LOL fint. It's not "sucking up" (ok, Lubers was a bit suckup).

You have to make THIS stranger stand out from all the other strangers though.....and you have to point out your assets without sounding like you're bragging.....interviewing is most certainly an artform.

If a boss is going to hire a woman with the expectation they are going to sleep with the woman, then they get what they deserve! How stupid is that? Business is business and who wants to get laid over a dummy who can't perform the job duties?

And fint, the law industry in Chicago and even nationwide is the same way. They all talk and these firms that are halfway decent have offices in all the major cities, so word does get around..... A big catalyst of the communication network are the associations that we all belong to in which to share information and methodology/advancements in the particular area of industry, etc. (mine IT/Law related).

Hit on the boss in the interview...and don't be suprised if he thinks you are hot for him (men often think with parts that are located nowhere near their brain). Also don't be suprised that he is angry when he finds out that you are really not interested. That is not a good situation.

It is sort of like the man who asked a woman if she would sleep with him for $10 million. She said "yes". Then he pulled out $10 and asked her to sleep with him. She said.."what do you think I am???" he said, "We have already established that...now we are just dickering on price."

One should try to be themselves in an interview to a large extent...or else both will be unhappy later. You; trying to be the person you sold the boss on...the boss; unhappy that you are not the person he thought he was getting.

Be friendly and professional, but don't Eddie Haskell.

Hit on my female boss? LOL

Good point fint. You're right (about being yourself). Though I can't be any other way though LOL

My problem with me is I cannot lie, I suck at it, and I do have a hard time "bragging" about myself, if you will, and I am my own worst critic (believe it or not....this "malapert" girl...LOL)

So I have to really study hard to come up with the answers for these potential questions to shine myself in the best positive light. I just can't do that stuff on the fly.....

More technical or skilled positions are often the easiest (assuming you have the skills/knowledge) to staff or apply for because it is hard to schmooze your way through a good interview. To be simplistic, you can either type 40 words per minute or 120. Obviously customer service type positions may require more personality based skills. Management, sale, etc are tougher because personality is a large part of the job and what is good/effective is often subjective. For example....after I was hired in my current job...after seeing in me action...my boss proclaimed to a confidant..."I hired an *******.......exactly what I wanted). Of course now that I have crushed his opposition, destroyed his enemies, and fixed his problems for him...he is a bit weary of working with an "*******" and tends to surround himself with yesmen and push out. None are competent but they buy him lots of drinks. I don't really know where the line willl be drawn between his "needing me and my skills" to finding my advice intolerable because it is not exactly what he wants to hear. I image if I tell him one more time that he cannot do what he wants...because he will go to jail...after all his "buddies" have said, "great idea boss!"... that I will be looking for other employment...or he will be lookig for a new set of teeth...or both. Clearly if you are brought in as a "change agent"...once the changes are implemented and working...your value is diminished.

The trick is to turn the negatives into positives. In my interview I had a question that, if unprepared, could only have been answered negatively:

When it comes to work, what's your biggest fault?

My answer:
I have absolutely no patience for people who have a low work ethic.

An interview is like a date. If you are looking for a long term relationship, you need to be relatively honest. The truth always comes out.

My suggestion, I mean no disrespect, I swear.....but I would strongly discourage phrasing it: "no patience for people who......" What I just envisioned is a potential confrontational employee with his peers.

I'm the exact same way. I'm the worst liar around and even if you didn't know me you can tell when I'm lying. Also, I'm very confident in my abilities and my ability to learn new things, but I'm very uncomfortable saying it. I feel like I'm being boastful.

My answer:
Snorting lines and doing shots of tequila at lunch break.

930addict,
I know what you mean, I was looking for a way out of my (government) job but then someone screwed up and promoted a honest hardworking supervisor over me and now I'm happy as a pig in... well you know.

:rolleyes:

A job, a sale, a date...its all the same. You have to get in between their ears. Figuer out what makes them tick but do so with the guy/girl who has the juice. On the surface, people buy on performance, people hire on performance and people date performance. When it comes right down to it it really is about if you are liked - well liked.

Few will admit that but is the truth 99.978%. You can have a list of issues and not the best logical choice but if the juice likes you you have it. If they like you alot, they will go to bat for you in a number of ways.

That trick is to find out how to be liked - well liked. Figuer that out and the world becomes a play ground...

Objectivity gets hired, subjectivity keeps your job.

Also, self confidence is a good thing - it's not bragging if peformance is the subject. You MUST have the confidence to state your abilities and accomplishments. Take pride in your work ethic.

During the interview, when the subject comes up on why you are seeking employment, make sure it's about challenge and growth potential (AS MENTIONED ABOVE). Ask about what the job entails, ask questions about the growth and direction of the company, where you can go, study the company you're interviewing with, THEN ask about compensation.

Be interested in your new employer, as it's an improvement over your prior job.

The interviewer is selling the company to you, and you're selliing yourself to the interviewer. Make sure they put a bit of effort into selling their employment to you, then you know you have done a decent job of selling yourself.

Finally, actually ask for the job.

rjp