1 Know your resume and develop specific examples to support its content. Be able to speak on a real return on investment (ROI) that you created for your company, or how your skills, actions, and hard work made your company/ department/team better. Develop a personal statement (to be prepared to answer the question « tell me about yourself » : your personal statement should last no more than 2 minutes and should include the following elements :

• A recap of the high level points that spans your entire career
• Your current employment situation
• 3 key skills or qualities you wish to highlight
• Why you are interested in the field, company and/ or position
• Why you are the best candidate for the position

Sample personal statement :

Most of my career has been focused on operational and technical leadership in domestic and international organizations ranging in scope from sme’s to fortune 500 companies. I have led teams as small as 5 people to more than 300, comprised of individual engineers, entire executive teams, and everything in-between. Along the way, I have taken multiple products, including new and disruptive technologies, from concept to commercial product and have a track record of closing deals with companies ranging from major players such as IBM, HP and NCR to early-stage emerging innovators. A significant part of my accomplishments have had a turnaround flavor to them, but I have enjoyed- and been successful at- building things from the ground up as well.

2 Use the job description to identify required skills. Develop specific narratives about how you have used or developed those skills to the benefit of your previous company and your career. Know your best qualities/ skills and link them to key achievements and experiences.

3 Practice a mock interview with a friend or colleague. If possible, take video to analyze both your strengths and areas for improvement, or practice in front of a mirror. Make sure you practice eye contact, and keep nervous laughter to a minimum.

4 Research the organization with which you will be interviewing, the person interviewing you, and your new potential direct supervisor. Use LinkedIn to see if you have any personal connections like an alma mater, shared colleague, or sport interest. Making an emotional, yet professional, connection during the job interview can significantly improve your chances of landing the job offer.

5 Develop a list of questions to bring with you to ask the interviewers. These questions should contain your must-haves, such as telecommuting flexibility or training and professional development opportunities with the organization.

6 Research the job title and pay scale for the position at this company and in your area. Have a salary range in mind, as opposed to a specific number, and think of it as your market value.

7 Make a practice trip to the interview site—if possible, at the same time of day you will be traveling for the interview. On the day of, allow for double the travel time your GPS indicates. Better to sit in your car and do some last-minute preparations than get to the interview late.

8 Print copies of your resume, list of references, and examples of your work, if applicable. Be sure to print them on resume or stationery paper. Presentation and first impressions go a long way.

9 Make sure you prepare the right clothing, shoes, and portfolio case ahead of time. There is nothing worse than rushing to get ready for an interview in the morning and realizing your only appropriate outfit has a stain in the middle of it. If you are not sure what to wear, default to a suit.

10 Try to identify someone you know who already works for the organization. They’ll be able to give you an insider’s view of what the culture is like and what you should emphasize during your interview. Depending on their position, they may also be able to advocate for you internally.

Good luck!

And here is a resource to show you how to craft a compelling « elevator pitch »: elevator-pitch