By: Cheryl Stewart

One question you should NEVER answer immediately during an interview is, "Tell me a little about yourself." Most job seekers are surprised when they first hear this, but there is a very good reason for this advice.

When you are interviewing and the interviewer asks you to talk about yourself, your first instinct will be to answer immediately and to do your best to sell your skills. That is why you are there. However, if you try to sell yourself before you find out what the employer is buying, you will lose that job opportunity. Why? Because, if you are selling your organizational skills and ability to work independently, but the employer needs a team player with a cheerful personality, you will unknowingly fail the interview.

Each question asked during a job interview is designed to determine how closely your skills match the qualifications needed by the employer. You read their job description, so you THINK you know what the employer wants. Truth is, you don’t have the full story, and the interviewer isn’t going to reveal it unless you ask.

The job is open for a reason. Maybe the last person in that job was habitually late for work or didn’t get along with the rest of the staff. Maybe he couldn’t meet critical deadlines. The job description may have stated the employer was looking for computer skills. You are being interviewed because you have the skills listed in the ad, HOWEVER, the former employee probably also had most of the needed skills. So why is the job open? You must find out.

There is always a job requirement the employer is seeking in a new hire and the interviewer will not volunteer this information. The interviewer will, however, disclose this information, if you ask in the right way.

How to Find Out What the Employer Really Wants

Most interviewers will give you some information about the job and ask you to talk about yourself. Ninety percent of job seekers will talk about themselves as soon as they are asked, and will literally talk themselves out of the job offer. If you make the mistake of talking about yourself before you know what the employer is really looking for in the person they want to hire, 9 times out of 10, you will miss the mark.

When to Talk About Yourself

When you are asked something like, "Tell me about yourself," respond with, "Thank you. I’m here to do th at, but before I do, may I ask you a few more questions about the job?" Then ask the interviewer things like:

• "How many people would I be reporting to?"
• "What do you consider to be the most important aspect of this position?"
• "What do you see as the most important skills needed for this job?"
• "What type of a personality are you looking for in this
• position?"

Listen to their answers, then say, "Thank you. Now that I understand a little more about the job, let me tell you about my skills." NOW sell yourself! Tell them YOU are what THEY have just told you they need.

By: Cheryl Stewart, Human Solutions LLC

When you begin a job campaign, it is critical to have at least three contacts that will act as references for you to a potential employer. Choose contacts that are friends or acquaintances in professional positions, former supervisors or employers, or even former co-workers.

Arm Your References with Information

To ensure you will be presented to a potential employer in the best possible way by your references, you need to prepare your references so that you are controlling what they disclose about you to a potential employer.

Share with your references what types of jobs you are seeking, so that when a potential employer contacts them, it won't be a surprise. You also need to explain what topics to focus on when they are contacted, such as certain  projects or job-related accomplishments. The information that your references give a potential employer need to complement the highlights you have on your resume.

Write Each Reference a Personal Letter

The easiest way to influence what is said during a reference call is to write each of your contacts a letter thanking them for agreeing to act as a reference for you. In your letter, tell them that if they are contacted by a potential  employer, you would appreciate it if they would focus their comments to the following work-related topics and skills. Then provide them a list of topics. For example:

Dear John,

Thank you for agreeing to act as a reference for me. I'm excited about my job campaign, and I sincerely appreciate your assistance. Presently, I am seeking a career as a <insert job title & industry>. If you are contacted by an  mployer about my job qualifications, I would appreciate it if you would focus on my work-related skills and accomplishments.  If there are any positive character traits you'd like to mention, please feel free to do so. I'm listing some suggested topics below.

* <Customize the bullets to include your relevant job-related skills and attributes.  Be sure to include or use the language from the job posting when describing your qualifications>
If you have any questions about my skills in the above areas, please call or email me and I will give you more details. If you are contacted, please note the name of the person who has contacted you and what company they  are  calling from, and then let me know as soon as possible.

Again, thank you for being my reference. I appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

Best regards,
Your Name

Remember to Select Your References Wisely

References are critical to your job search success. If an employer mentions checking your references, it typically means you are being seriously considered for a job offer. If it comes down to offering you or another candidate  he job, your references can swing the employer’s favor in your direction, or, if they are not properly managed, they can ruin your chance of getting the offer.

Why Would Your Contact Give You a Negative Reference?

Even though your contacts have agreed to serve as a reference for you with the best of intentions, this does not guarantee they will give you a "positive" reference. Here are a few reasons why:

* The person calling your contact for a reference is skilled at getting information and may be very easy to talk to, which might subtly encourage your contact to ramble on and veer away from your job skills list and discloses  too much. Your contact may not even realize that what they disclosed will reflect negatively on you.

* Friends, former-coworkers and supervisors often see you in a particular way, and often this way limits your abilities in their eyes. Perhaps your contact sees you as a wild and fun person to hang out with, but has never seen  you in a work role and therefore cannot picture you as a supervisor. That contact may casually say that he isn't sure about how good you would be as a supervisor, but you sure are the life of every party,which won't serve to get your the job offer.

* Former co-workers and supervisors may feel a twinge of ego when they hear of the job opportunity for which you are being considered. They may not be able to imagine you as manager of a large project, or they may have not advanced much in their own career and jealously kicks in. They end up sabotaging your chances of getting the job by saying things that convey their lack of confidence in your ability to handle the job.

Answering a stranger’s questions is never easy, even if the questions are about someone else. When a person gets nervous, they can say the wrong thing.  It’s important to know what your contacts will say about you. This is  why it is critical to qualify your references.

How to Qualify Your Contacts to Ensure a Positive Reference

Have a friend contact your references, pretend to be a potential employers, and ask your contact questions typically posed by employers. This way you will know what each contact is saying and whether or not to keep them as a reference.