The other day someone asked me what was the biggest mistake I’d ever made during an interview. Well, as a human we live and learn, but one thing stood out. I’d failed to ask for the job. Not once, but twice. Let me explain.Years ago I’d interviewed for a sales position selling textbooks to colleges. The interview occurred in Ohio during January, so I kept thinking of lugging a suitcase on rollers up some hill during the...

Be careful where you conduct your final grooming prior to entering the interview. Years ago a recruiter told me of an engineering candidate who drove up to the manufacturing facility and parked, face in, to a visitor space.Before exiting his vehicle, the candidate tilted his rear view mirror downward and proceeded to do a “once over” on his tie, his teeth, his breath, his underarms and last, but certainly not least, his no...

I typically ask workshop attendees and my clients which questions tend to give them trouble. The two I hear most often center around compensation and ‘tell me about yourself.’ Both are difficult, but for different reasons.Let’s tackle the most common and, likely, the most difficult question of all because it’s somewhat vague and is usually the first question asked in a typically nerve-wracking setting: Tell me about yoursel...