Interview Tips For The Self Employed

The current economic condition has led many people to pursue opportunities beyond typical employment. Starting a business, pursuing freelancing or consulting work, or taking on short term projects on a contracting basis has helped many people supplement their income as the economy recovers. It's being predicted that in some industries, consulting and contracting will eventually replace many traditional salaried full time jobs.

If you are in business for yourself, you already know that one of the most challenging aspects of running your company is attracting new clients. Every time you meet with a new customer, you are, in effect, going on a job interview, selling yourself and your services to a potential employer. Why not polish this presentation with some of the same strategies that I recommend for other job seekers?

1. Research before the interview. Your client has already given you some idea what they are looking for and why they are interested in talking to you about your services. Be ready to "wow" them with a new idea or solution.

2. Have your accomplishments and achievements categorized and formatted for presentation, as in "Interview Angel"; so that when the client asks for examples of your past accomplishments and how they are relevant to the project at hand, you are confidently prepared to discuss them fluently.

3. Take action during the interview. Demonstrate your ideas by sketching them or showing a computer presentation. You should always open doors, pick up dropped objects, and be ready to offer a pen. Be a proactively courteous, dynamic presence.

4. Pay attention to the client's needs. Keep your presentation simple, and relevant to the project at hand. Be wary of intimidating. Many times a client's needs are relatively straightforward and they don't need (or want to pay for) your more extensive expertise. The time to try to upsell is not during an initial meeting. If you have no interest in servicing the client's current, stated needs, it's far more courteous not to waste their time- or yours.

5. The usual job interview etiquette applies. Many client meetings take place in public or at lunch. Arrive on time in a freshly washed vehicle, neatly dressed, with your cell phone set to vibrate. Be prepared to give the meeting your full attention. Have everything you need at hand, pens, business cards, proposals, contracts, and other materials.

6. Make it a priority to send a "Thank You" note after the meeting. If your business has promotional items (mug, magnet, calendar, etc) this would be appropriate to include as well. Many times a client will interview several service providers before hiring one. Taking this extra follow-up step can make all the difference.

Proceed With Caution

In work, as in life, we face dilemmas every day. For every question, there are often as many answers as there are opinions. When the question is, "How do I get hired?" the answers can, and do, change constantly, depending on the trends of the moment, the industry, the organization, the area, and, obviously, the candidate.

Sifting through the flood of ever changing suggestions and expert opinions to find that winning combination of common sense, innovation, and smart business strategy can be a daunting task for even the most intelligent and motivated job seeker.

There is no 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to career planning, but there is 'one-size-fits-none'. I say this because it's so very important for job seekers to carefully pick and choose which advice to follow, and which to ignore, when seeking new strategies for their job searches. Not all of what you hear or read will be credible, reliable or advisable, so choose carefully.

I caution you to be wary when adopting new strategies to your job search. Ask yourself some key questions:
• Is it congruent with your personal belief system? (Remember the Golden Rule!)
• Does common sense tell you it’s a good idea? If not, there’s probably a reason you never heard it suggested before!
• Is there a better way to apply the advice for your particular career path?
• Is it right for YOU? Your personal strengths and weaknesses will determine how effectively you can apply any given suggestion. What works for an extrovert, for example, could be damaging to an extreme introvert, and so forth.
• Consider the source, but realize even great sources are occasionally wrong.

As an example, Fortune Magazine recently ran a cover story titled, "How To Find A Job." Along with a lot of great ideas, the article included some unfortunate suggestions.

Candidates were advised to use interviews as an opportunity to gather intel on an organization; then offer the company’s competition this insider information in exchange for a meeting. This behavior is unethical, and a display of questionable morals is never a good tactic for a job seeker. Many companies would quite justifiably call their competitor to report such a candidate, thus eliminating any chance of a job offer from either company.

Another recommendation from the article was for candidates to follow up after interviews by sending the hiring manager links to relevant articles. This is good, but it only goes halfway. Summarizing key points from the articles and making recommendations is a better demonstration of your problem solving skills and initiative.

Ultimately only you know what tactics will work best in your job search, and in your life. Only by being selective and remaining true to your own standards will you find success.