Crazy Good Interviewing: How Acting A Little Crazy Can Get You The Job

by John B. Molidor, Barbara Parus (Editor)

Overview

How acting a little crazy and thinking outside of the box can get you the job you want

Ever hear of a job candidate stretching out on the interviewer's floor to fill out an application? Or an applicant who sees nothing wrong with texting during the interview? Securing a job interview is a golden opportunity. The crazy-bad behavior described above will not net a job offer. Crazy Good Interviewing shows readers that crazy-good behavior, however, can make an applicant stand out favorably in a sea of mediocrity. Take the candidate who created a keynote presentation on his iPad to show what he could bring to the job or the one who created a DVD highlighting her abilities.

Crazy Good Interviewing is a book geared toward those who are looking for work in this tough economy.

• Addresses how slightly eccentric behaviors can tip the scales in the applicant's favor
• Delves into how to access your three key strengths, how to use body language effectively, how to prepare a five-sentence history that builds a bridge to the interviewer, and more

Turn just plain crazy into crazy-good, and land the job at your next interview.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118331842
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/14/2012
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

JOHN B. MOLIDOR, PhD, is CEO/President of Michigan State University Flint Area Medical Education and a Community Assistant Dean and Professor of Psychiatry at MSU College of Human Medicine, who helps people understand how their brain, communication styles, and interviewing skills can function well together.

BARBARA PARUS is Director of Publications for the National Speakers Association in Tempe, Arizona. A Chicago native, she is a versatile and well-established writer, ghostwriter, editorial consultant, and the author or coauthor of three books on human resources–related topics.

Table of Contents

Foreword xv
Roxanne Emmerich

Acknowledgments xix

Chapter 1 Job Hunting in a Crazy Economy 1

Job Market Overview 2

Why Is the Interview So Important? 5

What Makes Me an Expert? 7

Chapter 2 Go Crazy—In a Good Way 9

How Do You Rate? 10

Introducing the ‘‘Psychotron’’ 10

What’s Crazy Bad Behavior? 12

What’s Crazy Good Behavior? 14

Chapter 3 First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions 19

Look at the Research 20

Exceptions to the Rule 21

The Rating Game 23

Preparation Is Key 25

Get Ready to ‘‘Act Out’’ 27

Part I ACT Out: Assess 29

Chapter 4 Everything from Soup to Nuts 31

Your Strengths and Limitations 31

Assessment Instruments 32

What’s Your Weak Spot? 37

Human Interaction: Where the Action Is 40

Education: Know Your Own Strengths 42

Jobs that Don’t Require College Degrees 42

Skills and Work Experience 44

Areas of Improvement 47

The Best Policy 48

Chapter 5 Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful You 51

Biology 101 52

Personality 101 54

Introversion versus Extraversion: Are You In or Out? 55

Interpersonal Skills: Can You Relate? 59

Your Assignment 61

Enthusiasm and Motivation: Rah-Rah, Sis-Boom-Bah! 61

Problem Solving: What’s Your Problem? 63

Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box 64

Life Experiences 101 66

Hobbies and Interests: What Do You Do in Your Spare Time? 68

Netting a Job Offer 70

Chapter 6 Selling ‘‘Crazy’’: Your Unique Value Proposition 73

Think ‘‘Log Line’’ 74

Create Your Unique Value Proposition 76

Your Five-Sentence Personal History 78

Why Anecdotes Work 80

The Power of Three 82

Mad About Metaphors 85

Chapter 7 Your Worldview on Work 87

Applying Your Worldview to Work 88

Work Makes the World Go ’Round 88

Worldview Provides Career Direction 90

Mapping a Career Plan 92

When Job and Worldview Don’t Align 94

Square Peg, Round Hole 95

Part II ACT Out: Communicate 97

Chapter 8 Bridge the Generational Gap with Crazy Good Behavior 99

Defining ‘‘Generation’’ 99

The Sound of ‘‘Silents’’ (Born 1924–1945) 101

Big, Bad Baby Boomers (Born 1946–1964) 104

Old and New 107

The Internet Generation X (Born 1965–1983) 108

High-Tech Generation Y (Born 1984–2002) 111

Chapter 9 Types of Interviews 115

Phone Interviews: Can You Hear Me Now? 115

Before the Interview: Ready and Waiting 119

During the Interview 120

Skype: Smile for the Camera! 120

FaceTime 123

One-on-One Interview: Up Close and Personal 123

It’s Showtime! 125

Play Nice 128

All Ears 128

Panel Interview: All Eyes on You 129

Make One-on-One Connections 130

Turning ‘‘You’re Fired!’’ into ‘‘You’re Hired!’’ 133

Group Interview: When You’re One Among Many 135

Chapter 10 Head Games 137

Games Interviewers Play 138

Tension Relievers 140

Chapter 11 Looking Good . . . Crazy Good 143

Perceiving Is Believing 144

Putting It All Together 146

For Men Only 146

For Women Only 149

Chapter 12 Use Body Language to Make a Crazy Good Impression 161

Make Crazy Good Eye Contact 162

Posture Perfect 165

Gestures and Facial Expressions 170

Chapter 13 Voiceovers: Your Voice Speaks Volumes 173

Sound Off: Elements of Voice 175

Part III ACT Out: Thank 183

Chapter 14 After the Interview: Thank ’em Like Crazy 185

The Waiting Game 186

Crazy Bad Follow-Up Efforts 194

Chapter 15 Post-Interview Self-Evaluation: How Did You Do? 197

Rate Yourself; Don’t Berate Yourself 198

Do You Really Want to Work There? 202

Moral Dilemmas 204

Chapter 16 Putting It All Together in a Crazy Good Way 205

Establish Your Power Base 207

Use a Crazy Good Interview Strategy 208

Use Crazy Good Behaviors to Get the Job 208

Sell Yourself Like Crazy 209

Be Yourself, in a Crazy Good Way 209

Research the Employer Like Crazy 209

Research the Interviewer(s) Like Crazy 211

Practice Like Crazy 212

Take the Stage 213

Appendix 150 Frequently Asked Questions 215

Index 229