dream sheet. You should have a majority of the traits but just because you’re missing a few parts of the experience does not necessarily knock you out of contention.

Without trying to be too traditional, here are some interview thoughts gleaned from hands-on experience.

Before the Interview

Learn all you can about the company – This is much easier in our era of mega-search engines. Look for names, facts, figures, news, anything, etc.

• What are the recent big news items?
• What are the company’s major services or products?
• What are their guarantees?
• What are the approximate revenues?
• What are the customer service trends?
• Who are the big names?
• How do competitor companies look at your interviewing company?
• If you know somebody at the company, quiz them about the organization.
• If appropriate, see if you can make an appointment with someone at the company for your educational purposes (be careful with this one).

Play stump the dummy – Nothing personal … but prepare a list of the toughest questions you can create based on your intimate knowledge of your own profile. The idea is to train hard to make the actual interview seem easier. Be as tough as you can on yourself during the preparation and you will find yourself more confident at the real event. Here are a few starter questions and you can think of more.

• What is your core message related to the position?
• What are your top 3-5 strengths?
• What are your weaknesses? How do you manage around or offset them?
• What will be the most difficult areas of the new job for you?
• Why are you unique?
• How would you interview yourself if you wanted to paint the most complete picture?
• How will you make up any shortfalls in your experience as it relates to the ideal job description?
• What will you do if you are not selected for the position?
• Do you like the company enough to apply for more positions?
• How will you respond if salary comes up early?

In a future post, we’ll talk more about how to maximize your time during the interview.  To summarize, focus any nervous energy you have on preparation. Write it, say it, and think it (or any combination thereof). This will help with the actual interview and keep anxiety in check. Remember too that a little nervousness will help you be sharper in the interview as well. All the best!

And if you have any thoughts or ideas, take a minute and share your best ideas or experiences in the comments below.

This post was written by Michael Friesen, a coach at 360JobInterview.com.  He is the author of Expected End: What Culture Is, Why It Matters and How to Improve It.  He is a leadership coach and a former CFO and Budget Director for the U.S. government.  You can schedule an interview with Michael on his 360JobInterview.com coach page.

Photo iStockPhoto © Ken Kan

Is it just me, or do most people have little sense of what is going on in the world beyond American Idol or Survivor or The Real Housewives of (Fill in Your Favorite)? The average “man (or woman) on the street” doesn’t seem to know much of anything beyond sports and reality television.

Yes, I know, that is a sweeping generalization and completely unfair. Actually, most people are well-educated (read this), well-read, and quite knowledgeable about current affairs.

Not.

The “average” adult in the United States reads at a 9th grade level, and, as referenced in this MSNBC article, adult math skills have gone into hiding:

According to the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy, U.S. adults are terrible at solving real-world math problems, like calculating tips or comparing prices in grocery stores. Some dismal results:

Only 42 percent were able to pick out two items on a menu, add them, and calculate a tip.

Only 1 in 5 could reliably calculate mortgage interest.

1 in 5 could not calculate weekly salary when told an hourly pay rate.

Only 13 percent were deemed “proficient.” Worse yet, only 1 in 10 women, 1 in 25 Hispanics and 1 in 50 African Americans made the grade.

More good news: according to the President’s National Mathematics Advisory Panel, “half of 17 year olds couldn’t do enough math to work in an auto plant.”

Hey, I’m not some kind of intellectual snob, nor do I value a person more or less because they don’t know who the Vice President is or can’t find Montpelier, VT on a map (for those of you keeping score at home, that would be the capital of Vermont). No, the problem is that employers are typically looking for employees who can think, solve problems, and develop ideas. If job seekers don’t do anything to develop those skills, they risk being permanently relegated to second-tier status as a job candidate.

The idea in job search is to give yourself the very best opportunity to land a good job. Every single advantage, no matter how small, helps. One certain way to elevate yourself above many competitive job seekers is to demonstrate your ability to think and solve problems. Sadly, many job seekers don’t read well, can’t write business correspondence, and can’t do basic math calculations.

The solution? Extend your interests. Read a newspaper regularly. Pick up Math for Dummies. Complete a Sudoku puzzle once in a while (a little practice at solving problems).

Sound silly?

So does this: “We have filled that position.”

A person who knows how to get things done is in possession of a highly marketable skill. The ability to complete complex tasks or projects is a skill that most every employer can, and will, use. The devil, as they say, is in the details. Because the real skill is not just the ability to “get things done,” but the ability to get things done right.

As in, completely. All the “I’s” dotted; all the “T’s” crossed. Soup to nuts – done. Correctly. According to specifications.

If “gitt’n ‘er done” is not among your strong suits, don’t despair – help is a simple “To-Do” list away. That’s right, the proverbial task list. Amazing how those little buggers work. Well, if you do them right (not like the one shown that I found here).

Legendary sales trainer Zig Ziglar tells a story about what he calls the “Day Before Vacation” attitude. He illustrates how much people can actually get done the day before they leave for vacation. Why? Because they have tons of stuff to accomplish and only a single day to get it all finished. The solution? Plan and Prioritize. Put it on a list. Lay out the most efficient way to get it all done.

First, the Post Office. Then, the bank. Drop the dogs at the kennel. Pick up the dry cleaning. You get the idea. The result is that someone who is mostly average at getting things done turns into Larry the Cable Guy on steroids. Git ‘r Done!!

To-Do lists can be fantastic tools. They can also create the illusion that you are actually doing something when you’re not (see picture above). I’ve know people who spend most of their time making lists, rearranging lists, collating lists – essentially, managing the lists. That, of course, is not so good. However, creating a prioritized To-Do list that outlines the critical details that must be addressed and completed can dramatically impact your daily performance.

Using a task list while you look for a job is a great place to practice (if you fail, you only have to explain it to your significant other). Start the week with a Priority List – things I must accomplish this week regardless of the obstacles I may encounter. Think through the details and include them on the list so you don’t overlook anything important. Then, each day, review your Priority List and add any additional items that you need to do that day. Just as you would on the day before your vacation, put them into a logical sequence that will make them easy to accomplish. Anything you don’t complete today goes on tomorrow’s list. Finally, keep all of your notes in a small notebook and you will not only keep a record of everything, but you’ll ensure that nothing slips through the cracks that you should have completed.

In your job search, be specific with your task list. Don’t put something general like “Look for job” on your list. Write down the details of the things you must do. 1) Complete resume revisions. 2) Make the following phone calls (list the people and their numbers – in order of priority). 3) See these companies (list by name and prioritize by geography to make them easy to get to). 4) Send follow-up notes to these people (list specifically).

Ultimately, you can get very good at using a To-Do List, and the side benefit is that it can become a huge asset for you in the workplace.

In the 21st century, finding gainful employment means mastering the fine art of networking. Clearly, social networking tools are a part of that landscape, but the most important networking skills are still those face-to-face interpersonal skills that many people are completely uncomfortable with.

Starting a conversation with a complete stranger – at a so-call “networking” event or at other chance meeting times – can be an intimidating exercise. Even people who are outgoing and comfortable with meeting new people can drive right into the ditch if they are too aggressive or lack social awareness.

There is, in fact, a precarious balance between “I am looking for the right opportunity” and “I desperately need a job.” For whatever reason, desperation just doesn’t play well with others. Strategic career planning, on the other hand, is eminently professional (“No, I haven’t found the position that fits my career plan”). The difference – in networking – is how you approach the task of meeting people and discussing your situation.

First, in any networking opportunity, you must be come prepared. You should have carefully rehearsed your answers to the following questions:

What do you do? (“I’m unemployed” or,”I’m between jobs” probably doesn’t leave the impression your looking for.)

What happened? (“My boss was an idiot” or “They just didn’t understand me” rarely results in a referral to a job opportunity.)

What are you looking for? (“Anything I can find” or “Something to pay the bills” sounds more like commodity than valuable resource.

Second, you should present yourself in a way that communicates success. Look the part. Dress appropriately. Shine your shoes. Have a nice pen in your notebook or jacket. Professional dress and conduct leads people to believe that you would be professional in the workplace.

Third, you need to be way more interested in finding out about other people than you are in telling others about you. Networking is a lot easier when you are focused on listening rather than talking. Eventually, the other person will ask about you (see the questions above) and you will get the opportunity to see if there is a connection for you. The interesting thing is that the better the listener you are, the more apt the other person is to listen and consider what you have to say.

Don’t know how? Don’t know what to ask? Use POGO – a technique from world famous motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar:

P – First, ask about the person. What does he do? Where does he work? Where did he go to school? Does he have any kids? Those kinds of questions.

O – Second, ask about the organization. How long has he worked there? What does he like about the company? Who does the company do business with? These are questions about the company he works for.

G – Third, ask about the company’s goals. How is his company, or department, doing? Are they reaching their goals? How is the economy affecting their progress?

O – Finally, ask about the obstacles the company has encountered. What has been your company’s biggest challenge? How have you worked around it? What do you see coming in the future that might be a challenge to reaching your goals?

You certainly don’t have to ask these exact questions, nor do you have to hit all four areas in any conversation. However, using this simple acronym – POGO – will prompt you to ask useful questions that lead to a productive dialogue. By the way, you will find out a lot about that company, as well as the industry they work in, and that is always valuable knowledge to have for future conversations!

Question: Whatever happened to basic communication skills?

Seriously, it seems that employees who can actually write a legible sentence or communicate an entire thought in basic English have become an endangered species. I mean, speaking of “minority,” where is the legislation to make this a protected class of citizens?

Hey, I’m just sayin’…

Ya feel me?

No, I’m not advocating some sort of political position here, I am simply making an observation. Even a casual review of corporate email correspondence is enough to make an English teacher beg for mercy. This very common problem creates two significant problems for companies and their employees. First, there is a natural tendency (particularly with older Americans) to equate literacy with competence. If someone doesn’t know how to write or speak well, that individual is likely to be perceived as incompetent at some level (usually in proportion to how egregious the mistakes are). You can throw rocks at me if you want to, but it is what it is. Look at the way former VP Dan Quayle was crucified for spelling potato with an extra “e” at the end of the word. Potatoe? Really?

Or maybe a few “Bush-isms” will help you understand the tendency of people to equate communication skills with competency [English gaffes originating with former president George W. Bush]:

“They misunderestimated me.” [No doubt.]

“Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?” [True statement. This question is rarely asked.]

The challenge of poorly written business correspondence is that the company is often perceived in a negative light as a result of those mistakes. For instance, if a salesperson sends a letter or email message to a potential client regarding a large, complex sale – and that correspondence is poorly written – the prospect may decide to look elsewhere based on perception alone.

The second problem is that the vast majority of issues within a company are created by ineffective communication, and poor writing skills only make this problem worse. Performance reviews. Email correspondence. Policy memos. You don’t have to look far to see the problem….as in, “What is THAT supposed to mean??”

So what does all of this have to do with the average job hunter? It means that you may potentially have a competitive advantage right at your fingertips – or, you might be starting off your job search with two strikes against you. How would someone rate your skills at creating effective business correspondence? Do you write acceptably well? Do you know how to write a memo? A letter? An email message?

There is plenty of help available online. If you need it, don’t delay.

It seems us Americans ain’t talkin’ too good, don’t write worth a lick and are worser with e-mails. Our grammar, punctuation and spelling are/is abysmal. And corporate America is saying, STOP.

When Texas communications company Valor discovered its workers, including managers, weren’t communicating, it enrolled them in remedial business writing class.

Jeff Herrington thinks computers are partly to blame for dumbing down English.

“People who are used to using BlackBerries [and] instant messaging are transferring that way of writing into all forms of writing,” he says.

A recent survey found Fortune 500 companies spending more than $3 billion a year retraining employees in basic English.

Even writers have trouble writing.

Sacramento Bee columnist Don Morrison sees the enemy every time he looks in the mirror. Morrison is a client of Roger Peterson, who was among the first to notice Americans butchering their language.

“How about this expression, ‘for all intents and purposes.’ What does that mean?” asks Peterson. “[Or] ‘at this point in time.’ What does that mean? How is it better than saying ‘now?’ ‘That was an awfully nice dinner you just served me.’ Well, was it a nice dinner or was it an awful dinner? Make up your mind. We simply, now, must salvage American English.”

“Unbelievable” is one of today’s “in” words. But is it overused or used incorrectly? Unbelievable means I didn’t believe a word I just said. Anxious — “the president is anxious to meet the prime minister” — means he doesn’t want to meet him at all. And irregardless — look it up in the dictionary. You won’t find it because it’s not a word. Unbelievable.

[From a column by Roger O'Neil. NBC News Correspondent.]

“What are your strengths?”

How many times have you heard that question in an interview? There are few things that are more predictable in an employment interview than questions about your strengths and weaknesses, so I’m sure you’ve spent considerable time examining your answer to these questions….right?

OK, I know you have, but you would be surprised at how many candidates “wing it” when it comes to answering these (and other) common questions. Think about this for just a minute: if you consistently answer the same questions the same way, and have not yet been hired, should you rethink your answers….? (I’m just sayin’.)

Savvy interviewers ask these questions for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, they want to see how you respond. Do you spit out a standard answer that shows little or no thought? Are you confident or shy? Do you stumble over your response? Are you contemplative? Are you genuine or putting on a show? Consider that how you answer is often just as important as what you say.

Second, a good interviewer doesn’t stop with the initial question, but continues to explore your answers with additional questions that probe a little deeper. This allows the interviewer to discover how genuine your answers are, and how you deal with the stress of being pushed a bit. If you chose to regurgitate one of the canned responses available in those interview self-help books, the follow-up questions could pose a bit of a problem.

The best way to deal with the standard “What are your strengths?” question is to find out the true answer. My suggestion is to get a DiSC® profile (available online for $25 to $30) and read carefully through the analysis of your behavioral style. This assessment will provide a number of clues to the work environment you prefer, and will highlight your potential strengths and weaknesses. This exercise will allow you to answer the question and provide objective confirmation.

A second online test that I highly recommend you complete is the Clifton StrengthsFinder®. You can buy the book and take the online assessment for about $14. This assessment will provide tremendous insight into your workplace strengths and give you additional ideas about what occupations or positions will best capitalize on those strengths. This information will not only provide excellent material for answering the “strengths” question, but it will also help you understand exactly what jobs fit you best.

Avoid the trap of preparing for interviews by studying the “pat” answers to interview questions. Instead, spend that time learning about yourself and improving the skills you need to get the job you’re looking for.

The “Johari window” (pronounced Joe-HAWR-ee) is a psychological model that was created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in the 1950s to help people better understand their interpersonal relationships. It’s a pretty simple model, but profound in helping individuals understand how they are perceived by others – and how that perception varies from one’s own perception.

The quadrants (see graphic) are as follows:

• What is known by self and known by others (public arena)
• What is known by self but unknown by others (private arena)
• What is known by others but unknown by self (blind spot)
• What is unknown by self and unknown by others (unknown arena)

The two key quadrants for any individual are the two that are “unknown by self.” These quadrants would illustrate what  someone means when they say, “I don’t know what I don’t know.” If other people know it or observe it, however, this is described as your blind spot – what other people see in you that you don’t see in yourself.

As you mature, one of your objectives is to make your blind spot as small as possible. In other words, you want to have a high degree of self-awareness. At some point in time, you have probably heard someone described as having no “social awareness,” meaning they say or do things in public that are out of place. Typically, they have little awareness of the issue.

How does this apply in your job search? Simple. The smaller your blind spot – in other words, the higher your self-awareness – the more mature you will be perceived, and the more accurate you will be in representing yourself. The problem with many interview questions is that you cannot answer them from an outsider’s viewpoint – you can only answer them as you have awareness of the topic. For example, an interviewer may ask, “What is your biggest weakness?” Really?? Like I would know? My biggest weakness is probably the one I am not aware of!

My suggestion is to talk to three or four people you can trust and have a discussion about your “blind spot.” Start this way: Use the table of words below and have them pick out six or seven words that best describe you, while you independently pick out the six or seven words you think best describe you. Then compare.

• The words you both pick are in your public arena.
• The words you pick and the other person doesn’t are in your private domain.
• The words the other person picks and you don’t occupy your blind spot.

Don’t rush to defend yourself or explain the other person’s observations. Instead, ask for details; ask how you might improve. Then use that knowledge to make yourself a better candidate.

Johari Window Word Choices

Hey, want to see how marketable you are? Here’s an exercise for you: create a PowerPoint presentation that is designed to market…YOU! Yes, that’s right – create a marketing presentation for yourself. No, I’m not suggesting that you use it in a job interview, but consider this exercise as a way to think carefully about what you bring to the table for an employer.

A couple of words of caution before we discuss some ideas for your presentation: First, if you don’t know how to use PowerPoint, here is a good time to figure it out. Get a PowerPoint for Morons book, or some such thing, and start learning. However, do your homework on the Internet and learn some basics about good presentations (check out this blog post, for example). Second, many job positions require some aptitude with PowerPoint, so this may actually be good practice because most people don’t have a clue about how to create an effective slide presentation (haven’t you seen some really awful presentations in the workplace?). Do some research and learn how to avoid disastrous presentations (here is another great blog post to read). Google “bad PowerPoint presentations” and you will get a bazillion hits; go ahead and read one or two.

OK, let’s get started.

1). Write down your personal workplace strengths. Get out of “interview” mode and be real for a second. What skills and talents do you have? Are you dependable? A good listener? Are you Rain Man on Microsoft Word or Excel? Can you write coherent business correspondence? (If so, there are about 40 of you left in the universe.)

Think it through…why should an employer hire you? What makes you special? Now, put together a half dozen slides – one for each strength. Find a graphic for each slide. Prioritize the slides and build a case for yourself.

2). Next, write down your personal weaknesses. Same process as before – get real and be specific. Are you horrible with details? Do your follow-up skills leave something to be desired? Do you have the people skills of a pit bull?

The more you know about yourself, the smaller your blind spot in an interview. Interviews are not about clever answers to tricky questions; they are about positioning yourself effectively to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths. If you can be honest with yourself and identify a key weakness that is keeping you out of the best jobs, you can create a plan to improve that weakness or manage it effectively. Do that now – create two or three slides that identify your weaknesses, one per slide. Find a graphic that fits. Then, create a solution for each weakness and use a slide to communicate it.

3) Finally, answer these questions: What do you want to do most? What is your vision for your career? What is it that you do in the workplace that gives you great energy and satisfaction? Now, create two to four slides that communicate your passion.

The point here is that, until you know what you want to do, you won’t look for the ideal job for you – and you won’t remove every possible barrier in order to get that position.

When you are all finished, show it to two or three people who care about you and are willing to offer some constructive feedback – about the presentation itself, your thoughts about your personal strengths and weaknesses, and how you are positioning  yourself in the workplace.

Take notes, make changes. Get serious about your personal marketing.

I knew a guy that was always complaining about his (current) wife. “Women,” he would say. “Can’t live with ‘em. Can’t shoot ‘em.” A bit harsh. Can’t imagine why his marriage(s) resembled a train wreck. I understand he is currently out looking for his next future ex-wife.

The funny thing is that you probably never would’ve known that he had marriage issues. Nice guy. Fun to hang out with. Behind the scenes, however, there were things going on – I don’t know what kind of things, but they were enough to keep his personal life in shambles.

The truth is you are much the same way. No, not from the negative standpoint; in fact, just the opposite. What I’m really concerned here about are the GREAT things about you that employers can’t divine from your resume. For example, how will your resume communicate that you are a positive person rather than a negative one? Or enthusiastic rather than pessimistic? Mature rather than a drama queen (or king)? How can we tell if you are a peacemaker or a polarizer? A “git-er-done” kinda guy or a “find-something-else-to-do-while-others-carry-the-load” kinda guy? See my point?

The answer is the employer has no idea. Which means your resume has serious limitations. Everybody knows that a resume is designed to put your best foot forward, but there are still many things that cannot be communicated by a sterile piece of paper. That is exactly why proactive job candidates make it a point to get in front of prospective employers. They take the initiative to make face-to-face contact with prospective employers, because sitting back, waiting on the phone to ring, is a very bad plan when there are too many applicants for too few jobs. If you are sitting at home, plugging career websites and answering newspaper ads, then you are already down in the count (hey, it’s baseball season).

Make no mistake, getting a job is exactly like making sales calls. You have to overcome call reluctance. You have to overcome the fear of rejection. You have to be willing to get back up 801 times if you get knocked down 800 times. So, if you hate salespeople, you probably need to get over it – at least for the time being. How would you like to earn your living that way?!?

I hear you screaming. “SO WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?” Here is a great start: Make a list of the top forty or fifty local companies you would like to work for. Do your homework – websites, Google, LinkIn, the whole nine yards. Get contact names, look for connections, learn everything you can – including who your potential boss would be. Then make a personal call – resume and personalized cover letter in hand. If you don’t know who your boss might be, identify the H.R. Manager and call on him/her instead.

Did I say do your homework? That bears repeating. It’s a big deal because you need to know about the company’s culture, philosophy, mission, vision, and so forth. You want to be able to have an intelligent conversation after you introduce yourself. Here is your opening: “I wanted to introduce myself and find out more about [the company] because I think it would be an excellent place to go to work.”

No matter what the outcome, you will have communicated some key traits: initiative, courage, and resourcefulness. Trust me, if you are any good at all, you won’t make it through your list before you get hired.

Job applicants typically view a job interview as a unilateral event. By that, I mean the assumption is the interviewer will ask questions and the applicant will provide answers to those questions. If the applicant does asks questions, they are only to clarify details of the job and/or to inquire about salary, benefits, training, etc.

If you haven’t done so before, you need to start thinking about the interview as a two-way street. In the vast majority of cases, companies are looking for talented, well-adjusted, hard-working employees. If that describes you, then you should know that the company needs you as much as you need a good job. Since a “good” job is one in which you will find satisfaction, have the opportunity to grow and develop, and be treated well, you should prepare as much to conduct an interview as you will to be the subject of the interview.

Here’s why: Research conducted by Leigh Branham and the Saratoga Institute reveals that, when employees quit their jobs, 70 percent of the time it is a direct result of how they are treated by their manager or supervisor. Combine that with Gallup research showing that over 70 percent of employees are either not engaged or actively disengaged and you reach a stunning conclusion: two-thirds of employees are not particularly fond of their jobs, and two-thirds of the time it is because they work for a bad boss.

Might be a good idea to get a sense of who you are going to work for, don’t you think?

A standard response to this thought is, “Well, yes, but I really need to get a job. I don’t know that I can afford to be that particular.” My standard reply: First, you need to improve your skills, enhance your image, and generally do everything possible to build your personal brand. If you put yourself in a position to be a “Top 3″ candidate in every job opening, you will get hired soon. Second, if you know that you will get hired – that you bring strong skills and maturity to the employer – then you can afford to be particular, and you should. A paycheck is important, but not important enough to feel devalued, taken advantage of, ignored, verbally abused, or constantly criticized.

If you are on board, here are some questions you might consider asking (this assumes you are being interviewed by the person who will be your immediate manager or supervisor):

• How would you describe your management style?
• How many employees are you directly responsible for?
• What is most important for you to see in those employees that work for you?
• How long have you been with the company?
• How long have you been the manager of this team (department)?
• In this position, who would be my internal customers?
• What are your expectations for this position?
• How do measure the success of the individual in this position?
• What do you enjoy doing away from the job?

My suggestion is to handle these questions carefully – this is not an an inquisition, but an opportunity to begin building a relationship with your potential new boss. Be conversational. Be interested in the answers. Pursue the answers where appropriate. Remember this: people hire people they like and trust. Be likeable!

Finally, you should always try to talk to people who work for the person hiring you. Ask about the company and the job first, and then ask what they like most about the manager. Their responses – the things they say, and, in many cases, what they don’t say – will tell you a lot about the manager.