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I am currently preparing for the final phone interview for an opportunity at executive level. This is the first viable opportunity I have found since being laid off months ago so they need to be convinced that I am the right candidate. What can I do to convince them?

If you have made it to the final interview they are obviously satisfied with the hard data gathered so far from you, and your resume, and references. At this stage they are looking for you to fit the intangible factors like culture and team. There's not a lot you can do to drastically alter their perception of you. If you show up desperate to convince them to hire you, they will sense something inauthentic about you. Desperation can show up in your mannerisms and demeanor as untrusting or domineering.

Prepare, relax, and do your honest best in the interview, but don't try to convince them. You've heard "work like you don't need the money." Now it's time to "interview like you don't need the job."


When I got laid off earlier this year I left the area and returned home where I thought job opportunities would be better. After a short time a friend who started his own company hired me. The problem is, I would like to stay in touch with my former colleagues but I have to try not to talk about my new position. I love the job but I don't want to rub it in.

Stay in touch. Talk about your new position and share your tips on landing a job. Tell them to take some risks, to not be afraid to relocate, network, and contact old colleagues and friends. You can be a good support to them right now and I am sure they will find your success encouraging. There is a lot they could learn from you.


I would like to become better known in my company. I have heard it is good to develop your own personal brand. How do I do it?

Now that you have decided to increase your visibility within your company, you can create a personal brand image that you promote and reinforce, to develop your reputation. Like a well-known commercial brand, you need to choose what you would like to be known for. A good place to start is to find out what you do well, and what you are already known for.

Approach at least 5 coworkers or managers whose opinion you value and ask, "what do I do well?" Note their answers, and ask "what else" until you feel you have dug sufficiently deep for responses. List all their answers, and group them by themes. Look for patterns that emerge. For example, a Marketing Manager hears "you listen carefully to what I say" and "our suggestions are always reflected in your final report." So "great listener" becomes part of her brand statement, and she jumps at every opportunity to mention and demonstrate this skill.