Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 67. Remembering Your Lines Instantly Like a S-T-A-R

You make your entrance. There's a hush in the audience. Here comes the star!

There are only four things that get an offeror's interest. Say them and you're fast-forward interviewing.

Remember them with the mnemonic of who you are—a S-T-A-R. The letters stand for:

Spot something

Talk about it

Attribute and accomplishment

Result

Your remarkable brain will take what you see and hear, then signal your smiling mouth to say the words naturally.

Once you're past the Magic Four Hello (Do 1). . .

Spot Something

Let your eyes do that signaling to the brain.

Say you spot an old photocopy machine in the office area, but there's a roomful of blank paper ream packages and many copies. You upgraded the copier for an employer in an earlier life.

(Sometimes the offeror will mention something first—like hassles with copying. If so, consider that spotted by your ears.)

So, you . . .

Talk about It

Say briefly (two or three sentences) something like, "I see you're using a Zero 32 copier with an automatic feed and five-tray collator. We had one when I was at Paperpusher. How do you like it?"

Simple enough. Just wait for the offeror's reply. He'll probably say, "I don't, but we've had it for so many years that I haven't done anything about it."

Now you show starpower . . .

Attribute and Accomplishment

"I seem to have this ability to increase cost effectiveness in routine business activities. At Paperpusher, I was able to reduce our photocopy costs by 60 percent ...