Mature Person Gets Interview! A Career Coach Goes Undercover in Search of a Job

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importantI hadn’t intended to apply for a job.

It popped up in my in box, what seemed like a perfect fit, almost begging me to complete the application.

As a career coach, I always urge clients to press forward; to plan their job search strategy and work the plan. Apply for jobs when you see them.

After all, you can’t turn it down until they make you an offer, right?

Sometimes I’m on the receiving end of eye rolls or blank stares that seem to say, “You have no clue how hard it is, do you?”

Ah…but I do know how hard it is. Remember, I’ve “Been there and done that.”

Then there are the clients and others I meet who are weary from the job search who tell me:

“You can’t get a job through the internet”
“No one responds to online applications anymore”
“Mature workers don’t get job interviews”

The list goes on and on.

These statements puzzle me. I’m surprised to be surrounded by so many who have spoken to “everyone” and know for a fact that “no one” responds.

I get it; it’s not easy. There are obstacles to overcome.

Having conducted my own job searches over the years, including after a layoff, I’m pretty sure I understand the ins and outs.

I know; it’s a jungle out there.

Although the thought had crossed my mind. What if my job search experience was more than a bit rusty? What if it was – gasp – obsolete?

When I saw the job posting in my in-box, I knew I had to apply. It was a chance to put my own advice to the test.

Time for the teacher to become the student.

After all, I built my business on being the coach with “relevant” real-world experience, not one who had only learned through classroom training or seminars. Time to see if my experience still held true.

Even for a “mature” job candidate.

Here’s what I did to prepare for submitting my information:

  • Updated my resume to better align with the job
  • Included relevant key words
  • Highlighted skills relevant to the job. Note: this does not mean that I literally “highlighted” them. It means I moved them to a more prominent location within the resume to be more easily noticed, i.e. re-arranging bullets.
  • Included an appropriate professional title
  • Wrote a cover letter with examples that showed why I would be an excellent candidate for the job. Note: I only include a cover letter when asked. This time it was required.
  • Eliminated “fluffy” words such as, “dedicated” and “hard-working” that may be true yet are difficult to prove

Yes, it was time consuming to tailor my resume, write the cover letter, and complete the online application. Those job apps are a pain, I know.

I hit send and went back to my work. Under normal circumstances I would have found someone in my network to make a personal connection on my behalf and help my resume get to the top of the stack. In this rare instance, I had no connections at the organization. And for this experiment I wanted to see what would happen without a personal connection.

Ten days later, my phone rang.

I got an interview.

Solely on the basis of my resume and cover letter, and possibly my LinkedIn profile – assuming they reviewed it.

So what does this mean?

Yes, I might have been lucky.  Although I think there’s more to it than that.

In my opinion, my getting a job interview indicates:

  • Well-written resumes with key words will make it through the ATS
  • Experience does count – my qualifications lined up well against the job description
  • Education and certificates help – I’m convinced additional certificates and my advanced degree knocked down barriers even though they were not required
  • Age isn’t necessarily a stumbling block. It’s easy to tell from my experience I’m not fresh out of school.

The key take-away: It is possible to get an interview with a well-written resume.

One criteria we cannot ignore: we all have to put in the time and effort. Which is a stumbling block for many who tell me it’s too time consuming to apply for jobs.

I agree; it’s time consuming. It took me almost a day for one application.

Yet I don’t know what to tell you except that finding a new job is work.

Looking for job openings is work. Tailoring your resume is work. Networking is work. Following up is work.

And the real work begins once you secure an interview!

Every job seeker goes through this process. And if you’re plan isn’t working, maybe it’s time to shift strategies and go at it from a different perspective.

Bottom line: We must persevere in order to succeed.

What are you going to do? That’s the real question.

A Mistake That Could Cost You The Interview

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shot-putter-558158_1280Did I tell you about the time I blew a job interview? It was not my finest moment.

It was a phone interview, one I thought I had done well to prepare for. I had researched the company, made notes of questions to ask, and had practiced answers to potential questions the hiring manager might ask.

I felt so prepared that I turned out the lights and went out of town for the weekend.

On Monday morning I was still confident, opening my computer and by memory typing in the company website. With my resume on hand and other notes, I thought I was ready.

Everything was going well until the hiring manager asked me a question about a “crisis plan” and I began talking about the need for a global response, especially given the factory in India.

The silence on the other end was deafening.

“What are you talking about?” she barked.

Wondering why she was upset with me, I said, “The company’s overseas operations, I’m looking at right here on your website.”
Again, radio silence.

Apparently I had researched the wrong company.

In my defense, there was a one-letter difference between the two companies. And both happened to be in the same industry doing very similar work.

Still, the hiring manager was not amused. Nor impressed that I had done research.

The fault was mine and I lost the opportunity. All my preparation didn’t matter.

My one shot was gone.

Embarrassment sunk in. Humiliation. The agony of defeat.

My incorrect preparation was similar to an Olympic athlete who, after spending years preparing for the shot put event, arrived at the games to discover he had mistakenly entered the discus throw. While knowing everything about the shot put and being 100% prepared to compete, all the preparation in the world would not impress the judges if he could not throw the discus.

Thank goodness I was not competing in the Olympics with millions of people watching this drama unfold. Not to mention the weight of disappointing my countrymen either.

In many ways interviewing for a job is like preparing to compete in an Olympic event. You’ve got one shot at glory; if you make a mistake it could cost you the gold medal (job).

You may think I’m crazy, but consider this:

Preparation: Olympic athletes train and prepare for years for one moment to capture their dream of winning a medal. Job seekers have even less time to prepare a specific interview, however similar to athletes we are training every day for our next job. If you don’t see that you are kidding yourself. We should hone our craft, work on our skills and update our resumes so we are ready for that one moment when it really counts. Take time to assess your skills as they relate to your industry and jobs you might interview for – do you need to make improvements? Update your resume at least once a year with your accomplishments. And network constantly so you are ready when you want to make a career move.

Practice Makes Perfect: Olympic athletes are “in it to win it”. Their job leading up to the Olympics is to practice every day with the goal of doing better than the day before. Many job seekers prepare for networking events or interviews up to a point then stop, thinking they’ve “done enough”. Let me tell you it’s never enough and “winging it” is not a winning strategy. You’ve got to practice everything from your answers to knowing what you’re going to wear. Even practice smiling in front of a mirror. I’m not kidding, this really works.

Mental Focus: Athletes are masters at focusing on the job at hand and tuning out everything else in order to do their very best. Job seekers should laser-focus their attention on the interview: research the company, know in advance how you will answer potential interview questions and practice those answers out loud, develop your professional story that summarizes who you are instead of boring the hiring manager with every detail of your life. Before walking in to the interview, clear your head and refocus your mind – nothing else is important at that moment.

Preparation. Practice. Focus. These are key ingredients to success whether you’re an athlete or a job seeker.

And take it from me: make sure you have the correct spelling of the company as well as the correct website. Researching the wrong company is a mistake that could cost you the interview.

Most Common Interviewing Mistake

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photo-1455139960217-3de50ca3bc8cPing! Buzz! Ring! It’s so exciting when the phone alerts us with a prospective employer wanting to chat about a new opportunity.

An interview – even a phone interview – brings us one step closer to finding our next job.

When this happens, clients will immediately contact me for advice. They know the importance of the first interview; a stellar performance may secure a second interview.

The most common interviewing mistake I’ve noticed across all clients? There’s too much focus on “me” and not enough on the company.

Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s wide out in the open. Either way, the focus is misdirected.

I see this when we are doing mock interviews or when I’m reviewing written answers to potential questions that might be asked. And I stop to redirect my clients’ response.

Yet they look at me like I’ve sprouted a second head.

“But I’m trying to show them what I’m about”
“I need to figure out if the company is right for me”
“I want to explain why I’m leaving my last company”

The list goes on and on.

My open and honest feedback? Honestly, the hiring manager doesn’t care. Truly, he or she doesn’t.

Here’s what the hiring manager is thinking: “I’ve got a problem and I’m wondering if you are the person who can help me solve the problem. Are you that person?”

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know that you want a place to “learn and grow” – they probably don’t have time to teach you. They need someone to solve a problem.

If you spend too much time talking about why you are leaving your current job or why it was not a good fit, you are wasting precious time that could be spent convincing the hiring manager why you have the right skills for the job.

Think about how you answer their questions: Are you telling them more about what “you want” from the job or more about how “you can contribute” to the success of the team/organization? Big difference.

This is a hard concept for many to grasp. They think the focus of the interview process is entirely on the candidate.

It’s a two-way street, really. The company is looking for the best hire and you are looking for a good fit as well.

If it were a dance, it would be a Tango, with both parties moving back and forth in sort of give and take until a decision is made.

In this dance, remember to focus on the company and your strengths. Position your responses to show you are the answer to their problems and watch as a smile appears on the hiring manager’s face.

By doing this you are dancing your way to an offer.

3 Ways to Answer the Question, “Tell Me About Yourself “

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restaurant-690975_1280“Tell me about yourself”

It’s the one question every job candidate can expect during a job interview. You’d think candidates would slam-dunk the answer.

Based on my own experience as a hiring manager and as a job seeker, I think candidates fail miserably.

Instead of grabbing the attention of the hiring manager with our unique story, we settle in comfortably and drone on with a chronological list of our employment history, education and accomplishments.

The same information we just handed to them in the form of our resume.

It’s like a blind date gone horribly wrong. We’ve got one chance to impress our dream guy/gal with a fun tale that will leave them asking for second date, and we waste time telling them details of how long it took us to pick out an outfit.

Definitely not the story a prospective date wants to hear.

Hiring managers don’t want to hear boring stories either. They can read the details from your resume. This is your chance to tell them who you are in a way that has them saying, “Wow – what a smart go-getter. And fun! I want to have this person on my team.”

I remember back in college, each time we’d meet someone new there was a standard list of questions to ask each other. It was almost a ritual and included:

  • Where are you from?
  • What’s your major?
  • Do you live in a dorm or apartment? Where?

My friends and I would get bored with this tried and true interview, which is so similar to the “Tell me About Yourself” question we now experience when interviewing for a job. We wanted so badly to ask a series of new questions. During one of our happy hours we developed these gems:

  • Are those your shoes?
  • Does your mother know you’re here?
  • Does your hair always look like that?

While fear of hurting someone’s feelings prevented us from using these questions, our intent was simply to get some interesting feedback instead of the same old information that everyone provided.

You have a chance to break away from old habits! Take yourself to happy hour, or find a quiet spot to think about your unique story. If you hit a road block, ask a trusted friend or two to help out.

To get you started, here are three ways to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself”:

  • Sell yourself with only 3 words, and tell why those 3 words are important for you
  • Share 3 pivotal career moments that will contribute to your success at this job
  • Explain why your colleagues would recommend you for this job

I think you get the idea. Find a unique angle that tells who you are and why you would be a great asset to the hiring manager.

Smile, be confident and shine as you grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Just refrain from asking if his mom knows where he is.

Don’t Arrange the Furniture Before the Sale is Final

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livingroom-1032733_1280Realtors will tell prospective buyers, “Don’t arrange the furniture before the sale is final”.

As a career coach, I tell my clients the same thing. Let me explain.

What it means, in real estate terms, is never fall so in love with a house that you are mentally arranging your furniture before you own the place.

If you’ve ever searched for a new house or apartment, you understand the feeling you get when you find what appears to be the perfect new home.

It’s fun to think of putting the TV on this wall, artwork over here, the couch over there. Closing your eyes, you imagine all the parties you’ll throw. It’s so exciting to think of your future in the new house!

What harm is there, really, with getting so pumped about a new house?

For one, the deal could fall through. You need to have your game face on and be prepared to walk away. If you’re too caught up in the fantasy, you may end up paying more than you should.

Negotiating a job offer is similar to buying a new house. When we find an opportunity that we think is “the one” we start to “arrange the furniture”.

We envision ourselves in the job, driving to the office, sitting at the desk, engaging in projects and being part of the team. We think so far ahead that we fantasize about paychecks and vacation time. There may even be feelings of relief that the job search is over.

It’s good to be excited about a job opportunity. Yet we need to keep our minds sharp, take a giant step back and remember that we don’t actually have the job yet. Nothing is signed.

Humbling as it is, the company may offer the job to another candidate.

If we do get an offer, things can change and it may not be exactly what we hoped for, or at all like the opportunity first presented to us. We should maintain complete objectivity while negotiating the best possible agreement. And be prepared to walk away in the rare instance that it’s really not right.

When we mentally “arrange the furniture”, becoming so engaged that we see ourselves sitting at the desk, we tend to lose our negotiating edge. We may agree to points that otherwise would give us reason to pause, such as salary or vacation, or even the job responsibilities itself, simply out of fear that we may lose the opportunity if we don’t acquiesce to their demands.

Keep your game face on until the ink is dry and you are happy with the terms of the agreement.

Then – and only then – start arranging the furniture, mentally hanging pictures in your new office.

Is The Job You Interviewed For Right For You?

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Office space 2

 

 

 

 

 

How do you know if the job you interview for is right for you? I get asked this question a lot.

The short answer is: you don’t. Without a crystal ball, none of us knows with certainty whether or not a job is the “right” one.

But there are clues we can pick up during the interview process that provide valuable insight.

  • Is the interview process organized?
  • Does HR call you back in a timely manner with information about the decision making process or do they leave you hanging?
  • How about the hiring manager; does he/she seem open and engaging or are they closed off, as if they are reading questions from a script?
  • When observing employees in the office, what is the vibe? Is it general work or is it stress and chaos?
  • Above all, did any of the people you met, especially the hiring manager, set off any alarms? Is the little voice inside your head telling you to heed those alarms; that something isn’t quite right?

One time I made the mistake of not paying attention to the red flags that popped up as I interviewed for a new job.

That little voice inside my head tried to tell me that something was not quite right as I was being wooed and courted with all kinds of promises. Sensing a dark side, I politely turned the job down. Yet their force was stronger and upped the ante with more money. It was an offer that seemed too good to pass up.

Thinking I had totally misread the cues during the interview process, I pushed my inner voice aside and accepted the offer. After all, I could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong with the opportunity. What did I have to lose?

Within the first two weeks I realized my mistake. That little voice inside my head had been right and all of those red flags meant “stop” and take serious notice. No amount of money could make up for the fact that this was not the right fit for me, yet now I was committed.

Ultimately, after staying for awhile, I left the company for something that was a much better match.

Word of caution: Remember, no job is perfect. Do not use your “inner voice” as an excuse to find fault with every interview or job opportunity that comes up.

Back to the original question: How do you know if the job you interview for is a good fit? Again, there are no guarantees. One thing is for certain: listen to your inner voice and look for any red flags.

When it’s right you’ll know it. And when it’s wrong, you’ll know it too.

Always Put Your Best Foot Forward

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dog-633562_1920There are times when it’s okay to just throw in the towel, right? Especially when it comes to interview preparation.  Whether it’s an interview for a job, an internship or possibly grad school, you can cut yourself some slack on occasion.

After all, you’ve applied to dozens of places. Even though you’ve scored an interview with a great company, it’s not your first choice and there’s still time for “number one” to give you a call.

Sure, you do the basics such as getting an interview outfit and telling a few trusted friends about this new development. Without putting forth much effort you convince yourself that you’re prepared, you’ve done this before, you are ready for any question and that this interview is really more of an opportunity for you to take a look at them.

You don’t need to put much effort into preparing for an interview that you’re not 100% sure about anyway.

SAID NO CAREER COACH, EVER.

Yet I’ve heard this before, watched it play out and then seen the results. It should be no surprise that they aren’t pretty.

Always put your best foot forward. Approach every interview as though this is THE ONE; the job or internship that you really want.

Here are a few reasons why you should always put your best foot forward:

Personal Brand – Remember: you represent the brand of YOU.  And you always want to present your brand in the best possible way.  Prepare, smile and shine during the interview!

Six Degrees of Separation – It’s a small world. The hiring manager you interview with today may be best friends with the hiring manager you interview with tomorrow. Or they could be connected to some other key individual that may be instrumental in your career.  Give them every reason to praise you.

You Can’t Turn It Down Till They Make You An Offer – Many times I hear clients say, “Based on what I heard during the phone interview, I’m going to turn the company down”. Turn what down?  They haven’t made you a job offer yet!  In most cases it’s in your best interest to continue with the process to see where it leads.  Job location may be a concern for you, yet if the company likes you they may be willing to accommodate a telecommuting situation.  Who knows?  If you pass an opportunity too early you’ll never find out.

Always Go for the Win – Sports teams always approach a game with a winning mind-set. So should you when you go into an interview.   The goal is to receive a job offer – a win.  It allows you to make the decision about employment rather than having it made for you.  Go in to each interview as though it were the only job you want.

Practice Makes Perfect – If nothing else, every interview is an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. Always look for improvement over your last interview. Grade yourself and afterwards note additional ways to improve.

 

3 Tips For Successfully Answering Interview Questions

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practice-615644_1920What is it about interviewing for a job that can make otherwise intelligent people get tongue-tied? After all, we are at a job interview to discuss how we might help the company achieve its goals and who knows our career story, with all of our successes, better than we do?

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. Here are 3 tips to help you successfully answer interview questions.

1.Write Your Answers Ahead of Time

You have a good idea of the questions the hiring manager will ask, right? “Why do you want to work here?” “Give me an example of a successful project you managed” “What is your biggest strength/weakness?” and the all-important, “Tell me about yourself”.

Rather than “wing it” during the interview, think about what you want to say and type out your answers ahead of time.

Go back and review your answers, making sure they are succinct and convey the best part of you and your career. Place yourself in the hiring manager’s position: Are your answers what you would want to hear from a candidate?

2. Answer the Hiring Manager’s Question: WIFM?

The hiring manager is looking for someone to solve her problems. She’s silently asking the question, “What’s In It For Me?”

To answer this question, you need to “show”, not “tell”.

It also means using examples to show why she should hire you, NOT using fluffy words or generic information that isn’t specific to the position for which you are applying.

For example: “Tell me about yourself”. Your answer: “I’m passionate about analytics and am a dedicated, hard worker.  I really enjoy working in finance and would love to work here at XYZ Company.”

That’s awesome that you want to work for the company but the hiring manager doesn’t care about your needs/desires. I’m sure you are dedicated and hard-working, but how do you prove that in an interview? Besides, isn’t every candidate going to say that?

A better answer is, “I’m a financial analyst with more than ten years experience helping companies such as yours strategize and plan for the future. My career includes both corporate experience as well as consulting, for both domestic and global organizations. Recently my team completed a project that allowed our company to increase revenue by 8%. I believe my experience has prepared me to take the next step, and I’m ready to make a positive contribution to your organization.”

State who you are and show you can do for the hiring manager and the company.

3. Practice!

Just like being in a play, practice saying your answers out loud until they roll off your tongue naturally. Do not wait until the interview before you speak these words!

Trust me when I tell you that practice makes you sound perfectly unrehearsed.

Remember: Write. Show. Practice. These three tips will take you from tongue-tied to eloquent.

Trust Is A Very Important And Powerful Part Of Your Career

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speeddating[1]

Interviewing is a lot like dating. Job seekers and employers alike are searching for Mr. or Ms. Right.

Similar to Match.com, companies and candidates post their profiles online in hopes of making a connection.  Candidates are much more anxious to find a steady date than companies seem to be, browsing online dating sites LinkedIn, Career Builder, Indeed and others daily, looking for just the right mix of strengths, capabilities, salary and commute.  When we find a “match”, we submit our resume and wait for our “date” to ping us back.

Sometimes we wait in vain, which is so annoying.  Just when we are about to give up, we receive a message from a company that wants to meet us.  A real date!

Being experienced daters, we know that this meeting is really more of an interview to see if we get along.  A feeling of trust is part of it. If the candidate and company are unable to build a relationship based on trust, there will be no second date, and certainly no job offer.

Here are two examples of “Work Dates” to learn from, one good and one, well, that is just wrong.

Jordan Spieth

In case you don’t know, he’s only the hottest up-and-coming golfer on the planet.  This young man seems to have his head screwed on correctly.

He’s an excellent golfer. He appears to be very bright and level headed.  From what we’ve seen and read, he acts like a gentleman at all times – no need to worry about putting a mic close to his face; have not seen him mouth a curse word yet.  He’s humble and caring, especially when it comes to his sister with special needs.

Jordan has won two major tournaments and is on his way to the British Open; if he wins he will set some sort of record.  Having just come off a tournament, most players left for Scotland to get acclimated and start practicing.  Yet over a year ago Jordan had committed to play in a lower-tier tournament the weekend prior to the British Open. 

Most in the golf world have said that it would have been perfectly acceptable for Jordan to apologize to the lesser tournament, explain that he had no idea he would qualify for the British Open so early in his career, and catch a flight to Scotland.

Jordan played in the tournament, stating that he made a commitment and he intended to honor it. He won the tournament too.

#honor #trustworthy

DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre is in the NBA; played for the Los Angeles Clippers who were “this close” to winning the championship this year.  But DeAndre was not 100% happy with his job so at the end of the season he became a free-agent in order to “change jobs” – move to another team.

Enter Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks, who together with his crew wooed and wined and dined DeAndre, showing him what life would be like if he accepted a job with the Mavericks.  They offered him exactly the job he wanted.  After a lengthy party/interview, DeAndre accepted the offer to become a Maverick.

After a few days, apparently reality sank in and DeAndre realized he didn’t want to move to Dallas for whatever reason.  Except that he already told his boss (LA) he was leaving and Mr. Cuban (Dallas) he was coming.

He did some fancy talking and got his old job back. Word got out to Mark Cuban that DeAndre had cold feet.  Things got weird.   Mark got a Tweet from DeAndre that said “Hope we can still be friends”.

#interviewfail  #nottrustworthy

Trust is a very important and powerful part of your career. Job candidates and employees who misuse or abuse trust will find out quickly that once trust is lost, it may be impossible to regain.  It’s a mistake that can haunt you for the rest of your career.

Think about it when you are making career decisions.

And whatever you do, always speak to the hiring manager about your decision.  Even if it means telling them you’ve changed your mind. It’s more respectful and simply the right thing to do.

Always Bring Your A-Game to Every Interview

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keep-calm-and-bring-your-a-game

What would you do if you knew, for certain, that you had a shot at a job that would pay you seven figures?  That you were a shoe-in for an opportunity that would make you an instant millionaire?

All you had to do was get through the final interview without screwing up.  Basically, the job was yours to lose.

Most of us, I assume, would do everything in our power to bring our A-game.  We would prepare like never before. We would know our thirty-second “Tell me about yourself,” elevator speech. We would practice our answers to interview questions.  We might even hire a coach to review basics like eye-contact, body language, conversation and dressing for success.

Personally, I would purchase a new outfit, get my hair cut and have a manicure. This would definitely be a legitimate reason to shop.

Yes, most of us would go “all-out” for such an opportunity, knowing that getting hired would be the ultimate achievement and would cover any expenses we incurred to put our best foot forward.

I recently read an article written by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News about a young man who did the opposite. He had an opportunity to be an instant millionaire and let it go up in smoke. Literally.

The article had to do with the NFL draft, something that I don’t usually watch.  Hubby brought the article to my attention about the story of Randy Gregory, apparently one of the nation’s top players and at one time expected to be a first round draft pick; probably top ten.

It’s my understanding that “first round” means millions of dollars, much more than if you languish until a later round.

But Mr. Gregory blew the biggest job interview of his life at the NFL combine.  He tested positive for marijuana.  I like how Mr. Gosselin put it best:

“By testing positive for marijuana, Gregory failed that simple intelligence test. How can you be that stupid as to risk a  lifetime of financial security for a few tokes off a joint?”

Seriously, did this young man really think his talent was so special that he was immune from the rules that all other draft hopefuls had to follow?  That coaches were going to ignore bad interview performance and pay him millions anyway?

The Cowboys had him as a first round pick, yet passed him up.  So did the other teams.  Mr. Gregory sat waiting for an offer.  I hope he was nervous; he should have been.

Something similar could happen to anyone during a job interview.  Inappropriate remarks, unable to answer interview questions, appearing unprepared in general, appearing cocky, inappropriate interview attire, etc. – any number of things.  We could just be so nervous that we lose our ability to think clearly.

Every time we interview, whether it’s the first phone-screen or the final-round in-person interview, we simply must bring our A-game. Always be on your toes.  Always show the company the best you have to offer. Your goal is to get the offer, not to leave a lucrative deal on the table because of a mistake.

As for Mr. Gregory, eventually he was selected, yet his value had diminished.  Trust had been lost, the team was wary of what he could do on the field as well as if hiring him could damage their brand.

I hope it works out for him.  And I hope we can all remember the lesson he inadvertently shared: Always bring your A-game to every interview. It could mean big bucks.