Effective Job Interview

[dlsafrica]

I have had no luck in the work department and have been unemployed for 26 years, but last July things took a turn when I finally got a CV done. Since then, I've been putting out CV's but heard nothing back, although I got positive feedback from two.

The one is an admin type job that fits my admin skills exactly. That might be needed next month. The other is an in-store radio position, which isn't available immediately, but I've been invited to go in today to record a demo in case a position becomes available 

[Little Sherri]

That is a tough spot to be in, for sure. I would say that the #1 thing you need to work on is having a good story to tell regarding being unemployed for that period of time. You have to own that story up front, because that is going to be the elephant in the room - why was this guy not employed for so long? You need to diffuse that by explaining what has changed in your life that now makes you ready for employment and a good candidate for their position. 

Going into it, they are going to be asking themselves two questions about all candidates: 1) Is this person a good fit in terms of skills, personality, and expectations, and, 2) Will this person be reliable and generally self-sufficient? 

You need to be able to reassure them that you will become a reliable cog within the organization, as well as that you can do the job and play well with others. Practice an "elevator pitch" on who you are, where you've been, and why you're where you are now, that address what is, let's face it, a fairly notable gap within the timeline of your resume. I wish you nothing but good fortune, sir!