Thursday, June 26, 1997

Going by the book: Acing the interview

By MARVIN WALBERG / Scripps Howard News Service

"A job interview is a screen test, and getting hired depends almost completely on the 'actor factor'. If you know your lines, perfect your delivery and dress for the part, you'll get hired. You don't, you won't. No retakes." So says Jeffrey G. Allen, author of "The Complete Q&A Job Interview Book," second edition, published John Wiley, & Sons, Inc.

This book is an updated edition of his best-seller of almost 10 years ago, and, in my opinion, a must-have for all job seekers and career movers and shakers.

This book gives you interview questions likely to be asked, with suggested answers from an employer's perspective.

Allen is a nationally known job placement attorney, with extensive experience as a personnel manager and professional negotiator. He is this nation's foremost authority on the interview process. Listen to what he says:

"Studying interviewing techniques is a total waste of time for a serious job-seeker. Interviewing hasn't changed since Laurel hired Hardy. It's just as comical as it has always been."

And he goes on to say, "Twenty-five years ago, I developed the only measure that counts: the interview-to-offer ratio. If you ask enough people, you'll find the ratio averages 12-to-1. It takes 12 interviews for the average person to get job offer. That means for every person who intuitively knows how to get hired every time (or uses our techniques), some walking wounded is limping into his or her 24th interview ... destroyed, not employed."

"The Complete Q&A Job Interview Book" gives you answers to practically any job interview question that could be asked. But Allen doesn't ask that you memorize his answers. Instead. he gives you a formula for learning a personalized, programmed interview technique that will make your self-esteem soar and your interview-to-offer ratio drop substantially.

Ten interview areas are covered, with new material on commonly asked questions about computer technology. It is likely available in paperback at your public library or many book stores.

(Marvin Walberg is a job search consultant, author and seminar leader. Send your job search questions and comments to "Getting Hired", P.O. Box 130757, Birmingham, Ala. 35213.)