Staying on track with your selection criteria is Key to your success! If you can harness your excitement just a little bit longer you will find that creating and submitting your selection criteria applications will be far easier than if you allow yourself to become negative about the application process.

Understand that the selection criteria process is there to assist the government to place the best people in our tax paying jobs as possible. If you consider this whilst chipping away at your selection criteria I believe your attitude will flow through your writing.

Good luck with your selection criteria applications! I wish you ultimate success.

Just letting you know that these guys are having a sale on Oki Printers and oki toners today, if you use Oki products no doubt youll see the benefit in this. they have free freight all day.

the Selection Criteria Writer this software solution walks you through your Government application step by step, it also includes selection criteria templates and video tutorials…not bad for a measly $77 especially if you get the job.
My advice to you is to take a good look around the site and study as much about selection criteria applications as you can so you are fully capable when applying for government jobs NSW.

There’s lots of information out there, just make sure your taking in the right information! One of the reasons why I decided to start this website in the beginning was because my mother applied for a job and went to a so called “selection criteria professional” who told her that her application needed to be brief and she completely summarised my mums responses. Well when she spoke with the lady who was processing the applications she was told that her application was too brief and that you should at least address each key criterion with one page. There goes $250 out the window and the job.

I only mention this as a warning, there are some fantastic professionals out there who can help you, but if you would like to learn the skills yourself then the Selection Criteria Writer is Gold, and it comes with a  60 day money back guarantee plus if you don’t get this job you’ll still own the software and have the knowledge to pass onto your friends.

Good luck with your Job application, go get those Government Jobs NSW

• Shapes (or Supports) Strategic Thinking
• Achieves Results
• Cultivates (or Supports) Productive Working Relationships
• Exemplifies (Displays) Personal Drive and Integrity
• Communicates with Influence

You can find out more about these capabilities at government web sites, which describe at each public sector level what is expected for each of the five capabilities.

The techniques for applying for jobs using these five capabilities are the same as ‘addressing selection criteria’.  You still need to present examples against each of these capabilities and show that you have what it takes to do the advertised role.  For example, for the capability ‘Displays Personal Drive and Integrity’, selection committees will be looking at your application to see evidence of such things as:

Have you:

• Enthusiastically attended or organised training in relation to Values, Code of Conduct, and Ethics, Respectful (harassment-free and non-discriminatory) Workplaces, Fraud or Conflict of Interest?
• Taken on roles to show your commitment to quality workplaces (e.g. harassment contact officer)?
• Identified something that needed to be improved in your team and then went and did something about it?
• Been given a difficult job (lack of staff, tight deadlines, technology problems…..), but stuck at it and achieved a good result?

Many of the examples that you previously used for ‘team work’ and ‘client service’ are likely to show your capability to ‘Support Productive Working Relationships’.

A larger number of clients make contact with me once they have had a look at the position description provided when considering applying for a government position.

I have noticed also, since the media onslaught of “mass sackings” and “lack of job security” that there has been a marked move from the private to public sector.  It seems candidates believe that in today’s employment market here in Australia (and across the globe for that matter) a move to the government sector is a safe bet.

But this proposed job security comes at a price.  That price is preparing selection criteria.  These can send a large percentage of the population into a panic.  This panic seems to stem from two sources:

• The complex language, jargon and sheer length of the position description;
• Lack of experience and expertise in addressing selection criteria.

After reading various online forums in this regard, it seems there a number of people out there who consider that having a professional writer prepare your selection criteria is not possible.  Even more startling to me is the lack of information out there in regards to the government selection process.  I’m unsure as to where their expertise is based, but I can only surmise that these comments are based on most people’s reaction; in the absence of information, a vacuum is formed, and into that vacuum go people’s own invention.

Just to clarify the matter here are some points in regard to selection criteria.  These are the most frequently asked questions put to me by clients, and potential clients, and the associated answers.  Please note that my answers and advice are based on 11 years of experience in writing selection criteria, as well as government tenders and contract.  In fact, in the last month alone I have written two tenders for two business clients, both of whom were awarded contacts.  One client was offered four contracts with a value of an extra $150,000!  This information is provided not to “blow my own trumpet” rather to establish the fact that I do know what I am talking about based on results.  I have lost count of the number of clients that I have secured job interviews for government based interviews based on my writing efforts.  Those that excelled in the job interview process ultimately secured the role.

Here are the questions and my answers:

1.     Do I really have to provide situational examples for each criterion?  How old should these examples be?

Answer: Yes, Yes, and Yes.  If you do your research on the web, including a good one created by the Australian Public Service Commission, you will see that these are a necessity rather than a luxury.  You need to talk about a situation or challenge, and the result of your actions.  More particularly, if the criterion is asking you to meet a criterion about your prioritisation and organisational abilities, you might for example, talk about a time when you were experiencing heavy demands on your time at work, the context of the actual situation, what you did specifically to resolve the situation, and then the result.  In this way you make it easy for the selection criteria to assess your application.  Assuming that the selection criteria panel will glean this information from your resume is a one way ticket to the waste paper basket, and often means your application will not be considered as highly as others that do address the criterion with evidence based answers.  I usually recommend describing situations from no longer than say three years ago, to keep them relevant.  One client asked me to write an application for him, and his examples were twenty years old!  Needless to say, I recommended he wait until a more suitable position present itself.

2.     Do the situations that I use as evidence within my criterion need to be from a position I held which is closely related to the position advertised?

Not necessarily.  For example one of my clients was the manager of a child care centre, and was applying for a position with the National Archives.  However, she still met the criterion, including having worked with voluminous amounts of confidential records.  Basically, as long as you can address the criterion all is well.  Keep in mind however that other applicants may have a background more relevant to the advertised position, and if they submit a well written selection criteria application this may mean they are considered more highly.

3.      How long should my answers be?

A contentious issue.  I usually recommend half a page to a page in length.  However, often the government department will stipulate the length with a word limit listed within the position description document itself.  However, if in doubt it is always safer to establish contact with the relevant contact person listed within the position description itself.

Apply these tips and recommendations to your application and you should be well on the way to preparing a well written selection criteria document.

All the best in your job search journey!

Andrea Drew formed Impressive Resumes in 1998 and the business has grown steadily over the last 10 years. It is an enjoyment of the English language, and a lifetime passion for writing, which she brings to the company, in the preparation and writing of resumes. In her spare time (between midnight and 7am) she has started writing her latest book/how to guide – “So, you think you can write?” stay tuned for further details With a background in Human Resources and Recruitment, Andrea has worked in helping people with jobs since 1992. Her roles included: culling CV’s, arranging interviews, assessing resumes; writing marketing material; writing tenders; editing, proofreading and rewriting large documents. Andrea delivers resume workshops at Victorian Eastern Regional libraries and is a member of Career Directors International and the Association of Online Resume and Career Professionals. For more information go to http://www.impressiveresumes.com.au

Tips for Finding and Using Sample Selection Criteria

Selection criteria, for most candidates, are those dreaded list of qualifications, experience and personal qualities that are presented in a government job application description. They are essentially measures used to gauge a candidate’s suitability for a position and to choose the best applicant from a pool. On a positive note, however, the written application process can work in your favour and doesn’t have to be the object of anxiety and discomfort. With a little bit of knowledge and the right tools (such as selection criteria samples), you will have the written responses aced and be well on your way to landing that perfect job.

Good quality written examples can demonstrate how you should write a statement, however some may be of poor quality. You can take the guess work out by sourcing good quality written samples and learn by viewing appropriate formatting and styles that are well structured and easy to read. You won’t need to start from scratch when you use good quality samples to guide you.

Writing Effective Responses and Using Selection Criteria Samples

There are, however, many considerations when using selection criteria samples, such as:

• Before you begin the application, make sure you have suitable qualifications, experience and personal qualities for the position. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter how well you write your statement and how much help you have from written samples, you will not proceed any further

• Research the actual position and the organization you will be working for. This can often help you to tailor your criteria even further. Selection criteria samples can show you how to master this skill

• Before you actually start writing, pull apart all the selection criteria and roughly jot down as much as you can about it, such as where you performed the actual criterion and what it involved. Good quality samples can demonstrate this technique

• Once you start to write, present the selection criteria in a coherent structure, preferably the way that it is presented in the job application pack

• Be aware that sourcing written samples of someone else’s work requires editing to accurately reflect your own skills and strengths

Tips For Using Sample Selection Criteria

Tip 1 – Make sure the sample contains good use of language including positive and active keywords

Tip 2 – Compare the sample to the position you are applying for and replace keywords from the position description into the sample

Tip 3 – Be careful to edit the sample to accurately reflect your skills, strengths and experience

Tip 4 – Ensure that you add a bold bullet point summary at the end of the sample to make sure that panel members gain a clear picture of your key strengths and skills

Tip 5 – It is absolutely critical that actual practical examples be added to the sample that relate as closely as possible to each selection criteria statement. Make sure your choice of examples is relevant and provides clear evidence of your skills, experience and the positive outcomes you personally achieved

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenn_Ayrton

The Importance of Getting Selection Criteria Examples Right

Landing that dream government job can sometimes feel like it is out of reach. Continual job applications and persistent knock-backs can be disheartening.

Instead of finding the real source of the problem, we often look to ourselves and wonder what is wrong with our abilities. Forget this.

Have you ever considered that you are looking in the wrong place? Perhaps you have all the prerequisites for the role, but the problem likely lies in the writing of your selection criteria examples.

Are your examples letting you down?

Although there can be a number of valid reasons why that ideal job is eluding you, the fact is that often the writing of selection criteria examples may possibly be ruining your chances.

The most common reasons for this are:

1. Poorly worded examples
2. Insufficient written evidence
3. Wording that is unfamiliar with the panel members

As long as you have the skills, qualifications, experience and personal qualities, there is no reason why you aren’t, at least, being shortlisted.

The common reason applicants are not making it to the interview stage is because they’re not writing compelling examples and evidence that directly relates to the position description.

Providing those all-important selection criteria examples are one area that often lets candidates down. Well written examples must achieve the following:

1. Written using language that is familiar to the panel members
2. Provide rich examples that address principles, strategies and benefits
3. Clear description of the step by step strategy that is crystal clear

Well written examples demonstrate to panel members that you are competent and possess the skills and abilities required for the position. In short, the response you want to achieve with all readers of your examples is that ‘this person can do the job’.

Employers want to know candidates have either performed the necessary skills in a prior role; that they’ve the knowledge to do so; or, that they can easily pick up the new skill. This is shown by selection criteria examples.

The Importance of Writing Good Selection Criteria Examples

• Selection criteria examples form a significant part of the STAR (Situation, Task, Actions, Results) method of writing a selection criteria statement. Your selection criteria example should include in which role or situation you performed the skill; what you actually did; how you performed it; and, what the outcome of you performing this skill was.

• The examples you write must support your claims that you meet a certain selection criterion. As such, you need to provide actual examples that you can elaborate upon in the interview.

• Examples can be sourced from almost any aspect of your life – even if not from a similar role as the one you are applying for. Draw selection criteria examples from anywhere you’ve shown these abilities or personal attributes. The key is to use language that panel members are familiar with and talk their language.

• Written examples must clearly describe the positive outcomes and benefits achieved. What was the result of you performing this action?

Here’s a list of top tips to help you write high quality selection criteria examples:

Tip 1 Use their words in your examples

Tip 2 Make sure your language is specific and active

Tip 3 Clearly articulate the benefits achieved at the end of each example

Tip 4 Choose examples that are as closely aligned as possible to the role you are applying for

Tip 5 Research carefully both the department’s webpage and the position description in order to carefully select the most relevant keyword phrases to use in your written examples

Many government job applicants have been relieved to discover that there is a much better solution to spending entire weekends writing selection criteria applications by using software templates that can reduce and simplify the task significantly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenn_Ayrton

Selection Criteria – The Australian Government Recruitment Process

Selection criteria are the list of requirements that are seen when reading through a job advertisement. Whether it is for a high-level government position or an entry level role in a private organisation, more than likely a number of criteria will be included in the advertisement.

The Importance of Effective Marketing

Candidates are required to describe their skills and experience and make claims about their skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes that are required for the role. This is often called a selection criteria statement and is unquestionably the most important aspect of the recruitment process. It gets you noticed and assists in getting your foot in the door. A good or poorly written response can certainly be the difference between realising your dream job and losing out to a less qualified candidate.

Job specific criteria are used by both the employer and the candidate. An employer will use the criteria to guide their decision-making process when it comes to choosing or short-listing candidates. It provides an objective tool for employers to gauge a candidate’s suitability and their competitiveness against other applicants. It is essentially a tool for measuring how suitable one is for the position.

In addition to this, written responses are the perfect opportunity for a candidate to showcase their abilities and talents. It is one of the crucial times in the job application process where they can market themselves. Every successful product needs an effective marketing campaign. You are the product and the individual written responses are your marketing tools. A significant part of your marketing is providing sufficient evidence of your skills and abilities when addressing the specific requirements of the role.

TIP: Ensure you use clear active language when writing examples of your skills and experience.

The Categories of Selection Criteria

Sometimes these lists are quite lengthy and sometimes they are short. There are also different types of position related criteria, including:

• Previous Experience. This selection criterion often relates to past experience in a similar role or one aspect of the position. In this situation, the candidate can refer to prior roles in a dissimilar job. As long as the applicant performed similar duties and responsibilities, a reference to it is acceptable.

• Education and Qualifications. This type of selection criterion relates to the candidate’s level and type of education. Any professional recognition is relevant in this criteria type as well.

• Skills and Expertise. This denotes the actual level and type of abilities an applicant possesses. Candidates should include their proficiencies in both current roles and those that they have performed in the past.

• Personal Qualities. This criterion relates to the applicant’s own characteristics.

TIP: When describing your previous experience, ensure you use words from the position description you are applying for

The Importance of an Effective Selection Criteria Statement

In terms of applying for and landing that dream job, you can’t go past recognising the importance of a well written selection criteria statement. The good news is that there are resources available to help you write that job-winning statement such as templates, guides and actual examples.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenn_Ayrton

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose, to win an interview. A resume is a brochure, nothing more, nothing less. It presents you in the best light. A good resume is a document that shows the real you — without embellishment — but most certainly in the most attractive light! In this highly competitive job market, your resume has to do more than provide a simple outline of your previous work experience – it needs to be strategically developed as a personal marketing tool.

To have the absolute best chance of getting that role, I recommend talking to a reputable resume writing consultant, someone who makes an art of creating the best resume.

The word resume comes from the French word “resumer” which means to summarise. So the exact purpose of a resume is to summarise your experience, knowledge, and accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you mean in the least number of words possible. The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 2 to 5 pages long. Don’t be tempted to make your resume longer than 5 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember that a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered.

Following are some tips that will help you improve your resume, get it through the screening process and make it more appealing to potential employers

Don’t lie. It’s that simple. And don’t be tempted to embellish the truth. Of course, you would be foolish to include in your resume anything remotely unflattering But the risks of fudging the truth in your resume far outweigh the benefits, particularly when it comes to specific facts, such as credentials and titles.

Objective Statement That Is Flowery or Too General. Many candidates lose their readers from the very beginning of the resume — the “objective statement.” The worst objective statements start with, “A challenging position that will enable me to contribute to organisational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement.” This type of statement is overused and too general, and therefore wastes valuable space

Too Short or Too Long. Too many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they’ve heard that a resume should never be longer than one page. When formatting the resume to fit on one page, many job seekers delete their impressive achievements. The reverse is also true. Take the candidate who rambles on and on for pages about irrelevant or redundant experiences — the reader will easily be bored. When writing your resume, ask yourself, “Will this statement help me land an interview?” Only include information that elicits the answer “yes” to that question.

Too Focused on Job Duties. One of the most prevalent resume blunders is to turn a resume into a boring listing of job duties and responsibilities. Many people even use their company job descriptions as a guide to developing their resumes. To create a resume that is a cut above the rest, you should go beyond showing what was required of you, and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company. Provide specific examples of how the company benefited from your performance.

Typos! One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Two typos or more, and your chances are greatly diminished. Proofread, proofread, and proofread. This document is a reflection of you and should be absolutely perfect.

Use dates to show when you did things, not just the vague “one year”.

Many people include their interests, such as reading, hiking, snowboarding, etc. These should only be included if they relate to the job objective

Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, should normally not be included on the resume.

Make sure your resume is complete with an e-mail address as well as a phone number

In a short, your resume can be described as a thoughtfully organised personal “brochure” that summarises your experience and highlights your achievements. It should present your skills, capabilities and strengths in the best possible light, without resorting to embellishment

This is a great post from the Whirlpool forum by Brad

Source http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/59476.html

Our world has grown increasingly competitive. While our ultimate destination might be a new job our first challenge is becoming more memorable!

Having interviewed over 1,000 professionals and spearheading the Sales DNA program at Consolidated Graphics, I have truly seen it all. I’ve also been the dude on the other side of the desk getting interviewed. There were times where I knew I nailed it and other times that I left thinking “I can’t believe I said that out loud!”

Today’s blog is about you, kicking tail, taking names and wielding a little something called IMPACT! So strap in folks, its a lengthy one but this is your career so there will be no corners cut!

1) Get Current With Key Things You Should Know: Your industry, your craft, the local business landscape, national/international business landscape. Want to kick it up a notch? Have a quote, a statistic, a study to show your interviewer you take business seriously! Just in case you want to take it up two notches, come prepared with an interesting story pertaining to the areas I mentioned and watch how it can liven up your interview.

2) Meticulous Preparation: This is where so many people drop the ball. Its inexcusable in this day in age not to do your homework. Let’s start with the obvious stuff. Study the heck out of their website, the about us section, press releases. Learn who the key players are. Google the company, the individual who will interview you as well as the key players. Never know when one of them might join you in the interview. Better be prepared. Know who their competitors are (who knows that might even create another opportunity for you). Look for things that enable you to get inside the head of your interviewer such as a blog, discussions on Linkedin etc.

When I interviewed for my former position with Dale Carnegie, I found out my interviewer did a presentation for the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce on Leadership. I studied the powerpoint he used line by line and was able to understand how he thought, terms he used, his philosophies on leadership and was able to leverage that by getting him to talk about his favorite subject . . . himself! Isn’t that what we all love to talk about, ourself? The other part of your research should involve developing preliminary questions based on your research.Things you want to discuss, get clarification on etc. It should also involve something cool you can keep “in your back pocket”.

When I interviewed for Consolidated Graphics, I found information which included a picture of my interviewer at a grill with the heading “Grill Master”. At one point my interviewer called me out to see if I did my homework. I told him about articles where he was written up in Printing News and other publications. He wasn’t impressed because he felt anyone could have found that out. I then presented him with the picture of “The Grill Master” and we had a good laugh. He explained the story behind the picture to me and we had an opportunity to connect. That’s a critical reason why meticulous preparation is key! Important: Telling someone you researched them is one thing, verbally proving it is another, but showing them differentiates you. That’s why you should bring your research with you in a folder. Feel free to tap that folder when you tell them you did your homework.

The other part of meticulous preparation is understanding the basic questions and becoming fluent with your responses! I have included a link to some standard questions you should know. http://justsell.com/sales-interview-questions/ I’ll get into more detail on some specific questions where you need to really be on your game later in this post. Oh, one more thing about proper preparation. There is a specific question you need to ask that can save your hiney big time. Before you hang up the phone feeling like a million because the interview is set, ask them “Is there anyone besides yourself who may join us?” That stupid question will help you research ALL the appropriate parties and even reveal that the person you are speaking with won’t even be interviewing you. Wow, talk about a big waste of research and showing up unprepared, huh?

3) Get in the right “state” before you interview: This can be particularly hard if life has just dealt you a groin kick. If ever there was a time for a game face, its now. Listening to your favorite “pump up” music can work magic. How could you not want to kick ass after listening to some “Born to Be Wild” or some “Enter Sandman”? I wrote an entire blog post on this and you need to check it right now dude http://salesplaybook.blogspot.com/2009/07/soundtrack-for-success.html And while you are at it your attitude, quite frankly may need a mandatory enema.

We can’t be sure so for a quick exam go here http://salesplaybook.blogspot.com/2009/09/when-your-attitude-needs-enema.html Do you ever get nervous? Well Uncle Paul has you covered. Take two shots of Cuervo, just kidding. Seriously, hold a ceramic cup filled with warm water before you go forth and conquer. The warmth travels the nervous system and calms you down. I’ve coached people who have stage fright and call reluctance with this crazy remedy and it works! Visualize yourself saying the right things.

Visualize your interviewer nodding their head in agreement and showing verbal and non verbal signs of approval. Now, pardon me for the “101″ moment but part of meticulous preparation is allowing enough time so you don’t have to rush. Do you think you are at your best when you just screwed up the punctual thing? Nuff said!

4) Unleash the Advanced Rapport Techniques: And no, I’m not talking about commenting on the trophy on the shelf or the pics of the kids. Do that and you blend in with everyone else and run the risk of sounding artificial. I’m talking about the holy grail of rapport as in understanding that each person is wired differently and therefore has a different code for you to crack in order to connect. Get the skinny by clicking here http://salesplaybook.blogspot.com/2009/02/play-19-one-size-doesnt-fit-all.html

5) Beware Of Certain Questions: When someone asks you about money, always give a range for what you are looking for. That leaves room to negotiate and keeps you in the game. Under no circumstances are you to answer the “Tell me about your weaknesses” question with that BS of “I’m a perfectionist” I would suggest telling them something more in the past tense of something you had to get a better handle on such as time management, delegation, prospecting etc. Then tell them how you did it, lessons learned, your biggest take away etc. You will come off much stronger and won’t sound like you read the from the same script as the others.

Beware of the “Why are you considering a change?” question. Many people look at this as an opportunity to get negative and bad mouth their employer. Use your head, think it through and you will be fine. Final advice: Beware of left hook questions from the interviewer. They are designed to ruffle your feathers to see how you handle (and sorry for saying this) other people’s stupidity as far as I can gather. I mean stupid questions like if you could be any animal or travel to any place in the world.

You wouldn’t want to say “I’d like to be a Lion because who wouldn’t want to be the king of the F’n jungle baby! And as for places I’d go if I could go any where, I’d go to wherever you got that question from and eye gauge the jackass that taught you the question” Anyway, sorry for that folks, I’m a tad jacked up on Mountain Dew!

6) Don’t Over Talk Your Answers! I like to think of it as Gorilla Warfare because you need to get in and get out. And while you are at it, watch those digressions (you know when you take someone around the block with your answer and ultimately drop them off some place else) Personally, I can’t stand long winded answers, especially if they don’t answer my question. Check their temperature after answering a question to make sure you covered what they asked. Here’s a little inside secret for you.
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A good interviewer will allow a little uncomfortable silence after you answer to see what you do with that silence. Many times they will find out some pretty wild things about you simply because the average person has a need to fill silence out of nervousness. My suggestion, simply stare them down, confidently and with a smile as if to say “Your monkey style kung fu is ineffective biotch!” Gold star if you use silence on them!

7) Do This and Take It Over The Top Baby!: Proactively prove what you say. Don’t wait for them to ask for proof. Show them! Here’s how it works. I tell the interviewer that I was the grand freakin wizard of sales. Well, they may take my word for it or I can provide them with my sales ranking charts in the company newsletter, my W-2′s etc. Have testimonials from clients? Bring them! Letters of recommendations from previous managers? Bring them! Better to come prepared and choose your weapon than get called out and have to look like everyone else when you say “I’ll bring it next time” Always put your best foot forward and don’t count on a next time!

Focus On Delivering A Congruent Message! If I want to project a message of being confident and well prepared, I’m not sure a verbal message littered with “ums” “you knows” “basicallys” and a non verbal message that includes squirming and breaking eye contact will help. The cure? Video tape yourself. Watch your body language. Do you look confident, capable and some other C word so I can complete the freakin C Trilogy I just started? Listen for useless “ums” etc. Consider using what I call “intentional language”. This includes money words like reduced, increased, streamlined etc. And when you make it to the finals (and you will) use inclusive language such as we, us, partner, collaborate.
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9) Come Prepared With Solid Questions! More candidates screw up this step by asking lame questions like “How much does the job pay” “Do we get Victory Over Japan Day off?” all during the first date so to speak. This is your opportunity to ask some of those cool questions you came up with during your meticulous planning as well as questions that sort of presented themselves as the interview progressed. Oh and please don’t read them from a list. By all means take the list out to once again show the preparation, but know your material! If you want to score mega points ask the questions others aren’t asking. You know the ones that make the interviewer stop dead in their tracks and say “Wow! No one ever asked us that before. Great question!”

Here’s a little secret (don’t tell anyone, I mean it) The secret to connecting with people is obviously quality conversation. The secret to quality conversation lies in the questions you ask! Don’t ever discount the importance of good questions as part of your strategy!

10) Ask What The Next Step Is: More candidates lose opportunity simply because they didn’t have the stones to ask for the next step. You need to demonstrate your confidence by asking. Many interviewers (especially in the sales circles) will intentionally hold off to see if you ask! Don’t fall into the trap of Not asking.

11) Proper Follow Up!: I wouldn’t lose impact by sending a crappy thank you email! Too many people get caught up in this virtual stuff. If you want to stand out, you need to move it to real time by sending a handwritten thank you! Set yourself up for the win whenever you are asked to provide something by answering “(name of interviewer) I promise to get you that by Tuesday” Then call on Monday (because you want to brand yourself as on top of your follow up) you call with this “(name of interviewer) here are those TPS Reports as promised” Do that and you bond now on a subconscious level and in ways the others that interviewed missed!

12) Know What Makes You Different! Put yourself in their shoes. They are interviewing all these candidates and they so desperately want to find the difference maker. What’s yours? Be able to articulate and demonstrate this throughout the entire process. In fact, this needs to be your focal point. Your difference!

I want to leave you with a final thought. You were wired for great things. More importantly, you deserve that greatness. Sometimes we forget that when times are tough or when life has stuck another needle in the Castain Voodoo doll. So if you read this today having been through a struggle, I hear you and want you to know that I have too had to rebuild my life a few years back after losing everything (including my self esteem). Please don’t let it get to you. I truly believe that the best chapters in our success story are ahead of us, not behind us.

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