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Have you blown an interview lately because you flubbed one of those nasty sensitive questions? You know what I mean—the ones you are hoping they won’t ask:
Why were you fired?
Why have you been out of work so long?
Why are you a job hopper?
Why have you been at the same company for so long?

Here’s how to answer these questions.
Accept what happened. Everything happens for a reason. Forgive those who did you wrong, and accept responsibility for your part. It is critical for YOU to be OK with what happened. Potential employers will pick up on your attitude. If you think losing your job was the most shameful thing that ever happened, the boss will think that too. Then, follow these steps:

1. Listen carefully
Be sure you understand the interviewer’s question, and ask for clarification, if you don’t. A seemingly dangerous question might be quite harmless.
When a sales rep was asked, “What kind of car do you drive?” she immediately thought the manager wanted to see how successful she was. Fortunately, she asked, “That’s an unusual question. Why do you ask?” It turns out that company sales reps had to carry a large display, and needed a car with a big trunk. She smiled and said, “That won’t be a problem.” The truth was, she didn’t own a car, and if they hired her, she’d make sure she bought a car with a big trunk. By asking, she avoided the potential embarrassment of admitting she didn’t have a car.

2. Think before speaking
Prepare so you’re not caught off guard. If they do take you by surprise, pause for a moment and think through your response, rather than saying the first panicked thing that comes to mind.

3. Use Positive Information
Put a positive spin on your efforts. Sure, you got laid off, but if you were doing great work, let the boss know that.
As any good marketer would do, be selective about the information you share. Keep things that aren’t the employer’s business to yourself.

4. Refocus attention by asking a question of your own
At this point, the conversation is drifting in the wrong direction. The employer is essentially asking, “Aren’t you a bum because you lost your job, were out of work too long, didn’t stay in the last job very long, or whatever else happened. Refocus the conversation (artfully) by asking the employer a question. Let’s look at an example.

John got fired from his last job. Instead of condemning his last employer, here’s what he could say (assuming this is true): “I’m passionate about delivering quality. That worked well for me for a lot of years, because my employer shared that commitment. We were the best in the industry in delivering quality, on time, no excuses. I loved my job. Then, new management came in and started taking shortcuts. Our customers weren’t happy. I wasn’t happy. My manager decided it would be best for everyone if I moved on. I agree, and I wish them well.”

So far, so good. But now, John should take the bull by the horns and move that conversation somewhere more productive. He might say, “I’m looking for an employer who is also deeply committed to quality. Can you tell me about your philosophy on quality?”

Now, John doesn’t sound like a whiner or a troublemaker, but he sounds like the kind of employee most companies want. This also helps both parties to see if the job will be a good fit. John doesn’t want to get fired again because he’s working with management that doesn’t share his high standards.

“I would rather die than have to speak in front of a group.”

A lot of people feel that way. In fact, a recent survey showed public speaking was the number one fear people identified—it ranked higher than death itself!

In the last blog entry, I mentioned Toastmasters, a public speaking group. Participating in this organization is a great way to get ahead in your career. Toastmasters has helped countless people to achieve breakthroughs in their poise, confidence and ability to influence others.

Toastmasters International is a confederation of clubs located throughout the world. Its sole purpose is to help people improve their public speaking. Membership costs practically nothing. Dues at my club are around $30 for six months.

If you’re ready to improve your public speaking, go to www.Toastmasters.org, where you can get a list of the clubs that are near you. Visit a few clubs to find one that appeals to you, as clubs have their own personalities and ways of doing things. You may look for a club that has experienced speakers who provide role models and can give you good, constructive feedback to help you learn and grow.

Clubs are very supportive environments in which it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s structured so that it’s easy to stick your big toe in the water. That is, they have a number of little roles to ease your way into speaking. For example, one member is assigned to tell a joke, another keeps track of the time the members speak and gives a report, and another introduces a vocabulary word of the day.

When you join, you receive a manual that provides structure for you to prepare speeches. The first speech, for example, is the icebreaker speech. You are given a few minutes to introduce yourself by talking about some aspect of yourself that people will find interesting. One person told of running in the Boston Marathon, another spoke about starting his own training business, and a third told an amusing story of getting in trouble in high school.

Table topics provide the opportunity to speak off the cuff. A Table Topics Master will prepare topics, and you might be called upon to describe your favorite recipe, talk about the last movie you’ve seen, or described your all-time favorite vacation.

Toastmasters clubs form a vast network of people, and it’s a good way of getting to know great people from all different walks of life. Believe it or not, public speaking can be a lot of fun—and being comfortable speaking to groups can do great things for your career.

One of the most dreaded job interview questions is, “What are your weaknesses?” When answering this question, many people cringe, then shoot themselves in the foot by revealing a very damaging weakness. Remember, the job interview is another opportunity for you to market yourself. This is not a confessional. This isn’t a court of law. It is an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward. While I don’t recommend lying in the job interview, you can select what truth you tell.

I recently heard a rather extreme example about one candidate who told the boss, “I have a bad temper, and I was almost arrested a couple of times for getting violent with my wife ….but don’t worry, I won’t get mad at you.” Obviously, it is totally unnecessary and inappropriate to reveal this to the boss.

Think of your skills as a target, with your core skills as the bull’s-eye. When discussing your weaknesses, you want to stay far away from your core skills. A managerial candidate for example, should not reveal that he has sometimes had trouble getting along with his staff. A customer service rep should not reveal that she sometimes gets impatient with customers.

Instead, talk about something that is three or four rings away from the bull’s-eye, and discuss it in terms of a lesson learned. Show the boss that while you have your weaknesses, as everyone does, you are the kind of person who does something about them.

One example is a counselor, who revealed that when she first started in the profession, she got so wrapped up in talking to the clients (that’s good! Counselors should be very interested in the clients) that she sometimes neglected the paperwork, and found herself scrambling at the last minute to get it done. However, she said that she realized that completing the paperwork right and on time was an important part of the job. So, she disciplined herself to make sure that it would be completed in a timely manner, and it’s been several years since he last had trouble completing paperwork.

Another example is a manager who on rare occasions, would have to speak to a small group. He said that years ago, he was absolutely terrified of talking in front of people, but he joined Toastmasters (a public speaking organization). After a lot of work, he now enjoys public speaking, and has even won two Toastmaster speaking contests, one of which necessitated speaking before over one hundred people.

Use this question to get a leg up on the competition.

Some people advise that a resume should NEVER be longer than one page. I say, be careful of people who say “never.” Your resume should be an appropriate length for you.

Recent college grads should limit themselves to one page. However, I have worked with outstanding college grads who held responsible jobs, served on committees and organizations, wrote interesting papers, and so on, while in school. They had enough good information to justify going beyond one page.

Those who have been around the block a few times do themselves a disservice by limiting their resumes to just one page. Remember, the goal is to market yourself. Allow enough room to tell about the great things you’ve done that separate you from the other candidates. Again, there are exceptions. I have seen people with 20+ years experience who were able to condense a good career into one page, but it was a skilled and heroic writing job to craft text that tightly.

Don’t go beyond two pages. Even if you have been creating miracles your whole career, there is a limit to how much employers will read. When it comes to marketing, less is often more.