Often, I am asked to work with folks who tend to ramble and say more than they should. The more they ramble, the less impact their message has.

A great example of this occurred today. A top candidate for a new role in a new company kept going on and on. I even interviewed him the day before and mentioned to him that he tends to go on too long, rambles and talks in circles.

He is a very qualified candidate and frankly, is the candidate of choice. In the interview, he was told what held him back was his rambling. The advice we gave him was to answer a question with a five or ten word description and then stop. Rambling indicates nervousness, lack of confidence and even a possible lack of knowledge.

If you tend to ramble, it is because you have not practiced your answers. A good way to practice is to write the answer on paper and edit it with three bullet points. This will definitely help curb your rambling.

I help clients prepare for “the interview” for a promotion or just a “look see” in some cases. Basic critical elements for the interviewee are dress, behavior (body language, facial expressions) and projecting confidence. However, the talking points and engaging the interviewer so they want to help you get promoted is just as, if not more so, important. You want to create a winning interview so you will be recommended, or at least be considered, for the next position. Also, ask probing questions. This way, for the second interview, you will be able to provide your insights on issues that are not common knowledge for the role.

The phone interview for some folks is less nerve racking than a personal talk. However, it might be harder to stay focused because you do not have a face to engage the interviewer. Keep centered by having your talking points in front of you. Make sure you are not distracted. Really listening to the tone of the voice and questions on the other end will the keep interaction strong and help you respond appropriately. 90 percent of my engagements come from conference call interviews. I always pause to give the interviewer time to respond. I also clarify by saying- this is what I hear you are saying. In addition, I always follow-up by proposing a day and time to reconnect.

Important document that the resume is, avoid these mistakes when writing yours:

– Citing an objective. Hiring managers do not want to know what your objective is, they want to know how you can help them. You do this with a coherent summary of qualifications leading off your resume.

– Using irrelevant activities. Always keep any activities that you list job relatable. For example, avoid listing that you volunteer at PAWS unless you’re applying for a job at a pet clinic.

– Being inconsistent with tense. For your current job, use the present tense. For already completed achievements and prior jobs use the past tense.

– Listing too many tasks instead of accomplishments. For example, Managed a project team of seven high performance engineers, is a task. Directed a $1M production line redesign project that resulted in 20% more productivity for the second shift, is an accomplishment.

– Placing GPAs and school accomplishments on the resume. Only do this if you are a fresh graduate with little or no work experience and you’re applying for your first job.

The vast majority of the resumes I receive have one of more of these on them.

Steve Wyrostek, MBA, CPRW

Steve is a former manager responsible for hiring hundreds of employees. He has also written over 300 resumes, LinkedIns and cover letters for clients ranging from scientists to entry level grads in the US, UAE, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, Italy, etc.

He is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and heads up No Cliche Copy and No Cliche Resumes in New Buffalo, MI.

Often, talented folks make the mistake of speaking in a voice and using words that are not natural to them. This becomes noticeable when they are asked to explain what they said and they get tangled up in explaining what they mean.

The late Tim Russet of Meet the Press once said that he always knew that if his father understood what he was saying then he was speaking in his own voice and words. His comments would also resonate with the rest of his audience.

To ensure you are speaking in your own voice, begin to practice with folks who don’t know your subject. If they understand your explanation, then you are speaking in your own voice.

In the Chicago Tribune, Sunday, September 8th business section, Edward Trullman (Chairman of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy in Chicago) wrote about five ways to make the most of Demo Day. Demo Day is when folks get to pitch for business funding to Venture capitalists.

The five ways can help ensure a participant will hit it out of the ball park when s/he makes a pitch. They are also exactly what we work on with clients who are either interviewing for the next position or seeking to sell a project.

1. Be short, sweet and grab the audience early – know your story.

2. One template does not fit all – you may have tell your story in different ways.

3. Don’t let the way you dress be a distraction – this also goes for hair and grooming. Leave the green nail polish for clubbing and guys, trim the beard. No reading glasses – purchase progressive ones.

4. Stay away from case studies. Start with results – leave the details for later discussion.

5. Name your supporters – In Tullman’s piece, he talks about naming investors. Familiarity is critical especially because the folks you are pitching to want to a way to connect with you. Everyone wants to play with a winner.

If you have a chance watch Shark Tank on Friday nights. You will see that the folks who get one or two of the sharks to invest embrace these points.

There are two purposes of an interview exit. One is to ensure that you leave on a good note and the second is to learn how you could strengthen your skills as you move forward.

You never want to be negative, even if the person responsible for the interview was. If the departure was not a positive one, do a mock interview in front of a mirror. Practice the answers to these questions:

– What you liked about your experience in this role

– What you would recommend to clarify and polish that role for the next person.

Being prepared for an exit interview will ensure you leave with your professionalism intact.

Telling your personal story is critical in establishing context to you as a brand. You want to craft it so it can be told in its entirety or in segments, depending on the audience. It needs to relevant for the purpose.

(Remember, that in all cases we are always being interviewed, whether formally or in conversation, for the next project or role we want.)

Below are three must-have personal story elements to address:

– What makes you the special sauce that everyone needs?

– What are three success stories that can validate and prove your case?

– Describe your brief history that brings to your story up-to-date.

Write the answer to these three points on paper. Continue to edit them until they become a sharp snapshot of your personal story. Then practice out loud until it sounds authentic.

The last and most important step is to videotape yourself. Videotaping is the most critical piece because it enables you to see how others view you—how you look, sound and act. This is what your audience will experience.

The best story engages the audience and is told in less than five minutes.

Do you have a personal calling card that you can give to those you want to reach you? This is a card that is not related to your professional life. You can give it out socially. Include your name, phone number and personal e-mail address on the card.

Vista Print (www.vistaprint.com) is a great online source that offers many designs for cards like this.

What do your body and facial expressions suggest to those around you when you are not talking? The way you stand, how you hold our body and set your facial expressions say much more about you than you might realize.

Begin this test for a week. Observe the folks you interface with. Do they take you seriously or are you off-putting to them?

If you want to improve your interactions, start changing the way you carry your arms or do something different with your facial expressions or smile. Act the opposite of how you hold yourself. Do this for a week and you will see the difference in how your silent message is being received.