For those of you in Eastern Connecticut, I hope you’ll join me at The Groton Public Library on 3/26, 7PM for a free program on interviewing. (All the details are on my website under Events–http://JeanBaur.com). I’ll be covering how to prepare, why listening skills are so important, how to make your words come alive with gestures and most importantly, how to get the focus on them (the interviewers) and what they need.

We’ll also practice providing proof in our answers, using PAR statements (problem, action, result). So if you can’t come, here’s one tip:  build these accomplishments or PAR’s so that when you’re talking about your strengths, you can offer examples. Don’t just say “I’m well organized,” but rather, follow that good lead in with, “for example, at my last job we had a problem delivering our orders on time. I analyzed the situation, created a spreadsheet and ensured that all orders were shipped out in a timely manner.”  Now you’ve proved that you’re organized and these examples or stories are also memorable. They stick which is another reason to make them a critical part of your interview strategy. For more on this, please see my book, “The Essential Job Interview Handbook.”